During my son's school camping trip at Doran Beach this weekend, two small feral kittens came into our site looking for food. They were obviously very hungry - I fed them, but they wouldn't come near me. Does anyone know if anyone is monitoring feral cats out there? Is anyone equipped to try to catch them?
Fizz
10-11-2006, 07:29 AM
During my son's school camping trip at Doran Beach this weekend, two small feral kittens came into our site looking for food. They were obviously very hungry - I fed them, but they wouldn't come near me. Does anyone know if anyone is monitoring feral cats out there? Is anyone equipped to try to catch them?
The organization for feral cats is FORGOTTON FELINES OF SONOMA COUNTY. The number is 576-7999. They are a wealth of information dedicated to feral cats.
Fizz
10-14-2006, 01:51 PM
I think I wasn't clear about trapping in my post. FFSC only assists with trapping if one is elderly or ill. That's the policy I've already run into. Their main work is spay/neuter and they do a very good job there. Priorities have changed in the years they've been functioning. As a feral caretaker I know the difficulties cats face and Doran must be a very frightening place to those kits.
Again i think FFSC will give good information and may know of a feral caretaker in the area. It is a place to start. Even if they were caught and brought to the shelter and not tame enough to adopt that death would be kinder than starving to death or worse. FFSC may loan you a trap and will give excellent instructions on the procedure.
Fizz has figured out how to reply online, sorry I rplied directly.
I don't know offhand but will ask around. The problem with catching them and getting them spay/neutered (which Forgotten Felines will do), is that someone must be responsible for their ongoing needs. Let's talk more about this, friends. And I know there's a vet on this list - are you in a position to help with this if we can find someone in the area willing to continue feeding?
Dian
Postscript: Please call Forgotten Felines to see if they know of anyone in that area!
Fizz
10-14-2006, 04:58 PM
FFSC has changed however, they are a wonderful source of information. They may know of a place where the kittens could be relocated. They would know how to approach them and so on. Doesn't hurt to ask the experts. 576-7999
I think I wasn't clear about trapping in my post. FFSC only assists with trapping if one is elderly or ill. That's the policy I've already run into. Their main work is spay/neuter and they do a very good job there. Priorities have changed in the years they've been functioning. As a feral caretaker I know the difficulties cats face and Doran must be a very frightening place to those kits.
Again i think FFSC will give good information and may know of a feral caretaker in the area. It is a place to start. Even if they were caught and brought to the shelter and not tame enough to adopt that death would be kinder than starving to death or worse. FFSC may loan you a trap and will give excellent instructions on the procedure.
Fizz has figured out how to reply online, sorry I rplied directly.
Vet-To-Pet
10-15-2006, 02:53 PM
Hi~
I don't know if I'm "the vet on the list" that you referred to, but I'm willing to try to help out. I have 3 humane cat-sized traps (one is loaned out right now; don't know when I'll get it back) that I can provide right now to try to catch these guys. I live in Sebastopol & the traps are at my house, just south of town (off 116).
What I usually suggest to people who are trying to trap feral cats is to place the traps (not set, just sitting there, "harmless"/disarmed) out where the cats are used to feeding (if there is such a "spot') or where they're commonly sighted, if the area is rather undefined or large. Leave the trap(s) like that for at least a day or two (if you have that kind of time to work with), longer if possible. Feed them near the traps, getting them used to the idea of the traps just being there, as well as associating them with food. Over the course of the next couple of days (again, if time permits), place their food closer & closer to the entrance of the traps, eventually placing the food inside the traps, but rig the traps so that the cat(s) can still enter & eat without the trap closing behind them. After one or two days of being able to enter the traps & eat yummy food without anything happening to frighten them, then it's time to set the traps for real, so that they'll close behind the cats when they enter to eat the next meal. This usually takes at least a week, if done ideally, over the course of several days, since they're usually SO wary of anything different or that smells human/odd. It's the best way that I've found, but if time doesn't allow the luxury of that many days, then do the best you can over fewer days. But simply putting the trap(s) there with food in them & setting them to close/trap right away can sometimes scare them off for good, if anything doesn't run smoothly. That's just my experience/advice, but I've dealt with this situation a lot over the years.
Call me if you're interested in borrowing any traps: 540-2020
Good luck~
Smiles,
Paula Loniak, DVM
I don't know offhand but will ask around. The problem with catching them and getting them spay/neutered (which Forgotten Felines will do), is that someone must be responsible for their ongoing needs. Let's talk more about this, friends. And I know there's a vet on this list - are you in a position to help with this if we can find someone in the area willing to continue feeding?
Dian
Postscript: Please call Forgotten Felines to see if they know of anyone in that area!