🚀 go-pugleaf

On Mon, 19 Jan 1998, Kudzu wrote:

> I've had a cat that's lived in the sewer pipes near my
> home for several years now.  I no longer have my dog
> (see below) and now the cat has been getting nearer
> to my house lately.  The other night I could hear it crying
> out.  The cat is very skittish and at the first sight of a
> human it goes running.
> 
> Years ago when I was living with my parents, we had a 
> cat suddenly show up and 'adopt' us.  We fed it and 
> very, very slowly it came to trust us enough to allow
> us to handle him.  This cat, named JD, was determined
> to be quite old and apparently had lost the ability to
> acquire food on his own.  Eventually he even would
> come inside and respond to petting and some grooming.
> We thought that JD had probably been on his own
> for nearly all his life and it was really a joy to see him
> respond so positively to affection and have a secure
> home and family in the final years of his life.  JD lived 
> for many years before passing away.
> 
> Losing my best friend and companion this fall has been
> absolutely devastating.  Every now and then I'll discover
> one of her 'hiding' places where she'd stashed one of her
> toys and it really busts me up badly.  Sadie May was a
> wonderful, loving German Shepherd and her memory
> will be with me forever.
> 
> Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
> get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
> Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt' 
> a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
> 
> k.
> 
> 
> 

I'm sorry about your loss. Anyhow, adopting a feral animal is very
difficult. It takes time, patience, and treats. There are a couple of ways
of going about this. The first is you can try to make friends with the cat
while it's outdoors. The positive of this is the cat can become friends
with you on his or her own terms and the sense of trust may come faster.
The negative is that while you are working to try to befriend this cat, he
or she can get hit by a car, attacked by another animal (including a sick
person), or contract some disease (if that hasn't already happened). 

If you worry about any of this then you may want to opt for the other
method. Tempt the cat to get close to you with treats. When it is within
arms reach grab it with a towel (the towel prevents you from getting
scratched or bitten), stick it in a carrier, and take it to the vet for
treatment. Then take the little guy/girl home and try to make friends with
him/her in the safety of your home. The advantage of course is that the
cat will be physically safe from harm. The disadvantages are that it will
take the cat longer to befriend one that s/he considers to be a kidnapper,
and you must catch the cat on the first try or you may not get another
chance. 

At any rate, I've found food is the way to an animal's heart, and given
that feral cats don't get that much to eat spoiling this little one with
"forbidden foods" is a good way to when its trust. Just be sure to cut off
the snacks once you have kitty's trust and have it indoors, and reward it
with affection instead. Hope this helps.

-jas

***************************************************************************

"Kittens are cute, but they wouldn't be so cute if they were bigger
than you. Then they could eat you."  -Deep Thoughts

 

I hope you succeed with your adoption.  This is a process that sometimes is
slow but nonetheless doable.  First of all I would start with giving the cat
food a little at a time on a daily basis.  Try not to make loud noises and
fast movements directly towards the cat.  You are going to have to build
trust.  Cats follow their instinct and can sense when they threaten.  I
would suggest you call Good Mews at 770-499-7370.  Jeff or someone their can
give you some good advice or at least point you in the right direction.

Good luck.  Some of my best friends are cats!

Kudzu wrote in message <69trok$e9r@mtinsc03.worldnet.att.net>...
>I've had a cat that's lived in the sewer pipes near my
>home for several years now.  I no longer have my dog
>(see below) and now the cat has been getting nearer
>to my house lately.  The other night I could hear it crying
>out.  The cat is very skittish and at the first sight of a
>human it goes running.
>
>Years ago when I was living with my parents, we had a
>cat suddenly show up and 'adopt' us.  We fed it and
>very, very slowly it came to trust us enough to allow
>us to handle him.  This cat, named JD, was determined
>to be quite old and apparently had lost the ability to
>acquire food on his own.  Eventually he even would
>come inside and respond to petting and some grooming.
>We thought that JD had probably been on his own
>for nearly all his life and it was really a joy to see him
>respond so positively to affection and have a secure
>home and family in the final years of his life.  JD lived
>for many years before passing away.
>
>Losing my best friend and companion this fall has been
>absolutely devastating.  Every now and then I'll discover
>one of her 'hiding' places where she'd stashed one of her
>toys and it really busts me up badly.  Sadie May was a
>wonderful, loving German Shepherd and her memory
>will be with me forever.
>
>Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
>get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
>Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt'
>a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
>
>k.
>

Kudzu wrote:
> 
> <snip>

> Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
> get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
> Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt'
> a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
> 
> k.

