The Less Fortunate

[Sylvester]

I have a problem which I hope somebody can solve. Three years ago I noticed a large group of stray cats hanging around a lumber store at night. For the life of me I do not understand why people dump animals. It makes me want to put the said 'human' out in the middle of nowhere without any fresh water and food for three days and see how well they do.

But I digress. I started taking food out to them along with a bowl which I filled with water. By and large the group began to dwindle as more people heard about their plight and rescue groups stepped in. It is down now to three females and one battered up tom cat.

AFTER THREE LONG YEARS..I was finally able to convince the tom cat that I was a friend not an enemy. He now comes up to me and rubs against my leg while I stroke his scarred head. He has one blind eye, cauliflower ears, and too many scars on his body to count. He is truly pitiful looking.

I am pleased with the results but want to elevate the situation to the next step, how to pick him up and get him to my vet step. He is too smart for cage traps of which many have been placed out there to nab him. He just sniffs, looks at them, and gingerly walks away. And I am afraid if my picking him up goes horribly wrong, I will not only delete all of the trust he has placed in me, but end up in the ER.

And I don't want to allow this to continue until he finally gets badly beaten up, and crawls off to die, or he becomes a victim to the elements. He is not a spring chicken.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[faislaq]

It sounds mean, but could you put a sedative in his food and hang around til he get sleepy? It might not put him out completely, but enough to get him in a carrier so he can be checked out & snipped. If you explain the situation to your vet they may be able to give you something.

Thank you for helping these poor animals.

 

[Sylvester]

It sounds mean, but could you put a sedative in his food and hang around til he get sleepy? It might not put him out completely, but enough to get him in a carrier so he can be checked out & snipped. If you explain the situation to your vet they may be able to give you something.

Thank you for helping these poor animals.

Thank you, faislaq! I don't think that is mean at all. In fact, I think it is a very helpful suggestion. After what this cat has been through, being sedated is the least of his problems.

My vet said he could dart him but also said it would take two minutes, just enough time to allow him to make it safely into the woods, and there he would be a sitting duck for any predator.

I am going to bring your suggestion up with my vet. Maybe just relax him a little.

 

[Sylvester]

Well I can see that this might not be the best site to post this question, so I am taking it to another site. Must not have too many cat folks here.

Anyway, something has to be done about kitty before late August because I am moving to another town.

 

[faislaq]

Good luck. What did your vet say?

 

[TikiMyn]

It sounds mean, but could you put a sedative in his food and hang around til he get sleepy? It might not put him out completely, but enough to get him in a carrier so he can be checked out & snipped. If you explain the situation to your vet they may be able to give you something.

Thank you for helping these poor animals.

That is a great idea!

@Sylvester I once rescued a Tom cat, he was much like yours but less wary I think. I was only 7 at the time and met him on our camping. I kept feeding him and eventually I could pet him and he followed me home. As cats aroud there were being poisoned my father agreed to take him to grandparents as we coudln’t take more cats. We let several people know and one of them caught him. We knew the places he hang out in mostly, one of those places was pretty cornered so he couldn’t get away. The person who caught him was full of scratched but she did catch him. Maybe there is an allay he is often? With Some help from other people you might be able to lock the alley off and have people on both sides and catch him? Though the sedative does sound like the best option.

 

[faislaq]

That is a great idea!

@Sylvester I once rescued a Tom cat, he was much like yours but less wary I think. I was only 7 at the time and met him on our camping. I kept feeding him and eventually I could pet him and he followed me home. As cats aroud there were being poisoned my father agreed to take him to grandparents as we coudln’t take more cats. We let several people know and one of them caught him. We knew the places he hang out in mostly, one of those places was pretty cornered so he couldn’t get away. The person who caught him was full of scratched but she did catch him. Maybe there is an allay he is often? With Some help from other people you might be able to lock the alley off and have people on both sides and catch him? Though the sedative does sound like the best option.

I think he does not want to lose the cat's trust that he has built with him.

 

[Pip and Gracie]

There are a lot of cat colonies in my area and some get out of hand. They know how to survive and often people feed them. I would suggest asking your neighborhood animal shelter if they are spayed and neutred. That keeps down the amount of animals without killing them. I wouldnt suggest picking up the cats, many are feral and have lived there life outside. Most havent been dumped but procreated. If youre really worried I would go to the closest no kill animal shelter and have them deal with it, usually there is an animal control officer that knows what to do. I dont really know how sedation in food would help, you dont know the correct dosages and the animal may be allergic (my cat was).

 

[Sylvester]

I think he does not want to lose the cat's trust that he has built with him.

Yes, you are so correct. I will have one chance and one chance only.

 

[Sylvester]

That is a great idea!

