WAYYYYY OT--NEED CAT ADVICE...

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
WAYYYYY OT--NEED CAT ADVICE...
17
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 9:24am

Hi all, I know this is a parenting board, but where there are parents and kids, there will also be pets in many cases.

We have a male cat, neutered, front declawed, that has ESCAPED and has been out in the scary world now for 2 weeks. He's escaped once before, and we caught him ourselves, but not without a fight---he's the BEST cat--friendly, loving, clean, etc.....but when he's outside, he's a different creature......skittish, won't come when called, and fights like the dickens when we tried to get him into the house.

He shows up at night by our back gate---so we've put food/water out for him (and all the other neighborhood animals and wild creatures------we see him, we call him and he runs. We know 'about' where he is going when he hides, but we can't get close enough to grab him....even at the risk of being scratched (back claws) or bitten...........

We finally broke down and got a live trap from my dad's farm----baited it with tuna fish and the water drained from the tuna and week old grilled salmon (shows how bad I am at cleaning out the fridge............). We thought certainly this concoction would be irresistable to the poor boy, but alas, we caught a possum! EWWWWWWWWW.

We put an old (again lack of fridge cleaning) grilled burger out there plus more of the old salmon..........he won't be interested in the burger to eat, but we are hoping the smell will attract him........

Any other ideas? Why would he be SOOOO crazy outside, when inside he's a dream cat?

Thanks, and sorry for being so off topic.............just grasping at straws at this point.

Shels

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 10:28am

I'm sorry shels.

Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-10-2003
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 11:11am

Hi Shels,
I think you're on the right track with the live trap but, remember, cats are finicky. If you are putting out old fridge stuff and it's on it's way to going bad, the cat won't touch it. Have you tried putting his food and water in the trap? You could also put a blanket in the trap - if he smells "home" on it he just might curl up on it. (I've never used a live trap, so I don't know if that's feasible. Pam's suggestion about moving the food and water closer each day is a good one. (Pam, I am laughing about your cat being scared of shaking PLASTIC BAGS! Too funny) And Pam's right - he's acting crazed because he's scared to death. Have you tried just going outside and softly calling "kitty, kitty"? He most likely won't come running, but he may approach slowly. I caught a stray this way - took a couple of days, but I did it.

Let us know when you capture him!
jt (three cats, one dog)

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 11:34am

We've tried calling for him, I've tried 'dinging'his food can (he rarely gets soft food, but he hears the pull ring from tuna, or other canned goods, he comes running.......same for the can opener---we've even held that up by the door). We've been putting out his regular food and water---but the neighborhood animals are eating it--so hopefully he's eating too. The only reason we are using people food in this manner is in hopes that the smell will entice him, even if he doesn't want to eat it..............and if he's hungry he'll eat it. He came from my dads farm and those cats are his personal garbage disposal....they'll all eat less than fresh foods........and he did many years ago........so we are just hoping.

We do have canned cat food we've put out too (although not in the last few days--the neighbor dog has been feasting).....I bought sardines to use next...........My human brain keeps thinking the smellier the better to attract him..............I don't care if he eats it or not, but just take an interest and step into the trap!!

We've checked with a vet and animal control and so far this is the best solution we can come up with..........I am really worried about his well being.........no claws and all......

shels

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 11:38am

Hi Shels,


I'm a cat shelter volunteer, and you're doing just what we recommend to people looking for lost cats. One option would be to use some really smelly canned cat food -- whitefish, tuna, herring, etc. That will attract most cats. You will also keep attracting other animals, so be patient. A few years ago, we were trying to trap the cats our low-life neighbor had abandoned when he moved out and

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 11:56am

It is just so weird and unsettling to see him change! He's not a shy cat normally--he never hides when we have company and he plays happily with my little dog Buster......one day my DS12 saw him in the yard actually approaching the dogs that were barking at him (I have 2 dogs and this cat). When he saw Carter (my son) he ran.

He used to be a farm cat---all claws and un-neutered. The other tom cats would attack him----seriously hunt him DOWN.....so my dad let him live in the garage for a while. he felt sorry for the poor guy because he didn't get much attention, and he was such a nice cat. He offered to pay for his neutering and de-clawing if we took him (we already had 2 dogs and another cat at that time). The toms on the farm went so far as to stalk the garage door so when it opened, they'd go IN to attack this cat----we don't know why? So, we took him and LOVE him. I am so grateful every time someone sees him, because I know he's alive, but I just want him back in the house since he has no way to protect himself.

