Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Susan + 8 on March 28, 2012, 20:49:52 PM
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Does anyone have a drop trap in the North East that I could borrow please?
I have been trapping ferals for years from the colony at the top of my street, and have whittled the group down to just two remaining stubborn toms. The toms will not entertain the normal traps and would rather not eat than venture inside.
Gizmo (one of the toms) turned up this evening with a huge wound from his ear all down the side of his head. His fur has been ripped out and he has angry black gashes all down the side of his face. He looks like he has been in a fight with a fox. Or a car.
I urgently need to trap him before it becomes infected.
Does anyone have a drop trap that I could try please? I am in Newcastle upon Tyne. Or any other suggestions? I have tried just about every bait possible in the automatic traps in the past, but nothing has worked.
Thanks for reading, I'm so upset, I've been feeding Gizmo for years :'(
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Oh no, poor Gizmo :( Really hope somebody can help - I guess it goes without saying you've contacted your local rescues? I know Liz on here is an expert trapper and has recommended a piece of chicken from KFC in the past.
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Thanks Tiggy's Mum. Yes, I've contacted local rescues but they all use the normal automatic traps, which I have two of my own of anyway. I've been trying for the last two years to catch Gizmo and Bagheera, but they absolutely refuse to enter a conventional trap after watching the rest of their colony disappear inside them and never return (a local rescue takes them and gives them a new home in the countryside). I've tried KFC, and just about everything else in the past, but no joy.
I feel sick thinking about him up there now with those horrible wounds. Absolutely sick to my stomach. Poor, poor boy.
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Sue's hubby made hers for her.....do you know a handy person Susan? x
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Susan have you contacted all the CP round about your region?
I've done a fair bit of trapping with my local CP and they mainly use the drop trap, I've only had 1 difficult one and asked for an automatic trap but it was out at the time withe the drop one and I was given the trap with a string to pull shut (which did work) - so presumably our branch has all different types.
If you have no luck have you tried Cat Action Trust (if you have one in your area) as they focus on feral cats.
I've used smelly mackerel and other stinky fish.
Best of luck and well done so far!
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Thanks Janey. I did contact my local CP about a year ago when I was trying to catch a pregnant girl and they only used automatic ones then. I will contact them again and see if they have anything new now.
Although, saying that, major progress this evening! Gizmo, or should that be Houdini, sneaked into the trap this evening (first time he's ever gone near it, so I'm pleased), stole the KFC chicken that was tied to the roof of the trap, and then scarpered! He didn't even trigger the trap! Little sneaky wotsit!
I put the trap inside a large bin bag and then padlocked it to the fence to make sure that no-one could wander off with him. I also put up a poster with details of what I was doing, which seems to have kept nosy people at bay. It seems to have done the trick as this is the closest that I've ever been to trapping him.
I will try again tomorrow with tuna or mackerel - something that I can squish right into the far corner of the trap! I have a rescue place ready and waiting for him, so fingers crossed that I can get him soon.
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:) How did you get on?
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No sign of him this evening. It's not unusual for him to suddenly appear and then go missing for a few days, especially as it's busy tonight with the usual Friday night shenanigans, but I still can't help being worried for him with those nasty wounds. I expect he'll stay away now until at least Sunday :scared:
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Good luck for Sunday!
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any news on this? :hug:
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He's still avoiding the trap but he's looking so much better. I'm not as worried about him as I was. I've been sneaking antibiotics into his food and they seem to have helped him grow a nice big scab - he looks so much better than he did, thank goodness. I'm still setting the trap, and still hopeful that I might get him one day.
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Pleased to hear the wound seems to be healing, still have fingers crossed that he will deposit himself in your trap but at least in the meantime he has food in his tummy and the antibiotics seem to be helping. He has a lovely little face :Luv:
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So ple4ased he is still around and getting better..............lovely looking boy ;D
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pleased he is getting better isnt he gorge!!!
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:Luv: Bless him, so glad his wound is healing. Did you manage to get a get a drop trap Susan?
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He's gorgeous isn't he? :) He's the double of one my own cats Oliver, who I caught with his sister when they were little feral kittens living in the colony. I'm sure he's their father :Luv2:
No Janey, I didn't manage to get a drop trap. Still keen to try one if anyone has one that I could borrow...
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I bet he is Susan! fingers crossed you manage to get that drop trap.
My sister took a cat to be neutered at the weekend with a face wound (just reminded me of your problem) thankfully this cat is friendly but always getting into fights, sorted now though!
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Any news please?
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He's still out there being stubborn :tired: but his face has healed very nicely (thank goodness!). It's no longer urgent :Luv2:. Thank you everyone for your concern and suggestions :thanks:
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Ok thanks, will move this to General section now then. Hope you catch him!