MY EXPERIENCE

CATCHING CATS, LOST OR OTHERWISE

All my cats are spayed/neutered and declawed (fronts only.) Unfortunately there have been few occasions when someone has accidentally let out a cat or two.

There was one incident  were the screen on my porch had been slit and when I got up in the morning I found several cats missing.  It looked to me as if the screen had been slashed from the outside. But I have no real proof. Though all  my cats are adults now, they were  all original rescued from outside, as kittens. With the exception of Peanut, who was a feral cat. I was able to retrieve two cats that had run under the house almost immediately. Three were still missing. Peanut  as I mentioned. Danny who is a very sweet tempered meek cat, though he's the size of a  small horse and Allie. Allie was a feral kitten, and first one I rescued  three years ago. She had been out one other time and it took me ten days to catch her. So I knew I was in for the long haul with that one.  Peanut came back the first night. I saw her in the distance and put a bowl of food on my screened in porch. I adjusted the screen door so it would stay open  I called her as I usually do for meal time. Then went inside the house and readied myself to sneak out the back way to shut the door from behind once she entered the porch. That was easy. The one I was most worried about was Danny because I did not see or hear  any sign of him. To make a long story short I caught him the next night. So I will get to the tricks I have learned, unfortunately through experience. Let me just say this, I would not wish a missing cat on anyone. It is heart wrenching.

Cats are habitual animals. I have watched them long enough to know the all have a routine. The best time to look for a cat is at night. Late at night when all is quiet. Or very early in the morning just around sun rise. They are usually to afraid to come out during the day. I walked my streets at midnight sometimes later, but quietly with a flashlight.  And remember to look up in trees, if they have claws they will climb.  I also found that they don't stray to far from home. Make a plan, this may take some time, so try not to panic. Set out a bowl of food in the morning or at night.  In a place you can keep an eye on.  The is usually a waiting game. You can put out their favorite toy or anything that smells like home.

If you do spot your cat, don't run to him, you may scare him off because he probably feels he did something wrong. Approach him slowly and speak with a calm pleasant tone. Or you can even sit on the ground and call him to you. Remember it's a waiting game.  I spent many an hour sitting on the concrete of my patio playing "feather" by myself.

Of course in the mean time alert your friends and neighbors your cat is missing. They may see him and you  can get idea were he is hiding.

Now Allie was a tough cookie, she made a "game" of this.  First she wouldn't come over to eat the food, then after a few days she was finally so hungry she had no choice. I gradually moved the food closer and closer to my shed door. Then I placed the food  inside the shed and waited. I was able to quietly, very quietly run over and shut the door from behind once she went in to the shed eat.  Let me tell you it wasn't as easy the next time she got out.  She wasn't falling for that a second time. Took eleven days to catch her. But now, all this quietly sitting and sneaking around barefoot I  can sneak up on anyone of my cats at any time. I do it sometimes just to see that surprised look on their face.

 Then of course there is a trapping cage.  If your cat refuses to come back to your house to eat. You may have to resort to using a cage to catch your kitty. 

I have rescued 52 cats, all that either came to eat or had kittens under my house. And all without a cage.  My last rescue was when a Dear friend called me and asked if I could help catch a Momma cat and her three babies that she fed and were living under her house. This is a little harder to do. I tried first by sitting as they came out to eat, trying to gain their trust.  I was able to snatch up two of the kittens though will zipping the carrier one escaped. The second time I was able to re- catch that same kitten. Unfortunately after that the Momma was very upset and ,as I knew she would, moved that other kitten. They do that. The Mammas are very careful of their babies. Even the ones that used to live under my house, would move the babies from time to time. This is just something they do  to protect their young.

Sure enough the next two days there was no sign of the baby though the Momma would still come to eat early in the morning and around 6:30 in the evening.  So I thought the best thing to do is catch the Momma, and then sooner or later the baby would have to come out to eat. Eventually. With the assistance of our community manager, who had set up the trap cage. We caught the Momma, that day. I staked out the house and walked the surrounding area  the rest of that day, and that night. I searched again the next day. By nightfall, I knew we weren't going to find were the Momma had hide that last baby. So I decided to release her. I know she would lead me to the kitten. Now the only other problem I was going to have is trying to re-trap the Momma. She knew about the trap cage and there was no way she was getting caught in there again. Setting that problem aside I staked out the house in early morning and evening when the Momma would come to eat. No baby. Finally the third morning I watched her as she ate. She then sat for a while, finally she was on the move. I followed, staying a good distance from her.  I watched her cross the street and go up three houses. I slowly approached the house and peeked around the corner. To my great relief, there they were. Momma and baby. Now I knew were she hide her. I alert the neighbors. informing them I was trying to catch the kitten and the Mother. So no one would be alarmed when I was shining a flashlight in their yards at night.

Now the plan was again to catch the Momma first. So I had to disguise the trap cage. First I washed it with disinfectant. The I covered it with a dark plastic bag I had cut open to make one big sheet. I laid the piece of plastic  that was used by the women that fed them  under the cage and set it in the exact spot. I attached twisties to keep the cage from springing shut.  I sprayed the entire cage and plastic with a natural herbal calming spray. Then  I placed the food just outside the entrance to the cage and waited. As soon as the Momma approached, being habitual, she stopped and examined the cage from a distance. She finally ate a bit of food then quickly ran back to her baby. This went on for three days. Each day I moved the food further and further into the cage. She was able to go in and out with no fear. The next day I removed the twisties. However there was so much commotion that morning with lawn cutters and people, she never went to eat that morning. I went back and forth checking the cage all day. Finally early evening as I drove by I saw the door on the cage closed.  Voila!  I have to admit I was amazed it worked, but I caught Momma once again.

Now to catch the baby. I set the trap again that evening for the baby. Nothing. So I took the cage away around midnight, I didn't want it her getting trapped and staying in it all night. I put it back the next morning and again sat and waited. She finally went into the cage for the food. This took a total of 13 days. But it was worth it.

I hope some of these tricks and ideas help those of you who have lost your kitty.