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It Takes a Village to Trap a Cat

After phone calls to 11 individuals and organizations, and then re-phone calls to follow up, this evening Project Treadstone (The Bourne Supremacy, anyone?) shall commence under cover of darkness. A person I haven't met and who is an experienced trapper, will, we hope, trap three cats this evening. Another person will retrieve them in the early AM, put them in three dog cages, and transport them to a secret location 10 miles north, where she will pass her cargo on to someone else, who will bring it to the no-kill shelter where the cats will be sterilized, etc.

Between 4 and 5 PM tomorrow, I will drive to the no-kill (it's the only one in the area, by the way, and doesn't have room for any cats right now), pay for services rendered ($55/cat), and bring the cats-in-dog-cages to my home to recuperate. They cannot come in the house, as Emily is an FIP cat with a license to (uncontrollably) kill. Not to mention I have two greyhounds, one of whom still has a very active prey drive, and he could easily harm the kitties, despite the cages, by giving them a heart attack.

The garage should be fine, I am told, and worry not as it is still 75 degrees here at night. Perhaps the laundry room might serve as a decent location also, as Emily doesn't go in there. I have no idea what to do with the cats, but I'm assuming someone is going to tell me.

I appreciate any advice. Do they want to be near each other? I could also put one in a bathroom that is rarely used. Should they be in the house rather than the garage? I could keep them all in my car (Honda Element with seats removed. Plenty of room). Do they want to see me? Should I sleep in the car with them? Are they going to spend the next day or two screaming? Any medical matters I need to think about? Medical supplies?

It's shocking that I'm the one doing this and no one else would when they all have experience, but these are tough times and I've a feeling feral cat care isn't a front burner issue for most people right now.

I'll drop the cats off to a person a couple of miles away who will then return them. I've been told that the local kill shelters will indeed take them, but will probably also kill them shortly thereafter. The place where they live is pretty safe and has virtually no traffic.

I contacted a reporter who covered an animal shelter story and she put me in contact with a new person yesterday. Perhaps that person will be able to manage the colony or in some other way participate. And I have a meeting near that building within the next week so I'll canvas the area for someone to help. There are a handful of security guards who appear to like the cats (especially the Siamese-ish ones) and haven't acted at all hostile to them which is a good sign. I'll talk to them about reporting/stopping any abuse.

I agreed to pay for and rehab three cats per week, until my husband asks for a divorce or someone else steps up to help. My contact at the building is back in town tomorrow, and I will ask him about a meeting with all of the tenants. If each office can pool funds together to pay for just one cat, that would help.

So there's your update. Wish me luck.

In the book that I wrote that no one wants to represent so far, either because of the voice of the book or the difficulty marketing it (but I shall prevail!), I wrote the story of Blue Cat, a feral whom I trapped (in a cat carrier) after luring him into my house over a couple of weeks. Within 24 hours of his trapping, he was not only brutally neutered, but he was dead. He had feline leukemia.

I hope my journey with the Project Treadstone cats doesn't end similarly.

24 Comments Post a comment
  1. I wish you the best of luck and will be thinking of you until I hear what happened.

    Keep them in the garage, it's warm enough and if they have food and water they will heal up nice being alone and not trying to fight with anyone. Better safe than sorry.

    Take good care…

    November 12, 2008
  2. If the cats are all from the same colony they'll probably be much happier if they can be together if possible.

    How handleable are they? If they're so feral that they needed to be trapped then you'll have problems getting them back into a carrier if you release them into a larger pen for the recovery period, but if they're reasonably willing to tolerate human presence they'll be much more comfortable all together in a pen. I'd definitely avoid having them loose in a car because of the number of small spaces they could wedge themselves into & the probability that you'd get bitten if you tried to prise them out.

    If they're not handleable and the dog crates they're in are big enough for a litter tray, towel (or similar) to sleep on and food/water dishes then I wouldn't try transferring them into anything else – just transport the crates to the release site when the recuperation time is up. That way you're not going to get bitten or add to the cats' stress level about forced proximity to humans.

