Trapping Feral Cats for Shelter Surrender

Today while on Facebook I asked if anyone put out a bowl of water for the neighborhood cats or wildlife. Most people were kind and said that they did, but one of my followers said that she used a humane method of trapping stray and feral cats and took them to the shelter.  Know that there is nothing humane about trapping a cat, they are terrified and if they are feral the shelter will euthanize the frightened cat.

I have no idea what she was thinking but the animal shelter does not put feral cats up for adoption and they do not sterilize them or place them in colonies. As a rule, shelters will euthanize all feral cats immediately and any cat that is aggressive, even if they are fearful; hiss-spitting cannot be adopted and they are not going to socialize it for adoption.

 It is a death sentence for stray/feral cats if they are trapped and taken to an animal shelter.  Here is an article from Alley Cat Allies that explains why trapping and killing cats is not a good way to control cat populations

Feral cats that I have trapped for TNR or socialization

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Feral kittens in my yard / both Trapped, Sterilized and socialized.  Had they been trapped and take to shelter they would have been euthanized.  They were Feral, wild and terrified of humans.  Cannot be adopted. Shelters would euthanize.

Many people assume cats without collars are strays or feral cats.  We find cats without collars in our yard all of the time, some stay a few days hanging out, others find their way back to their homes. 95% of them are neighborhood cats.

This cat without collar hung out in our yard for 4 days.  He was afraid of us, hissed and spit he also meowed.  Feral cats do not meow and they run from humans so they do not hiss or spit.  Today we saw the flyer, this cat was lost and scared.  He may have looked like a stray/feral cat with no collar, but the story is he got out of the house and was lost.

 If the cat hangs around for several days we will take their photograph and post it on a “found cat flyer” and pass it out to our neighbors. We will also go online to Facebook to share a photograph of found cat at the Humane Society and our contact information. We never trap the cat to surrender to the shelter for fear that the cat will be euthanized.

Here is a flyer that I use when looking for pet owners.

Lost or Found Cat Mailbox Flyer

by Susang6

Backside of cat flyer:

Lost or Found Cat Mailbox Flyer

by Susang6

As for feral cats we do trap them and take them to the veterinarian for feline disease tests, sterilization and rabies and other vaccines before we release them to an area called a colony where there are caretakers to feed these cats and watch to make sure they are okay. Learn more about neighborhood cats and their TNR at Alley Cat Allies  

Feral Cat Sleeping in Bed Made of Straw Post Card

Winter has finally come and the feral cats that live in the woods have come to our shed shelter to sleep in the beds made of straw.  These feral cats usually come into the shelter sometime before 9 PM and exit in the early morning.  If I did not see the indentation in the straw then I would not know they were there.

I decided to watch for the cats going into the shed and got lucky,   took photographs of them from outside the window.  These photographs were not as clear as they should be so I bathed with hunters soap to remove the scent of a human and hunkered down with my camera in a dark corner of the shed.  I was hiding behind boxes.   Yes I was determined to get photographs of the feral cats.  These woods cats are nocturnal and terrified of humans.

I waited for the feral cats to come into the shed for several  hours and when my leg was falling to sleep and I was ready to give up a cat did come through the kitty door.  I was happy that the images of the feral cats turned out, as well as they did, because most people do not see this side of a feral cat.  They never see them safe, warm and sleeping in a bed made of straw.

This post card was designed from one of my photographs of feral cats sleeping in bed made from straw.  

Feral Cat Sleeping in Winter ShelterPost Card 

Feral Cat Sleeping in Winter Shelter Post Card

Plans to Relocate Cats to Farm Rescue

As far back as I can remember I have always wanted a small farm where I could relocate the neighborhood cat colony that I oversee. This farm rescue would provide feral, stray and abandoned cats with safety from crossfire from hunters, wildlife predators and animal control trappers. 

It has been my dream to trap the cats that have been abandoned to the woods by my home. I would like to socialize them and adopt them into forever homes.  

The plan is simple, my cat rescue would be open to accepting all feral cats that had been previously vaccinated, and sterilized, excluding cats infected with felineimmunodeficiency virus. The feral cats then would stay on the property and become barn cats.

