# I feel so bad!



## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

Okay, theres a stray by my apartment building. 
I've seen here for the past few weeks and finally she was close by to me, so iran outside with some food for her. Shes always hiding under cars in the parking lot. 
Well, this poor cat ate and ate like she hadn't eaten in days!! i am sure shes a female too, since she is a calico.

I have now been feeding her for about 5 days. I didnt see her last night and i had a bad feeling. Then i looked out the window and there she was sitting next to my car in the parking lot waiting!!! 

What are my chances of catching this poor thing?? I noticed too that when she is walking, she walks very slow, and it almost looks like her back legs are sore? She looks like shes trying not to step down too much on them?
Is she sick? Rabies? Anything? i don't know. Plus, i have three of cats so if i brought her in until i could get her to a shelter, couldn't she get them sick??
Thanks for any help.. 
Also, she is probably 1 year or younger. She's pretty small, but you can tell shes still a baby..


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

No one has ANY suggestions?


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## biancasmomma (Sep 19, 2005)

I don't see any reason why she can't be caught. 

As far as rabies goes, the feral cat package offered by my county includes a rabies vaccine and testing for FIV and FeLV. Have you looked into what your nearby shelter offers?

Here's a list of feral cat organizations across the USA, perhaps they can find out what help is available in your area.
http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

Oh thank you! 

I contacted a place that is actually right down the street from me. I heard of them, but it didn't click, until i saw it on the website you sent! 

Thanks...


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Please keep us updated, Melissa. I hope the poor little cat gets good care and a good home. Thanks for caring!


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

OHHH GOOD NEWS!!!!

i got a hold of a place that catches strays and ferals and they are going to help me catch "Cleopatra"!! <- thats what i named her! lol...
They are going to contact me in a few days and let me know what the plan is i guess. 
She said that if she is a stray they can foster her, or i could foster her until she is adopted, or  if she is feral she will be fixed and placed back outside. 
Its a positive either way since she wont have kittens. I have a good feeling about this kitty though, and i bet she'll be just fine!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

That sounds great! I'm guessing you'll be fostering her! Either way, it sounds like a good outcome.


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## bigguy (Sep 2, 2005)

I caught a stray that was wondering around my place and had it for about a year. Then all of a sudden it didnt come back. Thats the problem with stray or feril cats you can take them in but I really doubt you can keep it very long. It seems once they get the outdoors in them its really hard to break them of it. I hope it works out for you :wink:


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

Thats what i am afraid of. I don't let my cats out , plus i am on the third floor so.... hmmm..??

i went out to feed her tonight and another cat went over and started eating her food! Not sure if that one is a stray or not, but whatever. i ended up giving "Cleo" two cans of food, which she ate, and then i brought out some treats for her!! I got closer to her with those, and it almost seemed like she was going to come over to me, but she hesitated! 
Lol... Then i got a little over excited about the whole thing, and i brought out two fake mice!! :lol: ha ha!! The poor thing!! She really wanted to chase them when i threw them too!!! She perked right up and then just looked at me like "What is your deal lady""??!!! :lol: 

I really have a good feeling about this kitty!! I'm telling you, Everytime i call out the window to her, she comes running!! And what an improvement she has made in a week and a half.. She doesn't look so tired and beat up/ run down looking. Her tail is always up now when she comes running over!! 
I just feel so good about helping her so far. I hope works out ok..


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

It's wonderful to know you're building trust, isn't it?


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

Well unfortunately i never heard from the rescue group...

What options do i have to try and catch this cat?? She still won't let me touch her, so i don't no what i can do? There is just no way i can sit around and continue to feed this cat knowing she's either going to end up pregnant or dead.

Any suggestions would be very helpful. I never did this before so i don't know where to begin!


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## Willow771 (Jun 20, 2005)

ask around for a raccoon trap

put canned food in there...etc...leave it out for a night witha blanket in it and see if shes in it in the morning. they are very humane and as large as a cat carrier. then you just bring said trap inside and open it to the opening of a large kennel or cat carrier or bedroom and let her out.

oh and by the way...most places will lend you one if you give them collateral.