    I presume it's out of the question to do FeLV blood tests routinely because of costs?

    November 12, 2008
  3. Hmmm, I don't claim to be a cat expert but I think giving the cats a space of their own would be best for their psyche. If you put them in the bathroom, they'll wait there in fear for the next time you come in. If there's somewhere in the house where you could put them where they have places to hide, I think they'd be better off psychologically.

    Good luck

    November 12, 2008
  4. Briefly:

    They can't be in the main part of the house because Emily has a lethally-contagious disease. I wasn't thinking of having them loose in the car or the bathroom–they'll be in mid-sized dog cages. I was just wondering if they shouldn't be in the garage for any reason. I'm assuming they're not handleable at all, and was told not to try unless there's an emergency. And no, they won't be tested for anything, but I believe they get vaccinated for rabies as part of the $55.

    November 12, 2008
  5. The cats should be separated. Unless one knows who the "alpha" is of the pack, and the whole hierarchy that stands in the pack… it's best to keep them separated. You should cover the crates with blankets because it will "mellow" them out. The best places for them will be anyplace that is quiet and dark. That's what they're used to. (not by the "quiet"…but they are used to hiding in dark little places)… They will also be frightened beyond imagination… I know this from all the ones I saved in the past. This will be very traumatic for them…by both being trapped at first, and them being handled by humans.

    I'm glad something is finally getting done. I am. What I don't understand is why all of this has to be kept so "top level secret" and why they need to be moved around so many times. The less they are moved around, the less stress they will feel. If that's the way it has to be done…so be it. Better that they get fixed so that the problem no longer lingers.

    One question I have is to what will be done with any "young" kitties… if they are under 2-3 months old, they should be highly adoptable and should NOT be re-released back there. The young ones may be the first to enter the traps. There should be no good reason to re-release them even if they are fixed. They'd have a much better life if they can find homes.

    Please keep us posted as to the outcome.
    -david

    November 12, 2008
  6. The cat traps will be covered with beach towels. They will be someplace quiet and dark–the garage. The situation is what it is. People are willing to do what they're willing to do and I have no control over that.

    November 12, 2008
  7. Two new developments. 1) The low (but not really low) cost place does test for HIV and Leukemia (it's not the place I brought Blue Cat to) first, and if the test is positive, they will kill the cat and charge me $15. They also do a 5-in-1 vaccination package in addition to rabies (if the tests are negative, obviously). 2) Another organization that is doing some low cost work ($29) this weekend has stepped up and will do some cats over the next couple of days if they can trap them, so my work would begin next week. Don't think I'm not paying for the $29 cats, and of course I'd much rather do that. There is little traveling for the cats and there is already a network of people who keep them while they recuperate.

    This is what happens when you get a reporter involved. People came out of the woodwork today, and better late than never. For anyone who knows the area, Palm Beach Cats doesn't help anyone off the island, but they are having an event next week at Club Colette and I was invited (as a result of my phone calls? No. I think more likely as a result of my contacting the reporter). Dr. Julie Levy, renowned TNR expert from the University of Florida, will be the speaker. I am going to try stop by the Community Foundation Building and recruit a person or two to come to the event.

    November 12, 2008
  8. Deb #

    Mary, that's great that you're getting more help now and have some local resources! Not sure if you'd be interested or if it is relevant, but Rich hooked up with some people in NYC who do TNR without killing FeLV, FIV, etc cats. I don't know what it takes or exactly how they handle it (I believe they don't rerelease the ones that have these diseases, so that's another issue to deal with), but if you were interested in hearing more about it, Rich might be able to get you in touch with them.