This has been my dream for a long time, but I thought it was only a dream. I never thought it would come true, BUT my husband has agreed that if this is what I want then we can move in the summer to a farm and I can have a cat rescue. 

Husband suggested that I look and collect ideas as to what I want. In the past month I did look at 2 hobby farms but both were too small for what I wanted, plus they backed up a busy crossroad and I desired a remote location. Remote being better for barn cats as there were be less worry of them attempting to cross a busy road to get to the other side.

Both of the hobby farms that I looked at had old dilapidated barns which meant that we would have to go to the expense of building a shelter for the cats. It is one thing to remodel a barn, but to build from ground up is a great expense. In addition the land was rocky and there was not area suitable for garden. Neither of the farm houses were to my liking, in my opinion they both should have been demolished and taken away.

So my search for a farm to be converted into a cat rescue continues. I do think there is a need for the feral and stray cats and do plan to trap the cats at the colony that I oversee before construction; excavation and blasting of the south ridge commences for urban development.

How We Socialize Feral Kittens

The new born kittens that my husband and I rescued were socialized to be trusting of humans quickly. We handled them daily, first with heavy leather gloves and then barehanded. We petting them under their chin, top of head and on side of face by ear. We also ran a cat brush through their fur gently. The entire time that we handled them we talked to the kittens softly.

Husband holding 7 week old feral cat

At first we needed to wear heavy leather gloves because the kittens were fearful and wanted to bite and scratch us. But after three times of holding them we were able to stimulate their appetite and coax the kittens to us with bonito fish flake treats and soon the kittens were in our lap.

By the time the kittens were 8 weeks old you would never know that they were born outdoors inside a hallow tree. All kittens were very human friendly, running in in-between our legs, purring when we petted them.

Feral Cat Tips:

By taking time to handle the feral kittens we were socializing them to not be fearful of humans. We held all kittens several times a day. My husband held the kittens while he watched TV and many of them fell asleep while being held.

Holding feral kittens makes them less fearful of humans

Feral cats are generally afraid of everything, but if you are able to foster kittens before they are 12 weeks old then you will be able to bond with kitten and they will trust a human and not be fearful.

Know that I find it is easier to socialize a feral cat that is six months or younger. That is not to say an adult cat cannot be tamed, all cats can be tamed to trust a human. Know that a friend of mine worked with your feral barn cats for a good year and then told me the other day that all were dependent upon her for food and water and that she was able to pet them without them being fearful of her.

Ornamental Grass Garden Attracts Cats in Winter

In winter when the outdoor cats are seeking shelter the ornamental grass gardens if left in a natural state will attract cats. These cats will burrow under the grass leaves and will gain a comfortable resting spot where they are not noticeable.

Today while I was in the back part of my garden I had the feeling that I was being watched. I looked into the woods expecting to see a cat watching me but saw none. Then I looked at the feral cat feeding station and again there were no cats there or hanging around.  I suspected that it was just a feeling that I had of being watched so I let it go and continued with my garden needs. Then I heard movement and heard leaves cracking and there was no doubt I was not alone in the garden.

So I moved toward the grass garden as the sound that I had heard seemed to be coming from that location.  I looked for the animal and again saw nothing.   My ornamental grass garden is thick and anything could take up residency there and would go unnoticed. 

Instead of going in for a closer look I walked back to the house and got my camera with the telephoto zoom lens. This is when a zoom lens comes in handy. My grass garden rather large and nestled behind is a private brick patio and a small pond. 

While viewing through the camera lens I passed over the garden rather quickly and saw nothing. Then I sat and listened for sounds of movement. Sure enough, I heard the leaves crack and pointed my camera in that direction. There at the base ornamental grasses close to the karely rose border grass and Karl Forester grass lies a large gray tabby feral cat, that we call Fatty Boy. This feral cat has boundaries and if I had crossed them he would have lunged at me, hissing and showing me his claws. 

So very thankful that I found the whereabouts as to where cat was and learned what was watching me in the garden today.

Fatty boy is the in the photo that you view above.

Watching Cats at Backyard Feeding Station

I always feed the feral cats at the same time daily but since the weather has gotten cold I found that they are not running to the feeding station in the morning. I do not blame them because the last couple of days it has been really cold outdoors.

