Need Help Catching! - Doesn't Like To Be Touched

[tk8674]

It's not what it sounds like - I am not kidnapping an unwilling furry companion.

Long story short, I work in Iraq and we have many, many, many feral cats here. However, this poor guy showed up in my garden four months ago in very bad shape. Someone had cut his throat, he was skin and bones, and mostly dead. Four months later, he's a happy, chubby floof that lives in my house and plays in the garden. His name is Enki.

Here's the catch - he does not like to be touched - not even by me. He's allowed to touch me, sleep on my bed, etc, but I cannot initiate contact without him fleeing. When he first showed up I only got him to the vet because he could hardly move.

Last month I bit the bullet and got him on some vet-prescribed Valium to, sort of, slow him down so I could catch him and get him to the vet to be neutered. The drugs did nothing. It was an hour-long chase, blankets were used, walls were climbed, lamps were broken, curtains came down... We're all still very emotionally scarred by the events of that day.

Now to the point - I need to catch him again. I'm going back to the US for a few weeks just after Christmas. He's going to stay at a friends house (she refuses to house-sit and I have no one else to ask).

Does anyone have any advice on how to catch him without completely traumatizing him like last time? I have Valium left over, but I gave him the max dose last time and seriously, I have never seen that chubby kitty move so fast. I don't see the point.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Have you tried a humane trap baited with food? There are also lots of ideas on homemade drop traps. My concern is that taking him to a friends house is going to be very traumatic for him. Is there any way, your friend could just come to your home to feed him daily and clean the litter box? I would worry about him hiding in her home and then of course there is getting him back to your house.

 

[di and bob]

It would be MUCH better if someone could come to your house. Taking him somewhere else is going to triple his stress and unless she keeps him in a cage or room all the time, I don't see how he wouldn't escape from her. I would try harder to get her to come to the house the find someone else. They will have to understand the cat could escape and must be very careful. Benadryl can be given to calm them down and works well, but it is a much smaller dose than the human one and you would have to ask your vet how much. Wrap it in a piece of bacon to give. I used it for a move, but one cat had too much and was very woozy. Or go to the vet and get something they recommend. You could go to the vet and see if they have a person even working there that needs some extra money or could recommend someone. Some cats are just like yours, so traumatized by past experiences that everything is a life threatening deal now and he will fight to survive, I feel sorry for both of you. Enki is still very unsure of himself, four months isn't long at all in a cat's world, you have done miracles. He will continue to trust and warm to you as the months go by, but this will be a setback. You can't find someone at work that likes and understands cats? Or find a neighbor lady that has some? You will be blessed for taking him in, please keep us informed.

 

[tk8674]

Have you tried a humane trap baited with food? There are also lots of ideas on homemade drop traps. My concern is that taking him to a friends house is going to be very traumatic for him. Is there any way, your friend could just come to your home to feed him daily and clean the litter box? I would worry about him hiding in her home and then of course there is getting him back to your house.

Yes, I'm also concerned about catching him again to bring him home. I hadn't thought about a humane trap. I could look into finding something here.

I'm not concerned about him being traumatized just being there. He settled in to my place so well and he's actually rather familiar with her. I consider him quite the mature cat - just skittish.

Unfortunately, I don't have anyone who will be in town during the time I'm travelling to come by. Most everyone is travelling during the holiday or - like this friend - lives across town. We're a bit spread out in this city and it's rather inconvenient.

 

[tk8674]

It would be MUCH better if someone could come to your house. Taking him somewhere else is going to triple his stress and unless she keeps him in a cage or room all the time, I don't see how he wouldn't escape from her. I would try harder to get her to come to the house the find someone else. They will have to understand the cat could escape and must be very careful. Benadryl can be given to calm them down and works well, but it is a much smaller dose than the human one and you would have to ask your vet how much. Wrap it in a piece of bacon to give. I used it for a move, but one cat had too much and was very woozy. Or go to the vet and get something they recommend. You could go to the vet and see if they have a person even working there that needs some extra money or could recommend someone. Some cats are just like yours, so traumatized by past experiences that everything is a life threatening deal now and he will fight to survive, I feel sorry for both of you. Enki is still very unsure of himself, four months isn't long at all in a cat's world, you have done miracles. He will continue to trust and warm to you as the months go by, but this will be a setback. You can't find someone at work that likes and understands cats? Or find a neighbor lady that has some? You will be blessed for taking him in, please keep us informed.

Yes, I know it would be better if I had someone to house-sit. Believe me, I begged my friend.

Guys really, I'd love to have someone come to my house (actually I wouldn't - the thought of another person alone in my house for 3-4 weeks horrifies me - but I would do it for Enki). But when I mentioned I work in Iraq - as an American here and also not a people person anyway - I keep to myself and the few non-child-laden friends I have are other foreigners (also traveling home for the holidays). I have one friend that is not married with children that will be here. She will not house sit and she can't drive over every day - she lives and works almost 30 minutes away without traffic.

I must travel home. I haven't been back in almost a year and I have to leave this country and return to the US annually for tax and residency purposes. Not going is not an option either.

The cat must be moved. So this is the question to focus on.

We don't have Benadryl here, or bacon for that matter haha. I was not successful with the Valium but I can ask about other options. To be honest though, I didn't mention what happened when he got out of the carrier at the vet's office. The vet said he'd never had to deal with a cat like that. That's why I turned to this forum for ideas.

 

[di and bob]

Oh, I forgot where you were!!! You might just set a carrier down now and start to get him used to it, Put treats and a blanket inside, cover most of it with a towel and see if he will start using it to sleep or eat in. It would be a lot easier if he just walked into a carrier! Make sure you cover what ever you put him in to transfer him, it really calms them down. I would definitely contact the vet and see what they say about another 'calming' med or any ideas on how to catch him, surely they have some ideas!

 

[shadowsrescue]

You can also try adding some catnip in the carrier. Catnip and treats might do the trick.

 

[tk8674]

I did try having the carrier out the last time around but I had only bought it maybe two days before trying to put him in it. Also, it ended up being rather small - he couldn't move around too much - so it probably wasn't that inviting. I hadn't realized how big he got.

I will go today and buy a larger one and some extra treats. I have about three weeks until I fly out. Hopefully this will work.

I remembered that there are humane traps available here - the US Army guys on the base nearby had to catch a bunch of cats that kept running around the trucks a few months back and they were trying to find homes for them. Coincidentally, I called them and offered to take a little black kitten the very day Enki showed up in my garden. Anyway, I'd rather not have to trap my own cat and put him through that but I'll keep that in mind. I can contact them and find out where the got the traps.

So, through all of this I've left out a piece of information - Enki now has a sister. She showed up in my garden a month ago. I tried and tried to chase her away but she wouldn't leave because she was in heat and must have sniffed out Enki. That's why Enki was forced into his traumatic trip to the vet. After he recovered Pazuzu joined our household and she has since been spayed.

She is the opposite of Enki - cuddly as can be, in your face and sounds like a nonstop motor. The two get along really well - they cuddle and play, etc.

Is there any way I can use her? When I said I'll buy a larger carrier, I'm thinking a quite large one - big enough for the two to move rather freely. If anything, I will need it in the long term when I eventually need to get them to the US.

Sorry for all the questions. I've never had cats before, I grew up an adamant dog person. I do not understand these creatures. Also, local resources here are limited. A small population of people have only started becoming "pet people" in the last few years. Cats and dogs are still generally considered dirty and not to be handled.