Trapped Feral Tomcat for TNR

 In the summer a stray cat went into our garage and a few weeks later she had a kitten. We took care of the mother cat and her kitten and planned to trap both after the kitten was weaned. We would then do TNR for veterinarian care, sterilization, and release.

Our timetable was to get all of this accomplished by the first week of September.  But those plans went south when the 2022 inflation hit and the cost of living was too expensive and we could not afford to pay for the veterinarian care that was needed.

Normally I use the monies I earn from selling my product designs online at my Zazzle store but sales were not enough for the veterinarian care that was needed.  I  turned to my husband for support for my cat's cause.  

I communicated with our veterinarian about what was going on as they had expected me to bring in the cats for medical care.  To my surprise, they worked with me on the costs for FeLV and FIV tests, vaccines including rabies, and sterilization and I am happy to say that the feral tomcat was trapped for TNR.

The neuter went well but aftercare was 3 days in the garage before we could release to the cat colony that is overseen by caretakers. 

My photo of a feral tomcat on the day we brought him back for aftercare. 

The feral cat recovered and was transported to another colony and released.  He is doing well and the caretakers named him Church because he looks like Stephen King's Pet Cemetary cat.

Neighbor Alerted Animal Control about TNR

 Recently a neighbor alerted animal control that we were participating in TNR (trap neuter release of stray cats in our community)  In the last five years we have trapped approximately 62 cats for TNR. The cats were trapped in our yard and I have also trapped when people contacted me for help with removing stray nuisance cats in our community.  

These trapped cats were always transported to the veterinarian's office to be checked for cat disease, vaccinated, wormed, and sterilized. Then we released them to a colony that is located within 29 acres of woods.  The cats were away from neighborhoods and were cared for by people who love cats.

We thought we were being civic-minded, we were controlling the cat populations in our neighborhood and we were taking care of the colony cats twice daily.  But apparently, not everyone loves cats or supports the TNR of cats. Some people think stray cats should be left alone to struggle to survive, suffer in extreme weather, fight with other cats, mate, and produce hundreds of kittens.  The neighbor thinks that nature should take its course and that humans should not disturb cats with TNR and due to the neighbor's backward beliefs, he reported us to animal control.

The neighbor requested that I be arrested because trapping/TNR was against the law in my city. 

My photo of a cat that was trapped for veterinarian care

We were honest with animal control and told them that we only trapped stray cats on our property and when we had permission from people in our community. Only injured or sick cats were trapped in public or other private property (the woods).

TNR cat at woods colony

Below is a photograph of our yard. The photo shows that TNR should not bother anyone as the home backs up to 29 acres of dense woods and the home sits on 1/4 acre of land  

Animal control told me that I could only trap cats on my property. That I must have permission from the property owner to trap anywhere else. That I could no longer trap in the woods unless I had permission to do so. 

Photo of two kittens and queen feral cat in the woods

Orange tabby kitten trapped for medical care

What upsets me is the owner of the woods lives in another state and I have no way to contact them. It breaks my heart to think that in an emergency I cannot help the cat by trapping them for medical care if they are in the woods by my home. I cannot do this because the neighbor emailed me and told me that they are watching me and that it's their civic duty to watch and report me if I break the laws of the city.

Cats in woods colony and in thicket den

Yes, I am upset at the neighbor that alerted animal control about TNR and I don't think they understand how TNR helps cats and communities. We have thought about moving and have thought about buying the land by our home as that would enable us to help the cats that need to be trapped for medical care.

TNR Cats Milestone

This month we are celebrating the milestone of trapping 102 cats in our neighborhood for the TNR program. Know that the woods by our home is a dumping ground for abandoned cats. So my husband and I along with two neighbors worked together in trapping the cats, taking them to the veterinarian for cat disease tests, vaccines (rabies, cat respiratory, and Feline Leukemia), and sterilization. 

A feral cat in the trap 

 We did not return or release all of the cats. There were many strays that we tried to socialize so that they could be adopted into forever homes. The feral or stray cats that could not be socialized were released to a private property colony with daily caretakers. 

 It took us 7 years to reach 102 trapped and rescued feral and stray cats and we are all proud of our accomplishment. Learn more about our cat cause here. 

Know that we are not affiliated with any charity and pay for all cat medical expenses, food, and outdoor cat houses, out of our own pocket or from donations given to us by cat-loving neighbors.  Cat rescue and adoption is our cause because we love cats.

Here are some photos of the cats that we have trapped, picked up, or rescued over the years. 

two cats recuperating after TNR

The cat in the box was found in the woods. 

Feral cat Lucy first cat in TNR resides at Colony

Rescued cat when people moved and abandoned cat

TNR cat recuperating after nueter

Feral kitten learning to play with toys

A TNR cat that we feed daily 

We paid for medical care for this cat when he was injured.
A 2nd chance kitty that was adopted by one of my friends

We found these cats when they were kittens, they were in a trash bag and left on the side of the road.   Sickly kittens that we nursed back to health.  Both were adopted and found their forever home

Feral kitten recuperating after her spay 

Feral TNR cat.  She is alive today and resides
in a colony of cats.

