Any suggestions on luring my cat out from under our shed?

[zoemurr]

Well, we used the leaf-blower to get him out from under the deck. He flew right by the open door. We cornered him under the bench in the outdoor shower. When I went to pull him out from under there he bit and scratched me. I know he felt cornered, but after 5 years, doesn't he know we wouldn't hurt him? He ended up under the shed again. I left foot and water near-by and saw him walking around outside the shed around 5 AM. Some of the food is gone.

I'll be calling my doctor's office as soon as they open. I probably need a tetanus shot and anti-biotics. MAN - he really tore me up! Nothing is still bleeding, but most of the bites and scratches hurt.

I'll call the Vets office too and ask their suggestions. Looks like we have one indoor-only cat and one outdoor-only cat. Tigger has never been "right". He's always been a scaredy-cat. Last time I took him to the Vet, he asked me not to bring him back, as he bounced all over the walls and he couldn't examine him or give any shots. I had a home Vet come out and give him his shot.

I'm sad (& I hurt)

You said he's never been outside before? Next time you try to pick him up (if you do) use a towel or blanket. This has been the only way I can grab mine when she is in a mood. Makes a kitty straight-jacket.

I have never heard of a vet telling someone not to bring a cat back. I would think they have methods to deal with rowdy animals.

Good luck. My cat is now 16 and has mellowed a ton. Still not friendly but much more manageable then she was.

 

[elgerber]

Cats panic, even the sweetest ones. My cat is 14, LOVES people, but if we did that to her, she would bite and scratch us too.

 

[JessicaR]

Well, we used the leaf-blower to get him out from under the deck. He flew right by the open door. We cornered him under the bench in the outdoor shower. When I went to pull him out from under there he bit and scratched me. I know he felt cornered, but after 5 years, doesn't he know we wouldn't hurt him? He ended up under the shed again. I left foot and water near-by and saw him walking around outside the shed around 5 AM. Some of the food is gone.

I'll be calling my doctor's office as soon as they open. I probably need a tetanus shot and anti-biotics. MAN - he really tore me up! Nothing is still bleeding, but most of the bites and scratches hurt.

I'll call the Vets office too and ask their suggestions. Looks like we have one indoor-only cat and one outdoor-only cat. Tigger has never been "right". He's always been a scaredy-cat. Last time I took him to the Vet, he asked me not to bring him back, as he bounced all over the walls and he couldn't examine him or give any shots. I had a home Vet come out and give him his shot.

I'm sad (& I hurt)

I'm so sorry! You must be feeling tormented and now injured. I know you know but it is so important to get those bites and scratches cleaned well and start a course of antibiotics. Cats bites are puncture wounds and the bacteria can easily reach joints and bones.

I hope your vet can share a method to capture your cat that is safe for both of you.

Keep us posted!

 

[monsterkitty]

Can you call a local animal rescue group and borrow a humane trap?


Good luck!

 

[DizBelle]

One of our indoor cats escaped and was outside for about 20 minutes or so. In that short time, he turned into a demon beast. He went from the front yard and on to the 6 foot fence to the back yard. In the back yard, I picked him up off of the fence to carry him back into the house and he freaked on me and scrached me badly on my wrist (I still have scars). I dropped him on the ground and he sat there and every time I tried to approach him, he growled at me. The ONLY thing that chilled him out enough so I could pick him up and bring him back in was catnip.

I ground and sprinkled some catnip around him. I held some catnip in my hand and he came to me and nuzzled my hand and allowed me to pick him up carefully and bring him inside. It was remarkable the transformation that happened when we stepped over the threshold back into the house. The demon disappeared and my (semi) nice cat returned.

This cat is 17 lbs of muscle so this was a challenge.

 

[shortbun]

Cats panic, even the sweetest ones. My cat is 14, LOVES people, but if we did that to her, she would bite and scratch us too.

Yeah, someone mentioned a garden hose and I strongly suggested you not do that. A leaf blower falls in the same category. You had a frightened cat and pretty much terrorized it. I had a cat(my favorite cat of all time) bite right through my thumb once when he was hurt and scared because he had gotten caught in a door. Btw, cats brains are not that big that they would be able to say, 'this is my cherished owner, everything will be alright.' Leave the cat alone for now. Give him food and water, talk to him but do not approach him. You can also continue to leave the door open in case he decides to enter but do not stand near the door because he is afraid of you. I would also move the food in increments until it is near the door. Do not attempt to move toward or pick up the cat for now.

 

[dakcp2001]

Yeah, someone mentioned a garden hose and I strongly suggested you not do that. A leaf blower falls in the same category. You had a frightened cat and pretty much terrorized it. I had a cat(my favorite cat of all time) bite right through my thumb once when he was hurt and scared because he had gotten caught in a door. Btw, cats brains are not that big that they would be able to say, 'this is my cherished owner, everything will be alright.' Leave the cat alone for now. Give him food and water, talk to him but do not approach him. You can also continue to leave the door open in case he decides to enter but do not stand near the door because he is afraid of you. I would also move the food in increments until it is near the door. Do not attempt to move toward or pick up the cat for now.

You come at me with a leaf blower and Id be in attack mode too. I like the catnip idea. I do not like the hose idea.

 

[si-am]

Even the most docile of cats would freak out over a leaf blower. Poor thing. OP, I hope you eventually get the cat inside.