Being softhearted (headed) my wife and I "adopted at least a dozen feral
cats and had them sitting in our laps getting petted (not all of them). 
We picked a brand of dry catfood, added a little canned and set it out
near THEIR area.  Each time we fed them, we rattled the dish and made
enough noise to let them know we were there.  Also put out fresh water
daily.  (industial area-no homes near)

when they were used to eating in THEIR area we move the food to OUR area
using the same calling and food dish rattling.  They got the idea.  Once
in OUR area.  We would sit quietly and flip canned food toward them
using a spoon as the launcher.  this Slowly got them closer to us.  Also
when evening came they'd show up waiting to be fed.  We'd set the food
out then sit a few feet away from the dish.  Slowly we moved closer. 
Always sitting very still and quiet.  Finally the cats were eating next
to us, but would run if we put our hand toward them.  Be cagey.  Hold
your hand up above them then lower your hand from above and touch them. 
We had 3 or 4 at the dish at a time and a rub from my hand wasn't found
out--they thought it was just the cat next to them.  Then I started
rubbing thier heads.  Slowly this tamed them down.  As time went by I
could pick up 3 of the dozen vagrants and pet them.  

Also we trapped about 8 of them and had them spayed and neutered.  Then
we released them back as ferals.  

Once one newbie at the edge of the group had a collar, but was still
skittish and we couldn't touch it.  We did the spoon fling thing and
slowly got it's trust.  We adopted her as an indoor cat.  She was the
quickest to tame and somewhat friendly, thus her name Friendly.  The
talkingest cat I've ever had.

g=girl b=boy
We had Shafok (g) (ringed tailed like a safoka ring tailed lemur);
Fluffy (g), the big grey fluff ball and tamest; the twins Lepeord (d)
and Snow Lepeord (g) Both had lepeord patterns, the sister also had
white on her; Garfield (b) the BIG organge cat, very muscular;
Chocholate (b) chocholate tip siamese big brute who tore apart and out
of the cat trap (never got him neutured); Trouble (b) always hissing and
batting at the others at the food dish; Little Trouble second in command
at hissing and causing trouble; Slinky (b) an all black cat the crawled
low to the ground slinking when he approached. Little (?) slinky who
followed slinky in but then disappeared after a while. Little Boy the
kitten, renamed Flat Cat as he got flattened on the road:-(  
-- 

Bob

Mac-N-Stuff Used Macintosh Computers, Monitors, Peripherals.
Use our links to pricing used Apple/Macintosh computers and monitors.
http://www.macnstuff.com  E-mail bob@macnstuff.com

We were feeding a pregnant feral cat on our deck last year. When she
had kittens she would bring them with her to get food. After gaining
her trust, we got her to come inside. The kittens followed. When we
closed the glass door, the cats all went temporarily insane. We
eventually got them all herded into our basement, so at least they
weren't outside anymore.

Once they were confined, we got them all to the vet one at a time. We
would pick up and hold each one, first with a towel, then by hand,
every day to get them used to people. After a month, we were able to
bring the kittens upstairs one at a time, first into cages, then
running free. The mama cat used to hide in the joists under the upper
floor, so we eventually had to get a raccoon trap from the shelter to
trap her in our basement. We brought her upstairs in a large cage
until she was 'civilized'. 

Now, mama cat is a lap cat, and three of the four kittens are
completely domesticated. The last kitten wants nothing to do with
humans, and we see her occasionally, but when she's with the other
cats she's fine (she was the last to come upstairs, and was the
hardest to find during the handling phase, so our guess is that she
never imprinted humans as family.)

If you have other animals, the cage phase is a must so that they can
have their superiority battles while separated by metal bars.

Once upon a time I had the opportunity in helping to rid an apartment
complex of an over population of cats. The way we did it was this.

We put out traps baited with fried chicken.  They can NOT stay away from
it.  This might be easier than the towel method.  NO, the traps did not
hurt them , rather it sprang a door closed behind them when they got the
goodies. 
I will have to warn you that it does nothing for their disposition....

