How to catch cat's and kittens?

[eeyore65]

We have the cutest family of feral cats living in some rocks on our property. There is a Mom and maybe 5 babies. I have been feeding the Mom and she comes out when I rattle the food - so I think she may have been an abandoned house cat. Poor baby. I would like to catch them and take them to the vet and then a no kill shelter (and maybe keep one!) The Mom has deformed paws and looks like she is starving despite my feedings. I cannot get close enough ever to catch them and the rocks they hide in are huge and very deep so I can't get at them. I think I need to trap them. How do you do that so I don't terrorize them? Any ideas?

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Be really careful. I was in the same situation last summer. I was feeding a mom and 4 babies daily. The babies started to stay by the food when I was there, and eventually they let me pet them. Then one day I tried to pick one up, and it went wild, and bit me in 2 places, and scratched up my arm.

I had to go into the doctor for a tetnus shot and antibiotics. The doctor then had to report it to the county animal control and health dept.

The animal control came out and trapped all the kittens and momma cat and took them away. They had to be watched and tested for rabies. `(The kittens all looked the same, so I didn't know which had bit me.) The animal control lady said they would all be put to sleep because no one wants feral cats when there are so many tame cats needing homes. I still get sad thinking about those cute kittens. I won't feed strays anymore, and I grew up petting and playing with barn cats at my Grandma's house.

BTW- they were easily trapped by setting out a live trap with some soft cat food in it. The lady put a towel over it, and just left it open on one side.

 

[swanmom]

Mickeypooh99 is right. Attempting to catch them can be dangerous. In our town, you can call Animal Control and borrow a trap - in other towns, they'll come and put traps out for you.

 

[HelenePA]

Could mom be a mitten kitten? My one cat has about 30 toes. She looks like she is wearing snow shoes I"m guessing if you saw her from far away you'd think there was something wrong with her feet. Can you maybe deworm her if she is that skinny and your feeding her sounds like worms could be the problem.

http://www.messybeast.com/poly-cats.html#whatis pics of mitten kittens feet

 

[eeyore65]

She is a mitten kitten! Hopefully, she can still trap lizards and other south FL food with those paws. I will have to tell DS - he has been so worried about her. I checked my animal control - no trapping services. I have a pampered kitty in my house already and it breaks my heart to see my kitty treated so well and these poor kitties trying to survive only 30 feet from each other.

 

[Luvchefmic]

She is a mitten kitten! Hopefully, she can still trap lizards and other south FL food with those paws. I will have to tell DS - he has been so worried about her. I checked my animal control - no trapping services. I have a pampered kitty in my house already and it breaks my heart to see my kitty treated so well and these poor kitties trying to survive only 30 feet from each other.

SPCA or a local vet may have the "Have a Heart" trap / cage that can be borrowed. Good luck but please be careful

 

[HelenePA]

She is a mitten kitten! Hopefully, she can still trap lizards and other south FL food with those paws. I will have to tell DS - he has been so worried about her. I checked my animal control - no trapping services. I have a pampered kitty in my house already and it breaks my heart to see my kitty treated so well and these poor kitties trying to survive only 30 feet from each other.

If anything she can catch stuff better Mine can use her toes like a human hand and pick stuff up.

 

[Carole]

I agree - try to borrow a Have A Heart trap. Just put some smelly cat food in it. I arranged with a local low cost vet to fix the cat after I trapped it. I caught it during the night and took it to the vet still in the cage. They said don't even try to take it out - they would handle it. My "wild" cat happily lives in the house now and loves to curl up with me to watch tv.

 

[eeyore65]

I am going to the vet tomorrow with my cat and will see what they suggest. The kittens are so cute. They come out around dusk and play - we can watch until they see us then quick like a flash they are in the rocks!

 

[jwfla422]

Hi eeyore65,
I'm not sure where you live in S. FL but I live in S. FL as well and had a problem with just one stray, luckily a male so he was alone. He hung out in our backyard area on our block for many months last year before I started to feed him. He liked coming up to our screened in porch to flirt with my little female kitty. He was not neutered at the time so I'm sure that's why he was hanging out here. I also have a male who didn't like him at all. But we started to leave food (he was limping one day and I felt so bad for him) and after several months he'd rub our legs and let us pet him.

Then in Jan. when we had the coldest and rainiest day in years he was hiding in our front area because he was injured very badly. I didn't know what to do so I made some calls. One was to StrayAid & Rescue. Website is: http://www.strayaid.org

They didn't have traps at the time but they did eventually call me with one. I luckily found someone I knew who had one sooner however somehow I was able to get him to come into our back porch and the next day I jammed him into a large cat carrier by baiting him with wet food. (he didn't like that) But, I took him to Cats Exclusive which is a cat clinic in Margate which is great. They are very nice and more reasonable than most vets. They bandaged him and neutered him as well and gave him shots and tested him. He has joined our household since and had become very loving but is still is afraid of most people and is a pain with my female, still loves to bully her. He can be a handful!!

If your female is a true feral she probably won't allow you near her. Try to call StrayAid to see if you can rent a trap. And if you live anywhere near Margate, Cats Exclusive is very experienced dealing with strays and ferals. BTW, Strayaid is located in Dania if you live in that area. I don't know much about them but I've seen articles on them and Cats Exclusive recommended them. Good luck!