Kittens we rescued and took care of them until they could be adopted

White Tomcat Gets Rescued and Forever Home

A month ago a stray aggressive white cat showed up in my yard. This tomcat was chasing my cats from their yard and fighting with other cats. At first I thought the cat might be sick, abandoned or a feral tomcat. I learned rather quickly that the cat was nuisance because there was a feral queen cat that was hanging out close to my home and this is what was instigating the cat brawls and the mating calls at all hours day and night.

Abandoned white tomcat looking sad after the neuter

I inquired to find out if any neighbors knew the cat owner. It was unanimous all said that the cat just showed up one day and was a fighter. Another neighbor said that “he has to be neutered as I saw him trying to stand up to a raccoon over a food bowl” My guess was that the cat was abandoned and was acting out due to that and because he was not neutered and that he was hungry and didn’t understand that a raccoon was danger.

Stray tomcat eating at the feeding station

When tomcats are abandoned, they are really lost, they don’t know how to find a safe shelter to sleep, food to eat, or clean water...all they know is that they need to fight off anything that gets in their way to find a queen cat to mate with.

Know that I watched this cat one day crying because it was raining, he did not have the good sense to go into one of my insulated and waterproof cat houses. This of course confirmed that he was an abandoned housecat. Of course, I tried to help the cat but it ran from me, but the poor thing never got out of the rain.

White cat trapped and going to the veterinarians for medical care

I let everyone know that I would trap the cat and take it in for neutering and vaccines and that I would try to find it a forever home. Trapping was not successful as the cat didn’t go into the trap. So my husband grabbed the cat carrier and set it on our patio with an open door and cat food in the back. The tomcat walked into the carrier and sat down.

The tomcat was tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency and both were negative. I was told that he was five years old, that he had ear mites, and that he needed to be wormed. The cat was neutered, received all of his vaccines, and treatment for mites and worms, and needed to stay 2 extra days at the animal hospital. Upon release, his paperwork said that he was vomiting dead worms and that he should be kept calm for the next 7 days.

The garage shelter has everything cats need even indoor/outdoor carpet

We released the white cat to our heated garage. The garage is carpeted, has cat beds, houses toys, and fresh food and water. Once the cat was in a home setting he calmed down and became a sweetheart.

The white cat is no longer aggressive and gets along with another cat in the shelter

The garage is cozy and warm for the stray cats this winter thanks to the many customers who bought from my Zazzle store.  I used the royalties from the product sales
to buy this window heater. 

(Pure white cats are fairly rare in the general cat population, as they require a gene that hides every other possible coat color and pattern in a cat's genetic makeup.)

The cat loves blankets, rolling around on the carpet, playing with toys and he accepted the other cats in the garage without any aggression. He has been recuperating for the last five days and in that time I have made contact with two pet adopters. 

This once abandoned tomcat will be adopted and will get another chance at being a housecat at his forever home.

Taming Feral Kitten for TNR

 The stray queen cat that took refuge in my garage had one small kitten. That kitten was orphaned at a young age and I took up the care of it and worked to tame it for TNR.

The kitten hid from me and meowed loudly. Clearly, it was traumatized at being abandoned. It took some time to corner the kitten but was able to grab it by the scruff to examine and since it had teeth my husband and I decided to feed it kitten kibble mixed with KMR replacement milk for kittens.

The kitten was very hungry and ate the food. So for the next 6 weeks, I fed the kitten daily at the same time and weaned it off the replacement milk.   I also read a book while sitting in a chair in the garage for several hours daily.

I wasn't sure if I could use the Feliway diffuser for such a young kitten so bought a boombox radio at a garage sale which enabled me to play low-volume classical music in the garage.   In the past, I have found that low-volume background classical music is soothing to feral cats.

Then one day the kitten jumped up on my lap and I knew that I had successfully tamed it and that it was dependant upon me.  However, I didn't immediately trap it for veterinarian care.  Instead, I waited until that kitten played with its toys on my lap. The feral kitten was tamed and would not be released after sterilization.  

Today I was able to pick up the kitten and put it in a cat carrier.  No problems picking up by the scruff, but once in the carrier, the kitten regressed into a wild feral cat.

The kitten was taken to the veterinarian's office immediately and they will do the combo test, give vaccines, worm, and spay. The veterinarian will keep it two days after the spay so the kitten will heal in comfort.

I am certain the kitten will need a refresher course on socialization and will need to learn to trust me again. If the kitten can be tamed again we will not release it but instead, seek adopters for a forever home.

Trapping Feral Cats in Parks

Feral cats come from a long line of abandoned house cats. Many of the cats are left in state parks, and in wooded or forested tracks of land.  The house cats that are left in these isolated areas seldom survive as they lack in foraging skills. Some get cat disease, others are hunted by wildlife predators, and a few are injured by fighting with feral cats.  