-- 
James Moffitt
jcmoffi@ibm.net


Kudzu <Kudzu@worldnet.att.net> wrote in article
<69trok$e9r@mtinsc03.worldnet.att.net>...
> I've had a cat that's lived in the sewer pipes near my
> home for several years now.  I no longer have my dog
> (see below) and now the cat has been getting nearer
> to my house lately.  The other night I could hear it crying
> out.  The cat is very skittish and at the first sight of a
> human it goes running.
> 
> Years ago when I was living with my parents, we had a 
> cat suddenly show up and 'adopt' us.  We fed it and 
> very, very slowly it came to trust us enough to allow
> us to handle him.  This cat, named JD, was determined
> to be quite old and apparently had lost the ability to
> acquire food on his own.  Eventually he even would
> come inside and respond to petting and some grooming.
> We thought that JD had probably been on his own
> for nearly all his life and it was really a joy to see him
> respond so positively to affection and have a secure
> home and family in the final years of his life.  JD lived 
> for many years before passing away.
> 
> Losing my best friend and companion this fall has been
> absolutely devastating.  Every now and then I'll discover
> one of her 'hiding' places where she'd stashed one of her
> toys and it really busts me up badly.  Sadie May was a
> wonderful, loving German Shepherd and her memory
> will be with me forever.
> 
> Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
> get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
> Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt' 
> a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
> 
> k.
> 
> 

MRicci wrote:
> 
> Good for you for having the compassion that many people don't! <snip>

 Be very careful, however, if you do
> progress to the point of being able to interact with it, because wild
> cats can carry diseases, and being scratched and/or bitten wouldn't be
> good for you, needless to say! 

I never worried about it, but YES do be careful.  I was never bit or
scratched by the feral cats we fed and petted.  My aunt adopted a sorta
friendly but not too friendly cat in her neighborhood.  It got tamed
down enough to come into the house and sit in her lap and be petted. 
One day it turned and bit her real hard on the arm.  She ended up in the
hospital with a hugely swollen arm.  Also my Dad adopted a feral cat a
few years ago that I still can't get near.  It bit him in the arm also
and it got infected.

Cat bites and scratches can indeed be serious.  Use extra care, and as
you see from above even care doesn't always work.

My adopted cat, Tuxedo love bites and scratches me in play all the
time.  Draws blood regulary from sharp claws when he plays, especially
when a claw gets hooked in my cuticle:-(  This is all in play or
affection, never mean intentioned.  Last blood drawn about 10 last night
in the cuticle.  Luckily his bites and scratches have never even turned
slightly infection red.  I rough house with him a lot.  My wife seldom
has blood drawn, but occasionally playing he'll get her to.  Almost
never draws blood biting her.
-- 

Bob

Mac-N-Stuff Used Macintosh Computers, Monitors, Peripherals.
Use our links to pricing used Apple/Macintosh computers and monitors.
http://www.macnstuff.com  E-mail bob@macnstuff.com

Good for you for having the compassion that many people don't!  As has
been said before, cats will almost always respond to food....canned is
probably more enticing, however, dry will last longer without
spoiling.  Also, please be sure to have clean water for it.  Cats need
water so much, as do all animals, and so many times people forget
that.  It will take some time for the cat to trust you, but it will
soon realize that you are "the hand that feeds it" and that in itself
will keep it coming back to you.  Be very careful, however, if you do
progress to the point of being able to interact with it, because wild
cats can carry diseases, and being scratched and/or bitten wouldn't be
good for you, needless to say!  All the best and keep us animal lovers
posted!!

One more thing....the "crying out" you heard the other night may have
been the awful sounds of mating. There is pain involved for the female
during mating, and perhaps that is what you heard.  It may have been
your cat, or it may have been the visiting female, in case your cat is
boy.  Hopefully, your cat isn't pregnant.  A litter is just a whole
added worry.  

