Cat capture - suggestions sought

[Shell]

I will do my best to refrain from posting on this forum as best i can, as so many others have been forced to do.

Seriously? Spare me the drama, and grow up. You suggested something awful, we have NO way to know if you were joking or not as you said you had done it before, and to me it sounded like a serious suggestion. People replied, which for the record is going to happen when you post on a public forum, and now because they pointed out that you were wrong for suggesting something abusive you're going to play the victim? No thanks. Nobody told you not to post, we just don't like hearing people tell others to do something inhumane and cruel to an animal.

Also, for what it's worth nobody has been "forced" to stop posting. People here aren't holding guns to users head saying "don't post anymore". It's people with thin skin not liking other people's opinions and that's life, you either deal with it or CHOOSE to stop posting.

 

[Shell]

I completely get your point. I understand that nobody can tell if im joking around or not. Just because i had done that as a kid, did not mean i would 100% push for him to do that. I mean if thats what cat people do, and it is safe, and works, sure, i dont care. But im definitely not playing a victim here, just pointing out some truth. It gets old posting something then half the forum jumping you. Doesnt happen to me often, because i really think about what im going to write before i do. But every once in a while its nice to just have a little joke. But thats just kind of hard to do around here. Im extremely sarcastic, i joke ALOT. Just becuase i wrote something doesnt mean i am going to promote it, or walk over to my moms and grab one of her 30 cats runnin around and try it. It was just a half serious/joke for the snark to try, if he wanted to try it, thats up to him.

The thing with posting a "joke" like that is that there ARE people out there who would read it and believe it to be ok. It is NOT ok, in the situation you described it would absolutely be considered animal abuse. I am sorry if you feel like you were "jumped on", but I will never condone animal abuse, joking or not. I don't find suggesting abuse to be even remotely funny. As already stated it may be ok for certain species (cats NOT being one of them), but only if done properly, none of which you were suggesting.

Anyway, if you want to stop posting, and feel sorry for yourself go ahead. I can't stand when people play the victim card. Nobody "jumped on" you, it wasn't personal, it was about what you posted. I love how people like to blame AB, like they believe only here do other people point out if you're wrong, or have an issue with things others say...um that happens everywhere, it's called life. People post something, don't get the reaction they want and stomp their feet and yell "everybody on AB is so mean, I'm never posting again". Come on...

Here's a new idea, how about when we post something that is wrong we actually take responsibility for ourselves instead of backtracking, and then trying to blame others.

 

[The Snark]

Tongue in cheek does NOT NOT NOT work in text. I learned that painful lesson when I posted my alleged sadism to cats post. We need some sort of smiley about 10 feet tall warning the poster is being facetious in some manner.

By the way, on this note. Putting a kitten in a box of packing peanuts. Well, sadist that I am, I cleared the spare room, dumped the peanuts on the floor and let the kittens in for a romp. They both played and went crazy until they literally dropped from exhaustion. If anyone ever wants to see kittens at their most hilarious, give this a try.

 

[Galapoheros]

I've caught a few using a live trap. I've got a galvanized water tank I catch rainwater in that's about 3 feet deep. I throw the cat and the trap in the tank, ..sinks straight to the bottom, problem solved, ...don't forget to have a beer with ya! nooooo, not really, but there was somebody at work that had a pool in their backyard and I was told that he would catch cats in his live trap and then throw the cage/trap in the pool, must have been a terrible guy. You can catch them easy in a live trap but have a plan on how to open it later because it will be freaking out, I've used a stick and string, you can figure it out.

 

[The Snark]

I can't figure this tom cat out. I heard the noise and saw motion outside the window. It had jumped one of the kittens and was savaging it. Now mom and both kittens are terrified of it, more than of the stray dogs that wander in. It hasn't gone for the trap yet and is super wary of humans. My just opening the door and it is gone. It seems to be acting a lot like a bobcat.

 

[lizardminion]

I can't figure this tom cat out. I heard the noise and saw motion outside the window. It had jumped one of the kittens and was savaging it. Now mom and both kittens are terrified of it, more than of the stray dogs that wander in. It hasn't gone for the trap yet and is super wary of humans. My just opening the door and it is gone. It seems to be acting a lot like a bobcat.

