Help with an elusive pregnant feral

[missmimz]

I've been trying, unsuccessfully for several months, to trap a mama cat that has already had several litters. Right now I'm fostering her last litter of 4 kittens and she's pregnant again. Every time i try and trap her she either will not go into my trap or she doesn't show up the night before trapping. I'm reluctant to trap her without an appointment somewhere or several days before her appointment as i live in AZ where its incredibly hot and I'd have to bring her inside which poses several other problems because I've already got a full house. 

I'm frustrated because I feed several other cats that are spayed & neutered yet she keeps eluding me. She'll often sneak in and eat when the other fixed cats are eating. I live in a residential neighborhood and i know other people are feeding, specifically one of my neighbors has a free feeder she leaves out for two strays she cares for, but she only lives here in the winter months and has someone come and fill the feeder regularly so it would be hard for me to try and ask them to remove it. I'm positive she isn't the only other person feeding, either, but i have no idea who the other people might be.

Does anyone have any good suggestions for me? I feel like a terrible caretaker because I know its irresponsible to feed cats that aren't spayed & neutered, but I can't just stop feeding the others that are fixed and rely on me. I've tried leaving the trap out open for weeks on end, she'll eat just outside of it but wont go inside it. I've tried cover it, uncovering it, stinky tuna, nothing works because she can go get food elsewhere. 

 

[213kitten]

What I do is put a can of tuna in a live trap and wait, it only took about 5 minutes. I do it around dinner time.

 

[purmonster]

Have you tried a drop trap?
Then she doesn't have to walk into it? It falls on top of them well they eat?
May be worth looking into.
Also cats hate walking on the metal bars of the cage, What I've seemed to notice. have you tried placing a blanket down on the bottom as well? Maybe a blanket your cats sleep on? Maybe the smells will entice her to check it out.

 

[missmimz]

Have you tried a drop trap?
Then she doesn't have to walk into it? It falls on top of them well they eat?
May be worth looking into.
Also cats hate walking on the metal bars of the cage, What I've seemed to notice. have you tried placing a blanket down on the bottom as well? Maybe a blanket your cats sleep on? Maybe the smells will entice her to check it out.

I have not tried a drop trap. I'm not sure how it would work because the place i feed/trap is my front porch. I do have cardboard down over the bars, i could try a towel or blanket though. 

 

[shadowsrescue]

 

Have you tried a drop trap?
Then she doesn't have to walk into it? It falls on top of them well they eat?
May be worth looking into.
Also cats hate walking on the metal bars of the cage, What I've seemed to notice. have you tried placing a blanket down on the bottom as well? Maybe a blanket your cats sleep on? Maybe the smells will entice her to check it out.

I have not tried a drop trap. I'm not sure how it would work because the place i feed/trap is my front porch. I do have cardboard down over the bars, i could try a towel or blanket though. 

I line the bottom of the trap with puppy pee pads.  You can get them cheap at the Dollar Tree.  It helps to hide the trip plate.  Also be sure your trap is set to the most sensitive.  You might need to try it out to see if it's set not sensitive enough.  You can make drop traps to varying sizes so it should work on your front porch if you make one yourself.  If you search the internet or youtube you can find directions on how to make one.

 

[missmimz]

 
I line the bottom of the trap with puppy pee pads.  You can get them cheap at the Dollar Tree.  It helps to hide the trip plate.  Also be sure your trap is set to the most sensitive.  You might need to try it out to see if it's set not sensitive enough.  You can make drop traps to varying sizes so it should work on your front porch if you make one yourself.  If you search the internet or youtube you can find directions on how to make one.

Do you know how far long she can be and still be spayed? I can tell she's pregnant because she's a small cat, but she probably has another few weeks left, maybe a month. The last time she was pregnant she got really big before she had the kittens. If she has more kittens they'll just end up ferals that will need to be TNR'd because i can't take in anymore kittens right now I'm still caring for her last litter that's only about 13 weeks. I tried to trap her before she gave birth to her last litter and the non-profit didn't give me any time limit for trapping her before birth, but I don't know if there is a standard for it. 

 

[shadowsrescue]

 

 
I line the bottom of the trap with puppy pee pads.  You can get them cheap at the Dollar Tree.  It helps to hide the trip plate.  Also be sure your trap is set to the most sensitive.  You might need to try it out to see if it's set not sensitive enough.  You can make drop traps to varying sizes so it should work on your front porch if you make one yourself.  If you search the internet or youtube you can find directions on how to make one.

Do you know how far long she can be and still be spayed? I can tell she's pregnant because she's a small cat, but she probably has another few weeks left, maybe a month. The last time she was pregnant she got really big before she had the kittens. If she has more kittens they'll just end up ferals that will need to be TNR'd because i can't take in anymore kittens right now I'm still caring for her last litter that's only about 13 weeks. I tried to trap her before she gave birth to her last litter and the non-profit didn't give me any time limit for trapping her before birth, but I don't know if there is a standard for it. 

It usually is dependent upon the vet.  You will need to call the vet you are taking her to and discuss if they would still spay her if she is pregnant.