On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 05:32:35 GMT, MRicci wrote:

>
>
>
>Good for you for having the compassion that many people don't!  As has
>been said before, cats will almost always respond to food....canned is
>probably more enticing, however, dry will last longer without
>spoiling.  Also, please be sure to have clean water for it.  Cats need
>water so much, as do all animals, and so many times people forget
>that.  It will take some time for the cat to trust you, but it will
>soon realize that you are "the hand that feeds it" and that in itself
>will keep it coming back to you.  Be very careful, however, if you do
>progress to the point of being able to interact with it, because wild
>cats can carry diseases, and being scratched and/or bitten wouldn't be
>good for you, needless to say!  All the best and keep us animal lovers
>posted!!
>

On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 17:58:59 -0800, Bob <bob@macnstuff.com> wrote:

>MRicci wrote:
>> 
>> Good for you for having the compassion that many people don't! <snip>
>
> Be very careful, however, if you do
>> progress to the point of being able to interact with it, because wild
>> cats can carry diseases, and being scratched and/or bitten wouldn't be
>> good for you, needless to say! 
>
>I never worried about it, but YES do be careful.  I was never bit or
>scratched by the feral cats we fed and petted.  My aunt adopted a sorta
>friendly but not too friendly cat in her neighborhood.  It got tamed
>down enough to come into the house and sit in her lap and be petted. 
>One day it turned and bit her real hard on the arm.  She ended up in the
>hospital with a hugely swollen arm.  Also my Dad adopted a feral cat a
>few years ago that I still can't get near.  It bit him in the arm also
>and it got infected.
>
>Cat bites and scratches can indeed be serious.  Use extra care, and as
>you see from above even care doesn't always work.
>
>My adopted cat, Tuxedo love bites and scratches me in play all the
>time.  Draws blood regulary from sharp claws when he plays, especially
>when a claw gets hooked in my cuticle:-(  This is all in play or
>affection, never mean intentioned.  Last blood drawn about 10 last night
>in the cuticle.  Luckily his bites and scratches have never even turned
>slightly infection red.  I rough house with him a lot.  My wife seldom
>has blood drawn, but occasionally playing he'll get her to.  Almost
>never draws blood biting her.
>-- 
>
>Bob
>
>Mac-N-Stuff Used Macintosh Computers, Monitors, Peripherals.
>Use our links to pricing used Apple/Macintosh computers and monitors.
>http://www.macnstuff.com  E-mail bob@macnstuff.com

Thanks, there's been so much interest in all this I'll
be posting a progress report soon......

k.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't the bones in chicken
pose the same problems for cats as they do for dogs?
Though the KFC was a good lure, I'll bet once the
trap got sprung that they didn't bother with eating it?
So there was no risk to the animal after all.  Right?

Thanks for info....   :)


On 19 Jan 98 23:43:10 GMT, "James Moffitt" <jcmoffi@ibm.net> wrote:

>Once upon a time I had the opportunity in helping to rid an apartment
>complex of an over population of cats. The way we did it was this.
>
>We put out traps baited with fried chicken.  They can NOT stay away from
>it.  This might be easier than the towel method.  NO, the traps did not
>hurt them , rather it sprang a door closed behind them when they got the
>goodies. 
>I will have to warn you that it does nothing for their disposition....
>
>-- 
>James Moffitt
>jcmoffi@ibm.net
>
>
>Kudzu <Kudzu@worldnet.att.net> wrote in article
><69trok$e9r@mtinsc03.worldnet.att.net>...
>> I've had a cat that's lived in the sewer pipes near my
>> home for several years now.  I no longer have my dog
>> (see below) and now the cat has been getting nearer
>> to my house lately.  The other night I could hear it crying
>> out.  The cat is very skittish and at the first sight of a
>> human it goes running.
>> 
>> Years ago when I was living with my parents, we had a 
>> cat suddenly show up and 'adopt' us.  We fed it and 
>> very, very slowly it came to trust us enough to allow
>> us to handle him.  This cat, named JD, was determined
>> to be quite old and apparently had lost the ability to
>> acquire food on his own.  Eventually he even would
>> come inside and respond to petting and some grooming.
>> We thought that JD had probably been on his own
>> for nearly all his life and it was really a joy to see him
>> respond so positively to affection and have a secure
>> home and family in the final years of his life.  JD lived 
>> for many years before passing away.
>> 
>> Losing my best friend and companion this fall has been
>> absolutely devastating.  Every now and then I'll discover
>> one of her 'hiding' places where she'd stashed one of her
>> toys and it really busts me up badly.  Sadie May was a
>> wonderful, loving German Shepherd and her memory
>> will be with me forever.
>> 
>> Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
>> get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
>> Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt' 
>> a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
>> 
>> k.
>> 
>> 