Have you tried baiting your traps with live mice?

 

[wesker12]

I can't figure this tom cat out. I heard the noise and saw motion outside the window. It had jumped one of the kittens and was savaging it. Now mom and both kittens are terrified of it, more than of the stray dogs that wander in. It hasn't gone for the trap yet and is super wary of humans. My just opening the door and it is gone. It seems to be acting a lot like a bobcat.

Thing sounds impressive, I wonder how it's life has played out living in thailand! A bit more intense considering thai wildlife I suppose, tomcats fight everything I wonder if it runs from cobras?

 

[ozzytoys]

i 2nd the impressive qualities of this tom. sounds a lot like the porcupine problem i'm dealing with at my house here. i never see or hear the stupid things, and after refortifying my perimeter fence, i still get up to see my dogs quilled to look like pinhead. i would assume that there isn't an animal control authority in Thailand, nor am i 100% on the firearms laws of the country.

i would try live rats, mice, or even game birds in the trap, if easily obtained. the problem i see is why go for a smell, when there is prey away from the smell? it may also be since the tom is feral, canned tuna doesn't even appear on it's sensual radar. like the rats, try something you know it can find in the wcild.

that said, i'm an american, and should i finally see the stupid porcupine that has cost over $700 in vet visits, i know what i'm going to do to it. good luck, and i hope this all works out for you!

 

[The Snark]

Live mice are out. This country still lives in the real world for the most part. Mice and rats=disease and are shunned. I'd have to try the pet stores in Bangkok or trap my own. Any other bait ideas? I really don't like the idea of keeping bait animals just to offer them up for painful death by maiming.

Cobras are cats anathema. The perfect storm. Cats can't resist that garden hose waving in the air effect. You can always tell the presence of cobras by the lack of wandering cats around. I would guess that the tom will fall victim to one eventually but I only see cobras around here every 3 or 4 months.

I've spent more than my fair share of time with a pair of pliers de-quilling dogs. A very over rated pastime. I'd say porcupines and dogs are equivalent to cats and cobras. Irresistible combos.

Thai animal control. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:+stew-pot+$$$+:sneaky::sneaky::sneaky:=oop:nimal cuke:ntruke:l

 

[Risky]

Reading this thread reminded me of that disgusting movie "Gummo."

Back when I was kid my family and I lived near a couple farms outside city limits. Every once in awhile we would get cats that would wander over from the farms. They'd torment my dog and cause other havoc. I'd bait them with bologna (not sure why I used bologna but it did the trick) inside the garage and then watch for them to come in for the bait. Once they were in I'd close the garage and capture them. Then my dad would go drop them off. Worked for me.

 

[The Snark]

Reading this thread reminded me of that disgusting movie "Gummo."

Back when I was kid my family and I lived near a couple farms outside city limits. Every once in awhile we would get cats that would wander over from the farms. They'd torment my dog and cause other havoc. I'd bait them with bologna (not sure why I used bologna but it did the trick) inside the garage and then watch for them to come in for the bait. Once they were in I'd close the garage and capture them. Then my dad would go drop them off. Worked for me.

Worth a try. Thanks.


Cat Zen Koan: Catching a Styrofoam packing peanut with your paw.

 

[Thistles]

Cat Zen Koan: Catching a Styrofoam packing peanut with your paw.

LOVE IT! Snark, you are so consistently amazing.

 

[BQC123]

I really don't like the idea of keeping bait animals just to offer them up for painful death by maiming.

Place the bait animals in a secure cage inside the trap. I have also used a large live catch in the opening to my chicken coop. When in place, the trap was the only entrance. It worked very well, even when no chickens were present. If you have something similar, put your cat, and/or kittens in the building, or large enclosure, since they are the primary target. They stay safe and you might get the tom.
Not sure of your laws or situation, but I assume a gun or bow is out of the question.

 

[The Snark]

Place the bait animals in a secure cage inside the trap. I have also used a large live catch in the opening to my chicken coop. When in place, the trap was the only entrance. It worked very well, even when no chickens were present. If you have something similar, put your cat, and/or kittens in the building, or large enclosure, since they are the primary target. They stay safe and you might get the tom.
Not sure of your laws or situation, but I assume a gun or bow is out of the question.

