# Operation Cattrap (my story and a few ?s)



## biancasmomma (Sep 19, 2005)

Hi all, I'm a newbie here and grateful to have found this forum. I am anxious to share experiences and stories with you all. I've always known I loved cats, but I never realized how much until my recent experiences with a family of ferals!

Occasionally I'd see stray cats wandering across my fence but I usually didn't pay attention. Until I started seeing these two black cats visit my yard regularly, but separately. The yard has lots of big bushes to hide under and they liked to take naps there. I tried approaching the fluffier one once, but he ran away. 

Then one day I was not feeling well (nasty headache) and I happened to look out my window. I saw the less-fluffy black cat lying in the yard with three kittens! Two black and one gray. The kittens looked like they were nursing, but I found out later that they were three months old at the time. (Nursing at three months? Isn't that weird?) Watching the feline family in my yard really took my mind off how bad I felt, and I was grateful they appeared on that day. 

Anyway, I saw the mommy cat resting and I felt really bad for her. To have to go hunt and find water for her babies....I know cats do it all the time, but I just felt bad. After watching them for a while, I realized they were so desperate for water that they were drinking from my stagnant pond! Yuck! (I shut off the pond pump about a year ago because the raccoons drove me bananas.)

I started feeding the four cats and then the big fluffy Poppacat showed again. So I fed them all for a few weeks and they slowly got less and less scared of me. But still didn't like to be touched or petted. The kittens would let me touch them a bit while they ate, but only if they were really hungry. I told myself I wouldn't get attached, but I soon started naming them. The Poppacat is named Red, because he has a reddish hue to his black fur. The Mommacat is named Panther, because she is a lean mean swatting machine and very protective (and strict!) with her kittens. The grey female kitten is named Sillyhead, because she always doing goofy things like sticking her whole face in the water bowl to get a drink. Hilarious! The black female kitten is named Smokey, because she disappears into thin air when she's scared. And the black male kitten I named Lulu, because I thought he was a female at first! He's very coquettish and cute. 

A friend of mine warned me, "You'd better get them spayed. Otherwise it's irresponsible." She told me there were feral cat societies that would help me, and reassured me that they would only TNR (trap/neuter/release.) So I finally and hesitatingly looked into it, and so began Operation Cattrap! 

I caught Smokey first, which I didn't expect because she is the shyest one. When I brought her back home and released her in the downstairs room, she went nutso! She leaped high up in the air and then hid under a desk. A couple days later I caught Lulu, who cried all the way to the shelter. It took several more days to catch Sillyhead, that is one cautious cat! I only caught her on Monday because her mother Panther was there and she felt safe enough to go into the trap. Driving to the shelter, the traffic on the freeway stopped suddenly and I had to hit the brakes pretty hard. Whoa! Poor little Sillyhead pooped on the side of the trap! I didn't realize it was on the OUTSIDE of the trap until I got to the shelter and stepped in it. 8O

So now all three kittens, Smokey, Lulu and Sillyhead are in my little downstairs room, hiding about 90% of the time. I don't think I can socialize them, because they are about 4 months old. But I would like to try with Lulu, because he seems really sweet.

I spent all day yesterday trying to catch Panther, the mommy. I set the trap at about 7am, and around 8:15 I heard a noise outside. I ran to the window to see if she was caught and when I opened the window I scared her away!  I waited for her to come back, but she was gone.

Later in the afternoon, we had a thunderstorm. I noticed Panther outside running for cover and looking afraid. So I thought, "Well she's obviously miserable out there, so why not just catch her now and keep her inside tonight?" I set the trap and called her name. She warily came over, smelling the tuna and trail of cat food that led to it. I backed off and sat down at my garden table, trying not to move or look at her, so she wouldn't get scared. I kept anxiously waiting to hear the trap door shut, and it never happened. I peeked over and saw that she had gone inside the trap, eaten the tuna and then left! :roll: I was so frustrated I wanted to cry. 

I was so desperate to get her into that trap that I HAD to get her attention somehow. I walked over to the side of the trap, stuck my finger in some (more!) tuna and made loud smacking noises to let her know I had yummy stuff. She came over and watched me for a minute, but still wasn't going for it. So I backed off and waited. Again. No dice. I went over to the trap and pretended to eat again, kneeling on the wet ground. And guess what? It started raining again, and she ran off. 
:fust

Anyway...I finally got her later while I was out grocery shopping. I took her to the clinic this morning, and will let her recover in the trap for a day or so. Is 24 hours after spaying long enough for a female cat to be let out? I don't have another room to let her loose in, or even a suitable carrier that's big enough. I can't put her with the kittens because I think she will teach them to be afraid. Upstairs rooms are out of the question, because my cat Bianca will freak out bigtime. I love Bianca, but she's not exactly Miss Adaptible.

I really would love to hear advice and stories from others who have undergone their own Operation Cattrap. This has been just such a crazy experience I need to share with others who have been through it. 