On Tue, 20 Jan 1998, Kudzu wrote:

> On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 17:58:59 -0800, Bob <bob@macnstuff.com> wrote:
> 
> >MRicci wrote:
> >> 
> >> Good for you for having the compassion that many people don't! <snip>
> >
> > Be very careful, however, if you do
> >> progress to the point of being able to interact with it, because wild
> >> cats can carry diseases, and being scratched and/or bitten wouldn't be
> >> good for you, needless to say! 
> >
> >I never worried about it, but YES do be careful.  I was never bit or
> >scratched by the feral cats we fed and petted.  My aunt adopted a sorta
> >friendly but not too friendly cat in her neighborhood.  It got tamed
> >down enough to come into the house and sit in her lap and be petted. 
> >One day it turned and bit her real hard on the arm.  She ended up in the
> >hospital with a hugely swollen arm.  Also my Dad adopted a feral cat a
> >few years ago that I still can't get near.  It bit him in the arm also
> >and it got infected.
> >
> >Cat bites and scratches can indeed be serious.  Use extra care, and as
> >you see from above even care doesn't always work.
> >
> >My adopted cat, Tuxedo love bites and scratches me in play all the
> >time.  Draws blood regulary from sharp claws when he plays, especially
> >when a claw gets hooked in my cuticle:-(  This is all in play or
> >affection, never mean intentioned.  Last blood drawn about 10 last night
> >in the cuticle.  Luckily his bites and scratches have never even turned
> >slightly infection red.  I rough house with him a lot.  My wife seldom
> >has blood drawn, but occasionally playing he'll get her to.  Almost
> >never draws blood biting her.
> >-- 
> >
> >Bob
> >
> >Mac-N-Stuff Used Macintosh Computers, Monitors, Peripherals.
> >Use our links to pricing used Apple/Macintosh computers and monitors.
> >http://www.macnstuff.com  E-mail bob@macnstuff.com
> 
> Thanks, there's been so much interest in all this I'll
> be posting a progress report soon......
> 
> k.
> 
> 
> 

What's a bigger worry than infection is RABIES. Cats are very very
suseptable to carrying AND transmitting it when they are not given the
appropriate vaccine. Fortunately, the human version of the vaccine is much
improved (only 3 shots), and is worth while to get if you wish to work
with feral cats very often. Hopefully the person who wants to adopt the
feral cat won't need the vaccine after he or she gets the adopted cat the
appropriate vaccines from a vet.

-jas

***************************************************************************

"Kittens are cute, but they wouldn't be so cute if they were bigger
than you. Then they could eat you."  -Deep Thoughts

 

On Tue, 20 Jan 1998, Kudzu wrote:

> Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't the bones in chicken
> pose the same problems for cats as they do for dogs?
> Though the KFC was a good lure, I'll bet once the
> trap got sprung that they didn't bother with eating it?
> So there was no risk to the animal after all.  Right?
> 
> Thanks for info....   :)
> 
> 
Kudzu-

Take the bones out of the chicken to be safe or buy boneless chicken
breasts. Make sure you cook the meat though, so there's no chance of the
cat getting salmonilla. I'm not sure if cats can get it, but when I worked
at the Baltimore Zoo someone transferred it from the turtles to the guinea
pigs and the guinea pigs died. I always feel it's better to be safe than
sorry.

-jas

*******************************************************************
"Kittens are cute, but they wouldn't be so cute if they were bigger
than you. Then they could eat you."  -Deep Thoughts

 

When I lived at a post apartment my wife and I tamed a feral cat by
leaving food out for it.   Once he got into a schedule we would put
the bowl on the bottom of an outdoor staircase and stand on the ground
on the other side of the railing.  This was done to give the cat a
clear exit away and also to be slightly elevated (they say you can
deal with a cat better at eye level).    The cat would initially hiss
when ever he saw us but ultimately started to let us pet him through
the stair rail.   We finally got the cat to come inside and the rest
is history as he has become a very friendly and personable cat who
also gets along with the other two cats.   I'd suggest seeing if you
can get another cat when he is tamed, getting them to get along is
another story but I feel cats do better with another cat.   Also don't
declaw the cat.  Its painful, stressful and prevents normal stretching
functions.  Sisal rugs can be used to deal with the need to scratch.