    Hopefully it will be a non-issue for this colony…

    November 12, 2008
  9. rich #

    I am far from and expert on this. My first and only rescued cat is living in my bathroom and I am still looking for a home for her.
    When i caught her I put her in a cage with a blanket over it and left her in the cage for a few hours in my bathroom. I then laid on the floor opened the cover of the cage a bit and got down to her level and talked to her. I did this for a bit (maybe an hour) she was scared in the corner and would let out little cries. Weirdly hearing my rescued cat snapped her out of her fear and she came to my end of the cage. Over time I was able to socialize her and she is a sweet angel now.
    As far as the FeLV/FIV issue. My vet is not a proponent of putting FeLV cats to sleep as a routine matter. Her belief is that if they can be socialized and put in a single cat home or a home with a other cats with FeLV go for it. She did say it would be irresponsible to release her back into the colony if she could not be tamed and did test positive for FeLV. I would see if they could be socialized if there is FeLV but if not I might euthanize them if they test positive and cannot be socialized.
    The rescue groups I contacted pretty much have the same philosophy though they work hard to socialize the cats before giving up.
    Also as far as releasing them out of the dog cages I wouldn't unless they are easily socialized. They may be hard to get back in. That said "Smoke" would always dive back on her cage when nervous.
    Best of luck and it sounds like you are getting some help.

    November 12, 2008
  10. Thanks, Rich (and Deb).
    Rich, I did follow your Smoke story and even asked my vets if I could take her but they said that it would actually be worse for Smoke than for Emily (who's only a carrier of FIP, but that doesn't bode well for Smoke). I'm going to call and find out if my vet would sterilize a couple of cats and also if they would test and if they have a kill policy for positive tests. I do understand that it's irresponsible to return a positive cat back into the colony and I hope somebody is willing to try to socialize them. I was told not to let them out of the cages, and given my situation I wouldn't even try. At least people, for whatever reason, are stepping up now and I feel like I've got some experts in the mix who are well connected to vets in West Palm so maybe they can get things done that weren't possible for me. And Deb, thanks for the offer to contribute to the sterilization of the colony. I just might take you up on it!

    November 13, 2008
  11. E. Marsalla #

    At some point, I'd like to see a discussion about the ethics of releasing animals into an environment where those animals are a non-native species and where we can be reasonably certain those animals will kill multiple birds and other small critters. TNR folks typically dodge the question by answering that birds are more threatened by habitat destruction, pollution, cell towers, etc. than by feral cats. This response is a non sequitur. It also focuses on the POPULATION level rather than on the INDIVIDUAL level. The question still stands: If killing one cat can save two birds (or mice, or rabbits, etc.), is it ethical to allow the cat to live?

    Also — and this question is not specific to feral cats — I'd like to see a discussion about the ethics of keeping animals that feed on the carcasses of OTHER animals. By purchasing dog food and cat food made from farmed animals, we are essentially killing Peter to save Paul. Vegan food may be an option for dogs, but last time I checked, there was still no palatable and safe vegan option for cats.

    I've met a number of TNR folks in real life. I don't like them. They see the world in black-and-white terms, they're very "holier than thou" despite the fact that they're typically not vegans, and they seem incapable of making or understanding logical arguments.

    PS A quick Google search brings up this interesting site: http://www.tnrrealitycheck.com/

    November 13, 2008
  12. How did "Project Treadstone" go last night? Were they able to get any of the kitties? Please update when you get the chance. I do hope progress was made…
    THANKS!
    -david

    November 13, 2008
  13. Deb #

    E. Marsalla,

    the harsh reality is that ecosystems and the "cycle of life" include death. What you're suggesting is that we run around killing every predator. Bad idea! (as well as impossible) Predator prey relationships are important to the health of BOTH populations, as well as the environment in general.

    Did you know that people who use bird feeders are likely doing more to kill birds than the cats are? It facilitates the spreading of diseases among populations of birds that would never normally mix (especially in density), and actually encourages predators to hang around for easy meals. Not just cats, but definitely cats as well.

    And the myth of pristine environments where there are no non-native species… I'd suggest reading "the world without us" for an interesting view on that!