The fate of an abandoned house cat that is left in a wooded area is many times a fatality; however some house cats survive the harsh terrain and environment.  Woodland feral cats sleep during the day and awake at dusk to forage, socialize and mate. The night provides a safer environment for the cats as they are terrified of humans. 

 Periodically cats will be viewed in the morning hours, they may be seeking food, water or they may be injured.  Trapping feral woodland cats does take skills as one must locate the colony and then bond with the cats.

Locate the Colony

Locate the woodland feral cats in state parks by asking the park ranger if there are any feral cats in the area.    Park officials know if cats have been abandoned or they will know where cats have been viewed. 

Find out if the cats are being cared for by a colony caregiver.  If there is a caregiver then offer your contact information and ask the ranger if they would pass on your business card.  

Tell them that you would like to help care for the cats and trap them for spay or neuter and the necessary medical care. If there is no caregiver then you will need to locate the woodland feral cats.  Go to the location were feral cats have been sited. 

Winter Woodland Feral Cat by Susang6

Survey the wooded terrain with your field glasses.  Look for cat shelters; opening in a rock wall, hallow trees, thickets.  Hike to the area where you viewed the shelters.  Stop 15 to 20 feet away from the shelter and set up a feeding station.   

Set up Cat Feeding Station
Fill a bowl with dry cat food.  Food that is fortified with antioxidants will help in boosting cats immune system.  Fill a separate bowl with fresh water. If cats are viewed lurking in the distance, top the dry kibble with stinky fish flavored wet food like Friskies mixed grill.

Document Cat Activity:

Back away from the feeding station and stop twenty feet away.  Set up camp and watch the feeding station with field glasses.  Wait for woodland cats to appear.  

1. Take photographs of the surrounding area, the woodland feral cats, and write your notes on the cats and shelter.  Document their characteristics, mannerisms, sex, and keep your notes in a binder. 
2. Watch the food bowls; if there are many cats the bowl and water will need to be filled Do this by approaching the feeding station slowly, and do not make eye contact with the cats.  
3. Fill the bowls and then back away from the area slowly.  

If you have completed your journal on all of the cats then you may leave.  However you must return to the feeding station the following day at the same time and set up the feeding station in the same location.  You will do this on a daily basis; it is best to feed cats twice a day; 6am and 6pm.

Bond with Feral Cats

Being a woodland feral cat caregiver is a daily job, these cats become dependent on you for food and hydration.  Soon you will notice that the cats are dependent on you for their food source, they will sit in a line and wait for your arrival, or they will run to greet you when they see you approaching the feeding station.  

The cats may seem friendly, however you must respect them at all times and do not attempt to pet them. If you do so this will scare the cat and the cat will react by scratching you or biting you.  If a cat bites you then animal control will cease the cat and euthanize the cat because it is not vaccinated for rabies or other cat diseases.  Therefore respect the cat and keep your hands away from the woodland feral cat.

Communicate with Veterinarian

Contact your veterinarian and inform them that you are a caregiver to woodland feral cats and that when they are dependent upon you that you will begin trapping.  Make arrangement s to bring cats in for sterilization, feline leukemia and AIDS tests, rabies shots, cat wormer and application for cat frontline plus.  Also contact your local cat network, for assistance in a group trapping.

Trapping Feral Cats

Schedule a group trapping for the colony of woodland feral cats.  Omit feeding the cats for 12 hours, however do provide water.  Purchase a medium size live animal trap.  Line the trap with newspaper that is folded so that it fits securely in the trap.  Drop two teaspoons of Friskies tuna canned food in the back of the trap, and  drizzle the juice down the center of the trap (on top of the newspaper) the stinky food will lure the hungry cat into the trap. Next drape a twin size blanket or a fleece sofa throw over the trap, do not conceal the opening of the trap. Spray the inside of the trap; blanket that faces trap interior with Feliway comfort spray.  This formula will help to relax the cat, so that it is not so stressed out.  Set the trap close to the vicinity of the feeding station.   Stand at a distance and watch and wait for the cat to enter the trap and the door to close.  Wait patiently.

When the cat enters the trap and the door closes.  Cover the entire trap with the twin size blanket, this blanket will aid in comforting the cat.  Do not attempt to touch the trap or the cat.  

Move the cat in the trap away from the trap site and place in the transport vehicle, a van is useful when trapping a colony of cats.  Transport cats to veterinarians for medical care.  


Release the cats to the trapping site when the veterinarian tells you it is okay to do so. 

Tips:

• When cats are released to the colony resume feeding the cats at the station.
• Contact cat network in your area and ask for volunteer in your area to help with caring for the cats.
• Rehabilitate kittens for adoption, by socializing them in your home or with the other caregivers.
• Keep a current journal on all of the cats, that way you will know their medical needs and when they will need to be re-trapped for shot updates.