I Feel Sick

**K & L** · 06-29-2004, 11:48 AM

Last Friday Kevin & I spotted a cat we’d never seen before in the park. It is the most pitiful thing I’ve ever seen! Its fur is so matted, the cat’s skinny, and moves very slowly. We want to trap it and get medical attention but we don’t see it on a regular basis, and the other time we have it’s been in a totally different area of the park. When we trap we have the cats eating in one certain area and then set the traps there. We’re not sure even where to put a trap. The park is huge and I’m not sure where to begin. My heart aches for this cat, and I’m in fear it’s going to spread something to the other 35-40 healthy ones. I feel sick!

**kimlovescats** · 06-29-2004, 11:49 AM

Good luck!

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 06-29-2004, 11:57 AM

Poor kitty.

I hope you see him again soon and are able to trap him.

**moosmom** · 06-29-2004, 11:59 AM

I'd set the trap in the area where you've seen her the most with sardines. Cover the bottom of the trap with leaves and stuff, and cover the trap itself with an old blanket or towel so she won't see it's a trap. Dribble a little juice and a small piece or two of sardine in a trail to the trap. Not too much so that she'll fill up. If she's as skinny as you say, she'll go right into the trap and devour the rest of the sardines. (cut a small paper plate into the shape of a piece of pie). Put it (with the sardines on it) in just near the trip to the trap (not all the way back because she may try to grab the fish with her paw. Once you catch her, throw something over the trap, cuz if she's feral, she'll thrash around and act like a crazy cat. Covering it will calm her down.

Good luck and keep us posted.

**K & L** · 06-29-2004, 12:11 PM

Originally posted by moosmom
I'd set the trap in the area where you've seen her the most with sardines. Cover the bottom of the trap with leaves and stuff, and cover the trap itself with an old blanket or towel so she won't see it's a trap. Dribble a little juice and a small piece or two of sardine in a trail to the trap. Not too much so that she'll fill up. If she's as skinny as you say, she'll go right into the trap and devour the rest of the sardines. (cut a small paper plate into the shape of a piece of pie). Put it (with the sardines on it) in just near the trip to the trap (not all the way back because she may try to grab the fish with her paw. Once you catch her, throw something over the trap, cuz if she's feral, she'll thrash around and act like a crazy cat. Covering it will calm her down.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thank you! We've trapped over 100 cats so pretty familiar with the routine, but since we don't see this cat on a regular basis and not in the same areas, I wasn't sure where to begin. I just feel sick over this. This cat is in desperate need of medical attention and I sure hope we can catch it! I just want to cry. I guess the best start would be to put traps in several areas and hope the cat shows. Last night we saw it come from a cornfield way on the other side of where we feed. This is all so stressful.