See our site, www.towncats.org and click on spay/neuter info on our homepage where we list all the low cost spay/neuter programs. Make an appointment for spay/neuter with the vet of your choice or who will get you in when you can make it in. Make sure you let them know the total number of feral cats you are looking at trapping as many vets will work with you and let you bring in more. We also list places where you can borrow, buy or rent traps in Santa Clara county too.
When you have your appointment and have your trap(s), be sure to line the bottom inside of the traps with newspaper and cover the traps with towels or sheets to keep the cats calm. Don't feed them the day you are going to trap, usually best to trap the night before you take them to vet, so don't feed them at all that day - leave water out though. For bait, you can use tuna, mackeral, strong fishy canned food by Fancy Feast or Friskies too. Then set the trap where you usually feed them. Make sure all clips are in place so that they cannot escape and that the clips to hold the door open is set properly. When you bought or borrowed the trap, you should have received instructions on how to set the trap, ie which levers go up and get clipped etc. If not, email us and we will try to help to make sure it's set properly.
After you catch the cat(s), leave them in their traps in a quiet place with the trap covered overnight and take to vet in morning. A garage, backyard, on the patio, as long as it's sheltered and you can put newspaper or towels down for the traps to sit on. Do not open the trap, you don't need to feed nor water nor clean the trap, they'll be fine with the bait you set the trap with overnight as usually the vet wants them to fast prior to spay/neuter anyway. There's no limit on the number of the cats you bring in, so see how many traps they can loan you and how many cats you have. I'd bring carriers if you have them along for them to transfer the cats into the carrier to hold them in overnight before you release them in the morning. If you don't have carriers, bring extra towels and ask them to take out the dirty newspaper and line with clean towel for them to recuperate in overnight. Leave them covered and keep in quiet place until morning, then let go back where you found/trapped/feed them and put out lots of food as they'll be hungry!
Good luck, rosi
2004 / 2005
Got allergies but love cats? Already have
a couple of indoor cats and don't really want another but love cats
and want to help them? Have an indoor cat who dislikes other cats
but you still want more? You've come to the right place!!!! You'll
love being the guardian of a couple of feral cats! They are so easy
to care for, independent, not needy (like adorable little Fluffy)!
These guys are smart survivors and once they know you and decide
to trust you, it's a wonderful feeling to be part of their world!
Here's why we're so desperate for good outdoor
type homes right now:
In addition to our shelter which houses 90 residents (cats); we
have also maintained an outdoor enclosure which houses 20 feral
cats built on private property the use of which was donated to us
for the cats since 1998. Well the property's been sold and the buyer
needed the cats gone. We have brought these cats back to our main
location, but this is not a permanent solution for these wonderful
outdoor cats. So we are seeking outdoor type homes for these kitties
where they can live out the rest of their lives in peace. They are
neutered/spayed and healthy. We only place ferals in groups of 2
or more depending on your needs - be it in your garden, as a barn
or ranch cat - as long as you'll feed and water them, have adequate
shelter from predators, cars and the like. You will find that these
cats are very easy to care for and they really appreciate you. In
time, they will trust you and some will become friendlier, letting
you pet them and even pick them up. It just depends what you want,
they let you set the pace - some are happy to just eat and run (literally)...You
do need to hold them in a pen for two months to imprint their new
territory (just like their cousins, lions and tigers in Africa,
cats bond with their territory, so they must imprint)...We can loan
you a pen if you don't have one, it just needs to be in a shaded
area protected from the elements.
If this sounds like something you'd like
to do this year and the rest of your and/or the cats' life, call
or email us today! Thank you!
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