I normally put our dry Evolve chicken maintenance food mixed with Friskies whitefish pate. But since it is freezing I have taken away the canned food and I am only putting out kibble. Now if I see the cats in the woods I will put out the canned food because the aroma from the whitefish food lures the cats out of the woods and to my backyard feeding station.

Here is a photo of my insulated feeding station.  There are two doors and we set it on cement blocks to keep the snow and rain water out of the cavity.  Inside is a bowl of food and water.

Today we waiting for the cats all day to come to the feeding station, they did not come until midnight. To my surprise they are now in my yard. I guess fox or other animal ate the food because the cats are taking turns at my backyard feeding station. Soon I will have to o out and refill the bowls.

Do you have an outdoor cat feeding station in your yard ?

View this video to learn how to make inexpensive feeding stations for outdoor cats.

Communicating With Feral Cat

Feral cats are terrified of humans and thus communicating with them must be on their terms.  The best way to communicate with a wild cat  is to understand and respect the animal and then take time to allow the cat to trust you.

The feral is an animal that has been born outdoors and has no contact with humans.  When a human crosses into the feral cat's territory the cat will react in defense by hissing, snarling and in some cases, they will show you their claws.  In cat terminology, this means " I am afraid of you please stop and do not come any closer"  or " I have kittens close by and I must protect them from all predators."  The feral cat is not viscous they are merely trying to protect themselves.

I have been caring for a feral cat colony since 1999 and in that time I have come in contact with many feral cats.  In my observations at the colony, all cats get along when the energy is positive but when a cat displays a negative or nervous behavior then all of the colony cats are on edge.

In my studies of the feral cat, I have found that they are welcome to other animals into the colony as long as the animal comes in peace and is not threatening.    A perfect example of this is a raccoon kit that was observed sleeping with feral kittens.  I have observed firsthand feral cats and raccoons living in the same territory in peace and harmony.

A human to a feral cat is a predator and is not to be trusted.  Most humans when they approached a feral cat are abrupt, children run toward the cat, humans talk loudly and body language is not calm.  The feral cat detects that the human is threatening.

Here are some ways to communicate with a feral cat.

Take steps to communicate with the feral cat by allowing the cat to become accustomed to your scent and your energy.  Achieve this friendship by bringing the cat food and water to a feeding station. 

Set up the food at a safe distance.  If the cat’s colony is 50 feet away then walk slowly to 25 feet and set up a feeding station.  You may not view cats in the area however they are well aware of your presence and watching you from afar.   Put down the food and step back 25 feet and sit calmly and quietly.  While you are sitting you may read a book, but you may not text or talk on the phone, cats hear very well and they prefer only sounds that they are accustomed to.

It takes time for a feral cat to approach the food station. When the cats come out of hiding and approach the food station do not make direct eye contact as the feral cat will view this as hostile.  Look at them indirectly and keep your body calm. Any excitement or rise in your body temperature will communicate a threat to the feral cat.

It is helpful to think of situations where you are petting the feral cat and talking to the cat softly.  Think that the cat is purring and is showing you that they like you petting them. These thoughts will project positive energy which will comfort a feral cat.

Tips

Repeat these steps daily but instead of moving away 25 feet from the feeding station, move one foot closer to the cat each day.  By doing this you are communicating with the cat that you come in peace and that you will not hurt them. 

The feral cat accepts you by eating the food that you bring to them.   Your calm and caring energy will communicate with the feral cat and in time they will trust and depend on you.

Remove the food bowl after the cat leaves.  Approach the feeding station slowly with your eyes looking toward the ground. Feed the feral cats daily at the same time.   Feed them when it's raining, snowing, all-weather at the same time daily.

Warning: If you are too close to the cat they will like hiss at you. This is the cat communicating to you that you are not at a safe distance.  Move back slowly four or five feet and sit calmly.  If the cat hisses or snarls at you then this communication is a warning and it is best that you move further away. 

You may take digital photographs with a zoom lens at a safe and non-threatening distance. Taking photographs of feral cats in the wild is enjoyable as it shows how loving and caring they are with each other in a colony setting.

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.