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

Where would i borrow one from? I am sorry for all the questions.
One more actually..

How does the trap close? On its own? I dont get it?


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

First call and remind the rescue organization which said it would help. They are probably busy.

If worse comes to worse, ask the Humane Society for a humane trap. Don't worry; it won't hurt the cat. You might trap the wrong cat a couple of times, but eventually you'll get the stray you want. 

These links should be helpful:

http://www.feralcat.com/trapinst.html

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=hum ... i=froogler


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

OK, The alley cat lady called me this morning. 
She is going to send another rescue group over to my place next week to take a look at the cat. She told me they have actually vaccinated and fixed several cats in my neighborhood, so she might actually be a fixed feral. She told me to check the cats ear when i see her tonight, and if a sliver of her left ear is gone, that would mean she is already fixed..

i still have a feeling she is not.. She looked really beat up and thin.. not that, that means much, but i just don't think so. She said if they do come out though there are going to use a drop trap, and they asked if i would be able to foster her if she is just a stray!!! Of course i said yes! I also told them, that my mother may want to adopt her if everything goes well!! 
Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Saying a little prayer for you! Oh, and my fingers are crossed also.


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

OHH I HAVE A FEW PROBLEMS NOW!!

First, the cat is missing some of her ear, so i am assuming now there is no chance of trapping her...  
Well, i followed her to where she was running to. 
Before i continue, i wanted to say, i made serious progress with this cat tonight. I stayed out there the whole time she ate, and she looked at me alot, went to run, then ran, and then just came back over to where i and the food was. I just continued talking to her, and she seemed very content with me being near her. When she went to leave thats when i noticed her ear.  
Well after i followed her down the road, i went back to get the bowl that was left with little food left... 
i decided i would leave it, so when i got back upstairs i looked out the window...
To my SURPRISE i found 3 all black cats and one black and white one huddled around the bowl!!!! 
Now what do i do?? I am now assuming they are all ferals, but i definitely can't afford to feed all of these animals!!
By the looks of them, someone IS feeding them, but my first kitty still is alone and not with the rest of them? 
What do i do? I am sure now the shelter isn't going to help me... 
i am very upset and disappointed..


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

You can still trap the original cat and bring her in. I don't understand why the ear would make a difference.....it could mean she's spayed, or it could have been a fight. If the other cats are ferals, remember that inexpensive food is better than going hungry.


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

So, even if the shelter didnt helpvin this, there is a chance i could catch her?
if thats the case i would feel so much better! 
I guess i will never know unless i ask... ( which i will)!!


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## Megan1216 (Nov 28, 2004)

First of all, it's so nice to hear you're helping this kitty. You have a good heart.  Your local shelter usually has live traps available. What happens is you set up the trap (they'll usually tell you how), place her food dish to the edge of the back of the trap. Then, when she steps on the plate, the door will shut. Then you take her in to be spayed or whatever you want to do. They're relativley easy to use. Keep us updated! Good job & good luck!


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

So, i had the lady from the shelter come out one night last week.. We had no luck trapping Daisy ( thats what i am calling her now)!! But i did get some pictures a while back of her....
I am also feeding about 5 cats outside now, That have already been tipped, so daisy is the last one. The woman from the shelter also told me they will evaluate her when we catch her, so see if she could be kept as a pet.. 
I'd like to think so, since she is pretty comfortable with me now..
So here she is!!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

She has such beautiful markings! I hope you can socialize her.


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

OOH I NO!!! i am just soo in love with her!!!! 
I just hope we can trap her and work from there.. Shes such tiny little thing.. BUT she does like me!! And she knows when i call her, and she actually looked up at me tonight when i daid Daisy!!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

:lol: I meant socialize her well enough to keep her, not to give her away!


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## Melissaandcats (Aug 18, 2004)

yeah, i don't think i could part with her now!!


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