thanks
Eric

On Mon, 19 Jan 1998 00:26:00 GMT, Kudzu@worldnet.att.net (Kudzu)
wrote:

>I've had a cat that's lived in the sewer pipes near my
>home for several years now.  I no longer have my dog
>(see below) and now the cat has been getting nearer
>to my house lately.  The other night I could hear it crying
>out.  The cat is very skittish and at the first sight of a
>human it goes running.
>
>Years ago when I was living with my parents, we had a 
>cat suddenly show up and 'adopt' us.  We fed it and 
>very, very slowly it came to trust us enough to allow
>us to handle him.  This cat, named JD, was determined
>to be quite old and apparently had lost the ability to
>acquire food on his own.  Eventually he even would
>come inside and respond to petting and some grooming.
>We thought that JD had probably been on his own
>for nearly all his life and it was really a joy to see him
>respond so positively to affection and have a secure
>home and family in the final years of his life.  JD lived 
>for many years before passing away.
>
>Losing my best friend and companion this fall has been
>absolutely devastating.  Every now and then I'll discover
>one of her 'hiding' places where she'd stashed one of her
>toys and it really busts me up badly.  Sadie May was a
>wonderful, loving German Shepherd and her memory
>will be with me forever.
>
>Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
>get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
>Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt' 
>a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
>
>k.
>

jas wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 19 Jan 1998, Kudzu wrote:
> 
> > I've had a cat that's lived in the sewer pipes near my
> > home for several years now.  I no longer have my dog
> > (see below) and now the cat has been getting nearer
> > to my house lately.  The other night I could hear it crying
> > out.  The cat is very skittish and at the first sight of a
> > human it goes running.
> >
> > Years ago when I was living with my parents, we had a
> > cat suddenly show up and 'adopt' us.  We fed it and
> > very, very slowly it came to trust us enough to allow
> > us to handle him.  This cat, named JD, was determined
> > to be quite old and apparently had lost the ability to
> > acquire food on his own.  Eventually he even would
> > come inside and respond to petting and some grooming.
> > We thought that JD had probably been on his own
> > for nearly all his life and it was really a joy to see him
> > respond so positively to affection and have a secure
> > home and family in the final years of his life.  JD lived
> > for many years before passing away.
> >
> > Losing my best friend and companion this fall has been
> > absolutely devastating.  Every now and then I'll discover
> > one of her 'hiding' places where she'd stashed one of her
> > toys and it really busts me up badly.  Sadie May was a
> > wonderful, loving German Shepherd and her memory
> > will be with me forever.
> >
> > Anyway, given the above, I'd kind of like to try to
> > get it across to this cat that he/she has a home with me.
> > Does anybody have any advice on how to 'adopt'
> > a feral animal?  I'd really appreciate any feedback.....
> >
> > k.
> >
> >
> >
> 
> I'm sorry about your loss. Anyhow, adopting a feral animal is very
> difficult. It takes time, patience, and treats. There are a couple of ways
> of going about this. The first is you can try to make friends with the cat
> while it's outdoors. The positive of this is the cat can become friends
> with you on his or her own terms and the sense of trust may come faster.
> The negative is that while you are working to try to befriend this cat, he
> or she can get hit by a car, attacked by another animal (including a sick
> person), or contract some disease (if that hasn't already happened).
> 
> If you worry about any of this then you may want to opt for the other
> method. Tempt the cat to get close to you with treats. When it is within
> arms reach grab it with a towel (the towel prevents you from getting
> scratched or bitten), stick it in a carrier, and take it to the vet for
> treatment. Then take the little guy/girl home and try to make friends with
> him/her in the safety of your home. The advantage of course is that the
> cat will be physically safe from harm. The disadvantages are that it will
> take the cat longer to befriend one that s/he considers to be a kidnapper,
> and you must catch the cat on the first try or you may not get another
> chance.
> 
> At any rate, I've found food is the way to an animal's heart, and given
> that feral cats don't get that much to eat spoiling this little one with
> "forbidden foods" is a good way to when its trust. Just be sure to cut off
> the snacks once you have kitty's trust and have it indoors, and reward it
> with affection instead. Hope this helps.
> 
> -jas
> 
> ***************************************************************************
> 
> "Kittens are cute, but they wouldn't be so cute if they were bigger
> than you. Then they could eat you."  -Deep Thoughts
> 
> 
Maybe there is a compromise?  When I was a child, a feral cat had
kittens under our house and my Dad caught them.  He popped them into a
cage and brought them into the house.  After a few hours, my mom let
them out.  They never did get to like my dad as well but they did cozy
up to my mom faster.  They ran and hid when she first let them out but
they did gradually hang closer and closer as they discovered that their
'rescuer' left food for them in the kitchen.