    Managed colonies are maintained – i.e., people feed the cats. There is little impact to the native OR non native bird populations around a managed feral colony because these cats are not hungry. Of course that doesn't stop the hawks, falcons, foxes, etc, from hunting. You can find all of this information if you google…but you have to look further than an anti-cat website!

    November 13, 2008
  14. Paul #

    If they are feral, they should be left in the traps and brought to the vet that way. It is easier to anesthetize them that way. We also let them recuperate in the traps until the next morning (must be in a warm place, they cannot regulate their body temperature when under anesthesia). It's not ideal, but it's hard to get them back in the traps once they are out. The following morning we release them.

    Also, I have been vegetarian since 1990, involved with feral cats since 1991, and vegan since 1992. And all 3 of the founders of Alley Cat Allies were and are vegan (though one is no longer with the organization, she is still vegan and still involve in feral cat rescue), and as far as I know most or all of the staff are vegan.

    As for "black and white" thinking, nothing epitomizes that more than villianizing predators and thinking we should get involved in predation by killing predators. Yes, feral cats may kill birds and rodents, there are a lot of predators out there and I simply don't get involved. While feral cats may not be part of the original ecosystem, there are few ecosystems that are untouched. Trying to get rid of introduced species is like trying to unring a bell.

    November 14, 2008
  15. Paul #

    I should also add that if the cats are feral, the traps should be covered at all times. It helps calm them. Give them access to water when they come to, a small amount of food in the evening, and a full meal in the morning before release. Wet (canned) food is best, dry kibble dehydrates cats.

    November 14, 2008
  16. Like Paul said: "I should also add that if the cats are feral, the traps should be covered at all times".

    I'm pretty sure I mentioned that as well, it's the best way to try to keep them relaxed once they are trapped. It also helps once they are "fixed"…but either way… There are many of us out here that have been offering our advice along with our wishes for this to be a successful operation and would love an update. We all are hoping for the best. Have any of the kitties been saved as of yet? Please keep us posted on any and all developments that take place with this situation. We ALL care about ALL things living and it would be nice to be kept updated on any that get saved/fixed/released or adopted (for those that are adoptable). Please DO keep us posted.

    THANKS!

    -david

    November 15, 2008
  17. As I wrote on the 12th, a group in West Palm will be doing some of the cats this weekend, for $29/each and no testing. I did ask if they have gotten many positive tests (followed by euthanasia) and the stat I was given was 4%. They move the cats to bigger cages because they allow them 2 nights to recoup and want to give them more room. All cages are covered with beach towels, as I said. It's all pretty much according to the Alley Cat Allies material. It's good to know that they're vegans.

    Kittens are ordinarily taken by a woman who does just that–takes kittens and adopts them out (she practically gives them away). She also has this crazy set up where she socializes cats, if possible, to adopt them out as well. I assume all is going according to plan but will check later. I volunteered to help between clients this weekend but was told that weekends are the only time they don't need help.

    November 15, 2008
  18. I'm sorry, from what I read back on the 12th…you said:

    "Another organization that is doing some low cost work ($29) this weekend has stepped up and will do some cats over the next couple of days if they can trap them,"

    I guess I was looking at the word "if" (with regards to trapping them). So you are saying that some HAVE been trapped? Being as "stupid" as I am… I thought none have been trapped as of yet. Will you be taking in any to care for next week? I hope so. I know it always feels "good" to be part of things like this.

    THANKS AGAIN!

    -david

    November 15, 2008
  19. Apparently my e-mail to the reporter, naming names of those not interested/willing/unable to help, caused a small fire under the backsides of certain individuals.

    "If" they can trap them merely means if any cats go for the food. They are being fed regularly, and have been for months (hence the population explosion, and someone told me today that there are far more than 30). A friend in that part of town and volunteered to trap and recoup a couple at a time. I leave for NYC on Thursday but said I would do whatever is needed before then. My friend said she would put a trap out and pick it up early in the AM a couple of times a week and we could do our own supplementary effort. I think that's best. I'm happy to donate to the other groups, but it does seem odd what one must go through to get started when going through an official TNR group. Who cares about the 501c3 status? (Um, apparently most people.) It's shocking that that's what gets in the way (among other things.

