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Old June 10th, 2014, 05:21 PM
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Exclamation Help! Resident Feral Tommy!!!

Our resident feral cat Tommy is injured. He's hiding because he feels bad, we tried to catch him and I failed! His cheek is huge! Probably a bite I'm thinking. He ran away to the trees. I[m waiting and hoping for him to come back. He's been around grabbing food and shelter for a while and I want to get him veterinary help. At the same time I want to use this opportunity to neuter him and put a safety collar on him, even if he's feral he has our protection. Any ideas how to trap a VERY feral cat. He's wild and he'll get aggressive when we try to grab him even more now that he's wounded. Ideas are welcome!
I'm visiting my parents and cats in Mexico and as always I get involved in rescues because I can't help it. So I don't think we have humane traps available here so we have to come up with some McGyver kind of options.
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Old June 10th, 2014, 07:07 PM
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I am not sure what part of Mexico you are but there may be an SPCA there that could help. I know that Puerto Vallarta has one and is very helpful when it comes to strays and injured animals.
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Old June 10th, 2014, 07:19 PM
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Aww, poor Tommy!

Might be a lot of work, but could you build a drop-trap like this?: http://www.catinfo.org/?link=buildingadroptrap

Also info here: http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=366

You'd still need some sort of transfer cage to get Tommy out of the drop trap, and since this is the point where most cats tend to escape, make sure you have a way to securely connect it to the drop trap.

Good luck!
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Old June 10th, 2014, 07:56 PM
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I'm 3 hrs away drive from Puerto Vallarta and I'm already looking at the traps design. I'm going to do my best to capture Tommy. With baby Quinn and 10 kitties I'll do my best because I want that wound to be looked at and get him neuter. Soon my dad will install a new fence, one of those 45 degree angle fences and we're going to keep Tommy inside. They have a good backyard with some "cat amenities" so we'll give that a try. If that causes too much stress for Tommy and the crew then he can come and go via garage. But I won't get ahead of myself the first step is to capture him and get that cheek fixed. I haven't even got the chance to look close but it looks very swollen it might be from pus.
I'll let you know. It's getting really stormy here at night but he goes under a bar outside, in a drawer for drinks, etc he's perfectly safe and dry in there now I just have to catch him.
(Tried twice and failed miserably)
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Old June 10th, 2014, 08:19 PM
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I don't have any good suggestions, other than borrowing a trap from the SPCA. I wish you much luck, my son had an injured feral at his house and it didn't take long before he found him dead under his shed. I hope your able to capture him somehow so he'll have a chance, the poor thing needs someone who cares, it would be the first break in life he's ever had. I wish you much luck.
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Old June 10th, 2014, 08:42 PM
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Good luck in catching Tommy and getting him to a vet.
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Old June 10th, 2014, 09:50 PM
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I do care for him a lot. I want to help him. I named him Tommy and tomorrow after the 2 failed attempts of today I am going to do my best to catch him my only choice is to get him.
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Old June 11th, 2014, 12:12 AM
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It's 11:07 PM and worry is kicking in big time. I went out to see if he was there but couldn't see much. Maybe he is and now I just keep asking please Tommy hang in there tonight. I know you're in pain but please hang in there. Tomorrow I'll get you to the vet no matter what. I'm so worried, so mortified. If he hides like that is because he really feels bad, probably has a fever... Oh God...
I just needed to let some steam of worry out. Good night!
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Old June 11th, 2014, 06:40 AM
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All I can say is good luck. We have two live traps and have used them successfully in almost exactly the same situation, a noticeable abscess forming on a feral cat's chin. I say almost because once we trapped him it was evident that cat was not feral at all. So maybe that made it easier for us. If Tommy gets good and hungry maybe he will enter a trap to get something smelling really good. You do have the advantage that he knows you and hopefully will not be frightened by your scent around whatever trap you use. Good luck.
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Old June 11th, 2014, 09:08 AM
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I hope Tommy cooperates today, Koteburo!
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Old June 11th, 2014, 11:14 AM
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Praying that you are able to catch Tommy and get him the medical help he needs. He will be forever grateful to you for your caring.
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Old June 11th, 2014, 01:54 PM
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12:49 PM June 11 and Tommy hasn't showed up. I scared him off yesterday with my clumsiness. I'll keep you updated when he shows up.
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Old June 11th, 2014, 08:13 PM
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Hopefully he's sleeping and will show up later in the day.
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Old June 12th, 2014, 07:10 AM
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Not yet? Well, we have had to re-set traps several times before catching a few of ours. There's still hope.
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Old June 12th, 2014, 11:57 AM
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Keeping the little guy in my prayers!
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Old June 13th, 2014, 09:00 PM
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I fear the worst. I scared him away and he hasn't come back at all. We look around every day OMG he's been our resident feral for a while now. I don't want to lose him. I feel so guilty for my clumsiness I ruined my only chance to help him. I moved the piece of furniture where he was hidding without knowing he was there again and that scared him off
My little Tommy wherever you are please come!
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Old June 14th, 2014, 12:25 PM
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Whatever happens, Koteburo, you did what you could Still praying Tommy comes back!
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Old June 14th, 2014, 04:01 PM
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Keep trying with fresh food in the trap. It took us three days to get Sadie, two to get Lexie. All you can do is try again. Hope he bites.
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Old June 16th, 2014, 01:10 PM
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Thank you
Well nothing from Tommy yet. However the leaving smelly foods have brought us nice surprises like a beautiful Siamese cat heh that was probably having a walk out when he got caught by a storm and came for the food and a small feral black cat, long hair. I think is still a kitten. What I call an "adult kitten" he managed to escape though but if we catch him instead of Tommy we might be able to help him/her too by neutering/spaying.
But no Tommy yet. I've been very sad for our Tommy I had great plans for him besides attending his wound like neutering, giving him his shots and giving him a form of ID
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Old June 16th, 2014, 01:22 PM
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Not fair. How come you got other cats and we got a skunk?
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Old June 17th, 2014, 09:14 AM
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Hahaha! Well aside from the smell they're cute.
Tommy!!! He came for breakfast!! Skinny but hungry! Like a miracle!
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Old June 17th, 2014, 09:53 AM
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Oh, hooray!!! How did his face look?
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Old June 17th, 2014, 10:36 AM
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Yay, Tommy. Now, be a good boy and let yourself be caught.
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Old June 17th, 2014, 08:11 PM
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The swelling went down a lot!
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Old June 17th, 2014, 10:50 PM
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An abscess that drained, maybe? So happy you're seeing him again! Now if he just wanders into the trap!
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Old June 19th, 2014, 02:34 PM
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The trap is no good. So I'm going to have to start from 0. It's too light.
I want him checked even if it looks drained (and I'm so glad for that) and I want him neutered. I need to somehow make a trap that works see if I can catch the small black feral too for spaying as well. But one thing at a time. Tommy.
He comes for breakfast every morning around 7 AM.
I think the attempts of catching him disrupted the very little trust we had built now he doesn't stay at all like before to chill out just eats and leaves.
I have a CAT TO DO LIST:
I have to leave all these guys with their shots up to date.
Trap Tommy and take him to the vet
Order a huge cat tree for the guys here.
Get a hold of the fence guys so they put a 45º angle so the cats won't escape from the backyard.
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