Questions: Should I bother trying to catch Red, the big male? He seems too street-smart to be caught, plus I'm supposed to return the trap by Thursday afternoon. And another thing that puzzles me-- anaesthesia (sp?) Smokey and Lulu came out of their anaesthesia very quickly, while Sillyhead remained drugged up the rest of the night. Her little tongue was hanging out and everything, poor little sweetie. The people at the clinic told me "oh that's normal" but I don't really trust them. I only used their clinic because I got the cats spayed for free, as a resident of the county. Last question, if I am able to socialize Lulu, my friend wants him. If he gets socialized and then goes to her house, will she have to start from scratch?

Updates to come...I'd love to take and post some pics, but these little guys are nervous enough right now. :blackcat

Bianca's Mommy


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## BamMcg (Apr 25, 2005)

I know others will have more information, but I did a bunch of research and asked around at feral rescue places and think I have some help to offer. I am socializing a feral/unsocial siamese right now. Here's what my advice was. Keep the cats in seperate cages, like the size of a rabbit cage. Put a radio in the room playing calming music. It will get them used to people's voices or play a TV on low. Keep the room dim. I walk in frequently to get her used to people comming and going. Then, when they have calmed down some, put your hand as close to them until they look uncomfortable. Let the cat come to you, sniff you. Offer treats by hand. I was also told at this stage, I can take the free feed dish away and try and hand feed them their meals. They will come to trust you. You are doing the job of momma cat. Don't rush them. Since mom and dad kitty will eat in front of you, they may be able to be socialized as well but could take a long time. All three kittens are still pretty young and should all come around, I think. Keep in mind that cats can become cage agressive over time. My foster, Missy, did as she was kept caged her whole life, I ended up having to tether her to the sliding glass door and moving everything away she could get caught on. You can also wrap the cats in a thick towel and scratch and massage the back of their neck. If they are very defensive over you being there, you can put something that smells like you, like a worn t-shirt, for bedding to get used to your smell. You can wrap your arm in a towel and pet them to get them used to touch. Eventually, you can let them run a room, even as small as the bathroom, while you sit there with a book, let them explore you without scaring them. I've been working with Missy for about 5-6 weeks. When we brought her in, she went insane hanging from pictures on the wall. Using all these steps, we've gotten to the point where she will let me pick her up. She will sleep on my lap for hours. She even purrs when I hold her, we are still not finished by a long shot. But she has come a long way from a cat that wouldn't eat in front of us and sprayed urine at us when she was upset. The kids can pet her and I'm not afraid she'll scratch them even. Oh, she's just under a year or so so your kitten will have even more progress. I hope this helps.


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## biancasmomma (Sep 19, 2005)

I released Panther yesterday and kittens earlier today, including Lulu the cat I was going to try to tame and give to my friend.

I just couldn't stand them sitting by the window, crying to get out. I'm guessing they'll be back to eat in a day or two. I just didn't have the heart to keep them captive any longer. :sad 

Bianca's Mommy


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I'm sorry to hear that. If you could take the time to socialize them, they could have safe homes with people who love them. Life on the street is very hard, and will cut their lives short. The females will have litter after litter, and the toms will father many litters, compounding the problem of strays.  Kittens don't know what's best for them. They just knew what they were used to. I hope you'll rethink the matter. I know it takes patience, but the results would have been life saving.


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## biancasmomma (Sep 19, 2005)

Hi all....I have some sad updates to post. I have been too depressed and ashamed to post them until now. 

Jeanie, you are right. Kittens don't know what's best for them. Nor do I, apparently. Before I released the kittens, I noticed that Sillyhead was heaving like she was going to throw up. She was a really skittish cat to begin with, so I figured it was just tummy trouble from being nervous. So I released them Saturday afternoon. 

Then on Sunday night it dawned on me...Sillyhead was not heaving, she was coughing! I know ferals often suffer from upper respiratory infections, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together until later. I was so angry with myself and upset, I cried and cried for almost three hours. Sillyhead was very sick and she had run off before I could help her. It's been a week now and I am still so sad. I screwed up bigtime. She was so little and helpless, I just feel so awful. I dropped flyers in my neighbors' mailboxes, asking if they'd seen her, but no one contacted me. I miss her so much. 

Also, the mommy cat Panther ran off too. At least she was healthy and spayed when she left. 

So now I have the two black kittens, Lulu and Smokey, and the poppa cat Red. I am starting to work with them again, in my backyard. I know it doesn't make sense to some people, but I think I can still socialize them while they are outside. They are just so much happier out there and they ARE spayed so I don't have to worry too much about breeding a colony back there. I can still bring them back inside if I change my mind. They often come in and out when I have the sliding glass door open. They like to come in and sniff around. 

That's all for now. Please be kind in your replies, I feel bad enough already. Thanks.

Bianca's Mommy


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I think you feel bad enough already. I'm sorry about Sillyhead.  It is harder to socialize the kittens outdoors, but at least you know they're being cared for, and are not going to add to the feral population. Please continue to socialize all of them, and encourage them to come in. They are much safer in the house. I wish you the best.


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