    November 15, 2008
  20. I should have 2 kitties at my house thursday morning. I'm leaving town shortly thereafter but someone will be at my house and will be able to care for them, if need be, and if they're older and feral someone will come by to get them to release them. This person and I have committed to doing 2 per week. And it is with the vet who will euthanize them if they test positive. In 2-3 weeks the Spay Shuttle will be back up and running, and many of the issues will be resolved AND it'll be a fraction of the price ($15 versus $55/cat). I'll still supplement the effort, as I went to meet the trapper to show him the location and the security guards said there are way more than 30 cats. At least the weather is mild, they have food, and they're the only feral cat colony I've ever heard of with their own security detail (6 guards, total).

    November 17, 2008
  21. Paul #

    I don't agree that killing an asymptomatic FELV or FIV "positive" (there are many false positives, esp. in kittens) cat is "euthanasia" as that term is properly used. Also, keep in mind that FIV is not exactly the equivalent of HIV, in that FIV has been around longer, many cats are immune, it is less likely to result in feline AIDS, and for a spayed/neutered cat, is unlikely to be transmitted to other cats.

    Alley Cat Allies advises against testing.
    http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=456

    I agree, and we only test cats who are going to be adopted out. Taking the life of an asymptomatic cat is not euthanasia.

    November 18, 2008
  22. Paul,
    My predicament is that the place that will take me RIGHT NOW has a policy of testing and then euthanasia. I can wait a couple of weeks for the Spay Shuttle, which is far less expensive and doesn't kill when there's a positive result. This is why I'm torn (start now, but what if . . . ). I do agree that it's not euthanasia. Wrong word. The no-kill (oddly) shelter has its own rules, but and my only practical choice is to not go there. Part of me is glad this took so long (over a week) to get started because of the choices I now have to make. Maybe when I go to the Dr. Levy event tomorrow, she'll give me some ammo to take to the no-kill on Thursday morning when I bring the first 2 cats.

    November 18, 2008
  23. Paul #

    Their test/kill policy is troubling. Here is what Cornell U College of Vet Medicine says about kittens, for instance:

    "Infected mother cats transfer FIV antibodies to nursing kittens, so kittens born to infected mothers may receive positive test results for several months after birth. However, few of these kittens actually are or will become infected. To clarify their infection status, kittens younger than six months of age receiving positive results should be retested at 60-day intervals until they are at least six months old."

    FELV positives, esp. the preliminary vet office results, may also be misleading and require a 2nd confirmatory test in a commercial lab.

    Here is a well thought out argument for not testing:
    http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/releasing.htm

    Any way, good luck with your trapping and purrs to you for helping cats.

    November 18, 2008
  24. Thanks, Paul.
    I'm printing out the info and my hope is to meet with the ED Thursday. Of course I now have some very specific questions for Dr. Levy tomorrow and the luncheon is 3 hours long so I'm sure I can get her ear for my concerns. The shelter is known for being progressive and well run and does great work, for instance, with the huge pit bull population here (they rehab them and adopt them out). All of the volunteers I know there speak very highly of it and I'm thinking that if I can get in touch with one this evening maybe she can introduce me so I'm not just a stranger ambushing the ED and telling her how to run her business. I wish I knew more about their policy-making process, but I guess I'm about to find out about it. I was also thinking of choosing it as my next place to volunteer, so I could go from that angle.

    FIP (my Emily is a carrier) is also dicey in that not all cats will contract it necessarily, and not all carriers will get symptoms, yet most shelters kill them all anyway. Emily was diagnosed at 18 months (when we adopted her), as was her little boy. And that was all in 2000! Imagine, the vet wanted to kill her when her little guy was euthanized (and trust me, that was euthanasia)!

    November 18, 2008

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