@Sylvester I once rescued a Tom cat, he was much like yours but less wary I think. I was only 7 at the time and met him on our camping. I kept feeding him and eventually I could pet him and he followed me home. As cats aroud there were being poisoned my father agreed to take him to grandparents as we coudln’t take more cats. We let several people know and one of them caught him. We knew the places he hang out in mostly, one of those places was pretty cornered so he couldn’t get away. The person who caught him was full of scratched but she did catch him. Maybe there is an allay he is often? With Some help from other people you might be able to lock the alley off and have people on both sides and catch him? Though the sedative does sound like the best option.

Thank you, TikiMyn for answering my post.

And kudos to you and your family for helping that tom kitty cat out.

The only problem is, is that he will definitely run, and he will out run us. And so far I have been real careful not to make any quick moves around him. If I veer off just the slightest from the routine he immediately becomes suspicious.

 

[Sylvester]

There are a lot of cat colonies in my area and some get out of hand. They know how to survive and often people feed them. I would suggest asking your neighborhood animal shelter if they are spayed and neutred. That keeps down the amount of animals without killing them. I wouldnt suggest picking up the cats, many are feral and have lived there life outside. Most havent been dumped but procreated. If youre really worried I would go to the closest no kill animal shelter and have them deal with it, usually there is an animal control officer that knows what to do. I dont really know how sedation in food would help, you dont know the correct dosages and the animal may be allergic (my cat was).

Thank you for taking an interest in my post.

I can't even get my local animal control to come out. They won't get involved unless somebody has been bitten. And rescue groups set up live traps two years ago, but he was too smart for that. I have a home for him if I can just get him there.

 

[sunnysmom]

I like the sedative idea. Two summers ago, I trapped some stray cats and took them to a man with a farm but I just used regular traps. They weren't the brightest cats. LOL. Even after the brother saw his sister get trapped, he still went into the trap to get the canned cat food. LOL. The third cat was tame enough that I could scoot her into a carrier. Very nice of you to help this cat.

 

[faislaq]

Two summers ago, I trapped some stray cats and took them to a man with a farm but I just used regular traps. They weren't the brightest cats. LOL. Even after the brother saw his sister get trapped, he still went into the trap to get the canned cat food. LOL.

I feel like I shouldn't laugh, but it is funny. You did them a big favor; it doesn't sound like they were nearly as savvy as @Sylvester's tom.

 

[Sylvester]

[ Very nice of you to help this cat.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for answering my post.

And I may say the same to you, as well. It sounds like you gave those kitties a second chance at life.

Two of the females are pregnant, so this is the Spring to take action.

 

[Sylvester]

I feel like I shouldn't laugh, but it is funny. You did them a big favor; it doesn't sound like they were nearly as savvy as @Sylvester's tom.

She sure did. One time when I was at Arby's restaurant I saw a young couple trying to recuse two kittens. They got the male with a roast beef sandwich.

Yes, my tom has been around the block a few times.

 

[finchly]

Let's see..... one friend created a cat door leading into the garage and the cat eventually felt safe going in there, then I think he must've slept in the crate and they caught him that way.

Is there any "feral rescue" in your area? Let them catch him! In fact, let someone else do the dirty work if you don't want to lose trust.

can you use a net with a long handle, while wearing heavy work gloves?

I'm out of ideas....here's a page about it.

 

[Sylvester]

Let's see..... one friend created a cat door leading into the garage and the cat eventually felt safe going in there, then I think he must've slept in the crate and they caught him that way.

Is there any "feral rescue" in your area? Let them catch him! In fact, let someone else do the dirty work if you don't want to lose trust.

can you use a net with a long handle, while wearing heavy work gloves?

I'm out of ideas....here's a page about it.

Thank you for that page!

I think I may try "withholding the food" for a day so he gets a little bit more desperate. No, I live in a rural 'small town' area and there are no groups like that. All we have is animal control and the guy that runs it is absolutely useless. I will try putting tuna in the trap (cats love that!) to entice him, but he didn't live all these years outside successfully, by trusting.

Oh Lord, now I spotted a maimed raccoon in the same area. Now I am worried about him as well! LOL! I am a animal lover.

 

[Sylvester]

Good luck. What did your vet say?

He's in. He is trying to figure out what kind of sedative to give the cat. Apparently, they make all kinds of sedatives for dogs but few for cats. But at least he is on board.

 

[faislaq]

That's wonderful. I hope his works. If not, too bad there's not kitty birth control you could put in some canned food.

 

[Sylvester]

That's wonderful. I hope his works. If not, too bad there's not kitty birth control you could put in some canned food.

Keeping my fingers crossed that he doesn't feel the effect and decide to bolt to the woods. It will boil down to the speed.

Birth control in canned food? Whoever makes that happen will be hero,..a billionaire hero.