I actually had a vet tell me not to bring my cat back for a routine follow-up appointment because he went so crazy there. She said normally she'd want to see him again, but please don't bring him back unless it's an emergency! He is a sweet boy when he's home, though.

 

[LisaR]

I will state right up front that I am opposed to outdoor cats but at least if he was outdoors and enjoying himself, I might be a little more in favor of it (but not likely). But this doesn't sound like an outdoor cat. He is holed up under a shed because he is terrified. He isn't enjoying the great outdoors and is in no way an outdoor cat.

I would stop feeding him. He won't stave to death in 24 hours. Once he is good and hungry, try tuna. Leave a small bit spread out leading up to your door or lure him out with the tuna and throw the blanket over him.

If that doesn't work, rent a live trap and put the tuna in there.

He is scared! I'd bite and scratch someone that waved a leaf blower around me, too. Good luck!

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh your poor scared Tigger boy!! Please please please do NOT use the leaf blower again, or the hose!!! That only makes it worse! As you found with the scratches and bites. Poor guy is probably scared to death! Something scared him under the shed, he's not going to just come back out.
Try the tuna, put it by the back door and then leave the door open, see if he comes back on his own. Please don't leave him there, his behavior does indicate he's scared.

 

[Imzadi]

I will state right up front that I am opposed to outdoor cats but at least if he was outdoors and enjoying himself, I might be a little more in favor of it (but not likely). But this doesn't sound like an outdoor cat. He is holed up under a shed because he is terrified. He isn't enjoying the great outdoors and is in no way an outdoor cat.

I would stop feeding him. He won't stave to death in 24 hours. Once he is good and hungry, try tuna. Leave a small bit spread out leading up to your door or lure him out with the tuna and throw the blanket over him.

If that doesn't work, rent a live trap and put the tuna in there.

I grew up in an era when most people where I lived had outdoor cats. We didn't have snowflake cats. The only ones that didn't allow them outdoors were the ones who were afraid the cats would run away. Cats evolved from being outdoors in the wild. And as the OP will attest from all her scratches & bites, they are perfectly capable of protecting themselves.

OP, I do agree with stop feeding him food. Give him water, but when you feed him, he has no incentive to come to you or to come back inside. Now, that you've fed him, you will probably have to wait another 24 or more hours till he becomes really starving and may want to come to you.

And if you saw it walking about at 5am, that may be the time to get him. When the neighborhood is quiet. The cat is more scared of the environment than of you - unless you blow a leaf blower at him.

 

[davmill]

Stop feeding it seems like a good idea. Just leave water out and perhaps it will find it's way back to your door when it calms down.

 

[Handbag Lady]

When it is time to go to the vet, we use a pillowcase on our kitty. There is no other way to get her in that carrier. We are very gentle and let her play with the "bag" before we pull it around her.

This way, she is safe and can't scratch you. We just put the whole thing in the carrier through the top opening and then pull the case away after she's in.

Maye this would help in catching the poor baby?

 

[LisaR]

I grew up in an era when most people where I lived had outdoor cats. We didn't have snowflake cats. The only ones that didn't allow them outdoors were the ones who were afraid the cats would run away. Cats evolved from being outdoors in the wild. And as the OP will attest from all her scratches & bites, they are perfectly capable of protecting themselves.

OP, I do agree with stop feeding him food. Give him water, but when you feed him, he has no incentive to come to you or to come back inside. Now, that you've fed him, you will probably have to wait another 24 or more hours till he becomes really starving and may want to come to you.

And if you saw it walking about at 5am, that may be the time to get him. When the neighborhood is quiet. The cat is more scared of the environment than of you - unless you blow a leaf blower at him.

Oh good grief. Now we have snowflake cats? Only on the Dis.

 

[si-am]

I grew up in an era when most people where I lived had outdoor cats. We didn't have snowflake cats. The only ones that didn't allow them outdoors were the ones who were afraid the cats would run away. Cats evolved from being outdoors in the wild. And as the OP will attest from all her scratches & bites, they are perfectly capable of protecting themselves.

You call them snowflake cats, I call them cats-that-aren't-killed-by-cars cats. The biggest claws and fangs in the world can't defend against cars.

 

[Imzadi]

You call them snowflake cats, I call them cats-that-aren't-killed-by-cars cats. The biggest claws and fangs in the world can't defend against cars.

Like all the feral & stray cats are being squashed on the road & there are extra teams assigned to pick up all the road kill cats. It's pandemic! NOT.

 

[si-am]

Like all the feral & stray cats are being squashed on the road & there are extra teams assigned to pick up all the road kill cats. It's pandemic! NOT.

I see enough cats on the side of the road to want to NEVER risk it with my own cats.

Not all outdoor cats are hit by cars, of course, but I guarantee you my indoor cats won't be!!!

 

[7165red]

You can try a Have a Heart trap. We rescued many feral cats and took them to the vet. Tuna has always worked even for the wildest. Good Luck

 

[lynxstch]

Treats, or start up something loud like the lawn mower.

DO NOT DO THIS
you may scare the poor kitty into running out from under the shed and into a neighbors yard or farther away than he already is..he will come out when he's hungry or scared...mine has done that before..and sooner or later always comes to the back door and just waits for me to let her in

Good luck..poor kitty is probably as scared as you are for it!

 

[izzy]

OP - I was just thinking about you today and wondering if you ever got your cat from under the shed and into your house.