Catching wild cats

[6_Time_Momma]

My mom and dad have strays that have taken up residence in their backyard......started as one pregnant momma.....now there are four adult females and as such three litters have just been born.

They managed to get one comfortable enough with them to catch her and have her fixed, but they haven't been able to catch the others.

Where can you buy inexpensive traps and how effective would they be to catch cats? They want to try and get the females at least and spay them.......the vet agreed to give them a discount on the spays if they can catch the rest.

How soon would the kittens be able to be spayed? They might have a better chance with getting to them at least to start.

Any suggestions or ideas?

 

[Jcricket Fan]

Your mom & dad might want to check with the animal control officer in their city/town. They may have humane traps that they let people use to trap the strays.

Also, if there is an animal rescue group/shelter they should have traps your parents can use or they may come out and set the traps for them.

We have had a high population of ferrel cats in my town and I have had help from a local rescue shelter catching the cats and getting them spayed. The system has worked great and at least for my neighborhood we have cut the population down...only one or two strays are seen and they are just passing through they don't stay around anymore.

 

[GeorgeG]

A sporting goods or hardware store should have "have-a-heart" traps that are what's used for things like this. They're wire cages with a door that will close after the animal has entered to get the bait. No harm at all to the animal unless you forget about checking it.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by GeorgeG
A sporting goods or hardware store should have "have-a-heart" traps that are what's used for things like this. They're wire cages with a door that will close after the animal has entered to get the bait. No harm at all to the animal unless you forget about checking it.

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First of all, I would be VERY careful of dealing with stray cats.. Last year a woman in my DD's neighborhood took pity on one, was scratched and it turned out that the cat had rabies..

Also - I was once given a kitten from a stray cat litter and it was the MEANEST kitten I have ever encountered in my entire life.. I'm talking VICIOUS.. Had to call animal control to come and get it..

I realize that your parents are trying to be kind - a commendable act - but I think they should just call animal control and have them removed..

 

[amid chaos]

Check around...I'm sure you can borrow some traps...I'm surprised the vet didn't help them out with this issue.

Kittens...there is one vet in town that spays stray kittens at 6 weeks. check around.

 

[MHopkins2]

Sometimes, spay/neuter is based more on age than weight - I think the floor is 2 pounds?