Maybe she can borrow a live trap and a helpful friend or neighbor to be
the trapper, so she can be the rescuer.  I think the trapper should
carry the cat to the vet for her so that the cat doesn't see her till it
gets 'rescued'.

Kat Johnson

jas, Kudzu, Bob, and MRicci wrote extensively about danger from feral cats:
> 
> Be very careful, ...
> ... because wild
> cats can carry diseases, and being scratched and/or bitten wouldn't be
> good for you, needless to say!.
Uhmmm, cats generally like to hunt down, kill and eat small prey, and aren't
too very picky about whether that prey has diseases that might infect or harm
the humans that they aren't friendly toward.

> 
> ... (story about 'tamed' cat) One day it turned and bit her real hard on the
> arm.  She ended up in the
> hospital with a hugely swollen arm.  Also my Dad adopted a feral cat ...
> It bit him in the arm also and it got infected..
I *had* a cat that I adopted at about 5-6 weeks old, kept the little beast for
about 3 years.  During a move to a new house it got spooked, and ended up biting
my hand.  Well, the bite from this *tame* cat penetrated a tendon sheath, grew
infected, and caused excruciating pain.  This from a very docile cat.  My doctor
said cat bites were one of the worst animal bites from an infection standpoint.

> 
> Cat bites and scratches can indeed be serious.
Yup, see above.

> 
> ... love bites and scratches me in play all the
> time.  Draws blood regulary from sharp claws when he plays ...
> Luckily his bites and scratches have never [been infected] ...
> .
Duh, why don't you buy your cat a scratching post?  how about a toy?

> What's a bigger worry than infection is RABIES. Cats are very very
> suseptable to carrying AND transmitting it when they are not given the
> appropriate vaccine.
> .
Rabies is definitely a danger, and not just from feral cats or outdoor cats.
All cats love to 'hunt' animals, so every trip outdoors is a fresh chance
for exposure to rabies, et al.

> 
> "Kittens are cute, but they wouldn't be so cute if they were bigger
> than you. Then they could eat you."
> .
:-)

I have another cat now.  The previous cat sneaked outside and never returned.
(I had him for 1-2 years after the bite).

-- 
Chuck Cottrill -- "Sometimes you're the windshield...sometimes you're the bug"
TRU = Toys R Us / S@H = Lego Shop at Home
800-835-4386 (S@H USA) / 800-267-5346 ext 222 (S@H Canada)

In response to all of the overflowing compassion for the feral cat,
consider that animal shelters are forced to exterminate thousands
cats (and dogs).  So how is your feral cat more deserving of a home
and life than these animals?  Why choose the animal shelter cat for
death?  Because the feral cat looks sad, pathetic, hungry?  Are the
shelter cats less sad, less doomed?

At least have the feral cat sterilized as soon as you can to prevent
breeding more unwanted animals.

-- 
Chuck Cottrill -- "Sometimes you're the windshield...sometimes you're the bug"
TRU = Toys R Us / S@H = Lego Shop at Home
800-835-4386 (S@H USA) / 800-267-5346 ext 222 (S@H Canada)

On Thu, 22 Jan 1998 01:11:32 -0600, chuck <chuck@cyberatl.net> wrote:

>In response to all of the overflowing compassion for the feral cat,
>consider that animal shelters are forced to exterminate thousands
>cats (and dogs).  So how is your feral cat more deserving of a home
>and life than these animals?  Why choose the animal shelter cat for
>death?  Because the feral cat looks sad, pathetic, hungry?  Are the
>shelter cats less sad, less doomed?
>

I'm not quite certain what you're getting at here, but if I could
solve animal suffering by snapping my fingers I would do so.

>At least have the feral cat sterilized as soon as you can to prevent
>breeding more unwanted animals.
>

If the cat chooses to become friendlier and adoption seems
to be a genuine option, then the cat is going to get all the
attention it wants....everything will be provided for.