Well, the sardines and ocean white fish cat food is next in line. The salmon is gone,and I personally don't think a burger will do the trick (this was DH"s idea). The possums and raccoons ought to be out in full force by the time this undertaking is done!!! we live right in the city too.......how funny! I mean our city and NYC is nothing the same---we would be considered RURAL to many, but we have about 38,000--so you'd think the critters wouldn't be around, but they are!!

Shels

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2004
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 3:30pm
Shels,
I have two cats and have occassionally run into the same problem. Inside the house I can't keep the little fur-blobs off me, but when they sneak outside - whole different story. Maybe their innate hunter nature takes over. Of course, these guys wouldn't last 2 hours out where we live but they don't know that. De-clawed, obese, and dumber than a box of rocks. Quite a combination. Anyway..despite myself, I'm really am quite attached to the little rodents.
Unfortunately, even with their little fur bellies dragging on the ground, they still run faster than me. What works for me is to remain still. The poor little guys with their walnut brains just look at me like deer in the headlights. I take VERY slow, small steps towards them. Then slowly reach down and pick them up. Everything in slow motion.
I do hope you get him back.
PS..I've never heard of a cat responding to being called. Perhaps that could be our segue into a teen topic... :-)
Let us know how it goes... !
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 3:54pm

Hmmmmm, walnut brains, doesn't respond to conventional calls, sweet to our faces, but when out of the house....nutty? You may be onto something, Daddioe! Let's all parent our teens like we would our cats! Maybe we'd have better luck! Oh, I guess we do that already---a nice place to sleep, a private place to potty, food and medical care. HMMMMMMMM----maybe I'll try 'here kitty kitty' instead of screaming 'TTAAAANNNNNERRRRR" at the top of my lungs tonight! haha

Well, like I mentioned, he escaped once before, and was gone 5 days---I was the one who caught him------(I say proudly!). I stood by his food bowl, called to him (not his name, but 'kitty kitty) and 'dinged' the ring tab on the food can, and as he got closer, I opened the can and he began to eat, and I grabbed him. He let me carry him halfway to the house and went berserk! My DH did a lunge (think of going for a football) and grabbed the poor boy by the tail, and literally flung him in the house. We figured we'd all be in for a treat, and slowly went downstairs to see if he was crazy, and he just was sitting by his bowl purring and all lovey dovey----it was just bizzare!

I hope I go home today and find a pretty white kitty with gray/brown tiger striped spots in our little trap and not another possum or worse (skunk......). we've warned the neighbors that if their dog goes missing to check the trap--he's been having a hay day eating all the treats for the cat!

Shels




Edited 10/18/2005 3:58 pm ET by shels2003
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2004
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 4:14pm


<<>>
Seems like cats are like toddlers who need to come inside from the playground.. :-)

<<>>

I hope so too Shels..

I may have different names for them, but in our house I'm the one always defending them, cleaning up the cat puke, and taking care of them them.
You see..guys can't reveal a soft spot for cats. We've been programmed from an early age. It's just not Norman Rockwell-esque... :-)
It'll be our secret..

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-29-2003
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 4:32pm

I'll have to introduce you to my DH---the official puke handler (plus other dirty messes dogs and cats leave). I'm totally serious. I don't do puke. Canine, feline OR Human........he's handled all the puke except once or twice in 18 yrs of marriage, cats, dogs and kids. He's quite adept at it. He also has litter box duty (that started when I was pregnant and couldn't do the litter---and it stuck) and official doggie mess cleaner upper........WE have a quite elderly female dog that is beginning to have issues in this department ( I know, way more info....) Actually, I'll handle canine or feline messes (even puke) if he's not around, but I guarantee, if it is human puke---I don't deal.

The animals all like him the best at our house, too. Probably because I hug and cuddle the poor creatures like they are babies..........and they will be scarred for life because of it.......but he just lets them be, and if they want attention, then he gives it..

You nice guys are in short supply from what I hear from my single friends. Keep up the good work!

p.s. I won't tell your kitty secret.

Shels

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2004
Tue, 10-18-2005 - 5:04pm

<<>>
ROFL.. It may take me awhile to recover from that one..!

<<>>
Yeah.. I also got litter duty when DW was pregnant, and it stuck for 28 years.
I know all the medical reasons, yet....
Do you think it's possible this pregnancy / litterbox thing was contrived by a group of married, overworked, cat-owning female OGBYN's over cocktails one evening..... :-) ?

I think I like your DH..

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