Thanks for suggestions. Obviously I need to be trickier and smarter. I put the cats in the bathroom and night for safe keeping and to keep them out of the trap. Tom is too fast and skittish. In the carport he is gone the moment any outside door is opened, front or back. I get a 1-2 second glimpse of him running down the street but nowhere near enough time to get a good bead on him.

Trying bologna tonight.

 

[Aviara]

I didn't see this mentioned in any posts. Are you feeding this tomcat before you set the trap up? I know it sounds like it goes against what you're trying to do, but you need to develop a relationship with the tom where it relates that area, you and a certain time to feeding. Feed it in the exact location where the trap will be set up. It's better if you can be present, but since you're not really socializing it this isn't that important. Just make sure the tom is eating regularly at your scheduled time before you set the trap up. Don't give it enough food to fill it up. Then, after it's gotten "on schedule", put strong smelling tuna-flavored wet cat food in the back of the trap so that it has to enter to get it. Put a trail of cat food leading into the trap and a little pile outside to boost its confidence. That's worked for me when I've trapped ferals. Of course, I trap ferals to socialize them and either keep them as barncats or adopt them to good homes. My honest advice, as a cat lover, is to humanely euthanize this tomcat in whatever way you see best, or if you can afford it, take it to a vet and have it humanely neutered under anesthesia. Of course, that will be more expensive, some vets are willing to give you discounts on ferals but not all. Personally I get my ferals neutered and vaccinated for free, but not many are this lucky!

Please keep in mind that this cat is the product of human negligence and does not deserve any punishment for its actions. Yes, ferals are annoying, problematic, even dangerous to our pet cats, but we have to remember why they're here. TNR (trap, neuter, release) has often proven the only way to combat feral cat problems. I've been forced to learn a lot about feral cats since I live near two huge maintained cat colonies. One "guardian" practices TNR, one feeds but keeps her males and females intact. You can guess where all the feral kittens we find come from.

 

[The Snark]

Problem ... solved?

Yesterday I encountered a typical. A very small flea bitten probably pregnant scrap of a dog abandoned out in the boondocks. I plopped it in my bike basket where it rode quite contentedly and brought it home. I then called all the animal rescue orgs in the area. Well, due to international outcry of people eating dogs, the powers that be have been rounding them up. Without a humane society the private orgs take the dogs. SH*T. The newest dog rescue opened it's doors a few months back with a capacity of 25 dogs. They presently have 150. Make a long story short there, no animal rescue could take it. I then put the dog back in the basket and canvassed the entire surrounding 20 kilometers for someone to take the animal in. I do so love getting rejected dozens of times. Even the temples adamantly refused.

So I took the critter back home. Gave it 3 baths and fed it. The second I put it on a leash it started to howl and freak out. I took it off the leash and it ran off down the road. Err... now what? It was gone. Okay.
This afternoon it was back, hanging around the front gate. I fed it. It was willing to venture onto the porch. Our cats went freak. The kitten ready to lay into it.

This evening. Big noise in carport with dog growling and cat hissing. I look out the window and.... The dog and the kitten, a bit terrified, side by side are sitting on the hood of my jeep expressing their sentiments to the big tom. Taken aback by this united front the tom fled.

 

[Anonymity82]

Awesome! Looks like an answer to a problem indeed! Dogs love to work and protect!

---------- Post added 09-21-2012 at 11:11 AM ----------

Not my lazy ass dog though. That's our own fault, not the dog's.

 

[arachnofab]

Please don't shoot him. Possibly take in to the humane society at least?

 

[The Snark]

Dumb luck.

Well.... as luck would have it I just happened to check the street out the window last night. It just happened to coincide with the tom's return. I just happened to have my rifle beside me. I just happened to have a clear shot under the street light. This morning revealed a 4 inch crater in the pavement a couple of inches in front of where the cat was standing. I'm letting the neighbor assume is was a misguided motor vehicle that exploded the concrete planter beside the road. Last I saw of the cat it was heading west at about 305 mph. I strongly believe it will gain re-entry velocity well before it hits the Bay of Bengal.