OPERATION CAT: TRAPPING FERAL CATS

Operation Cat will lend you a Tomahawk trap (a refundable deposit is necessary). An ARF employee or Op Cat volunteer will show you how to work the trap. These traps do not harm the cats, but the experience is traumatic for them. Here are pointers to make things go smoothly.

1. Make an appointment with the ARF veterinarian or call ARF about authorized, participating veterinarians. The cat MUST be in a trap, not a carrier. (There can be only one cat per trap. Two cats closely confined will injure each other.) Plan to trap in the morning so that you can get the cat to the vet between 9 and 11am. Make sure you will be able to pick up the cat the NEXT morning. Feral cats are kept in the traps at the vet to recover from the surgery. If you fail to trap, BE SURE to cancel the appointment with the vet, so that others may have your spot.

2. The best bait we have found is canned mackerel. It's very smelly, so it attracts. Do not feed the cats the night before you trap. You want them hungry enough to go into the trap. Put mackerel on a square of paper and put the trap on top of it. The bait will squeeze through the bottom of the cage, but when you pick up the trap, the mess of the bait doesn't get all over the cat. (If you have a cat who's smart enough to push the trap aside and eat the bait, then put the bait in the trap.) You may dribble a little bait at the mouth of the trap as a lure.

3. Set the trap and watch unobtrusively from a distance. When trapped, cats are terrified and react wildly. As soon as a cat is trapped, cover the trap with an old bath towel or sheet. The cat will then quiet down, thinking it is hidden. If you are trapping more than one cat, remove each cat as it is trapped so the other cats aren't distracted by the trapped cat.

NEVER LEAVE A TRAP UNATTENDED OR SET OVER NIGHT. Do not leave it exposed to extreme temperatures. The cat cannot move around and is very vulnerable to freezing cold in the winter, heat in the summer, wet weather, or aggressive dogs or curious children. Or, you may trap a raccoon - truly unpleasant for all parties.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TOUCH OR COMFORT THE CAT. Feral cats are not comforted by contact with humans. And, do not attempt to move the cat to a carrying case. If the cat escapes, stand back and let it go.

4. When transporting cats to and from the vet, keep the trap covered and remember to put a plastic garbage bag or drop cloth under the trap to protect your car upholstery in case the cat sprays or urinates. Cats don't often do this, but be prepared.

5. When you pick the cat up from the vet the next morning, keep the trap covered with the towel. Remember that the cat has not had anything to eat or drink for at least 24 hours. Don't keep the cat caged to recover. Release it back where it lives (pointing away from the road) and do provide food and fresh water. The frightened cat will take off (you may have to jiggle the trap a little), but she will come back soon to eat, drink and recover in familiar surroundings.

6. The cat will have its right ear tipped at the vet to identify it as an altered member of a feral colony. Now it needs ongoing food, water and a little shelter from wet and cold. Straw (available at Agway) in a doghouse or wood box makes warm insulated bedding that wicks away dampness and stays fresh. (Any kind of cloth bedding will get wet and freeze in the cold  and promote arthritis.) Don't forget the fresh water, which is very difficult for cats to find in freezing cold or extremely dry weather.

Operation Cat has many experienced trappers. So, if you need help your first time, please do not hesitate to call ARF at 537-0400.