How to Rescue a Feral Cat
Capturing a feral cat, while noble, is not something everyone can do. The act may require lots of patience, and once the animal has been captured, a great deal of care must be taken to maintain the safety of the animal and human involved. Feral cats are often scared of people, which can make rescue difficult and sometimes dangerous. Contact an expert, such as local Animal Control, if the cat appears to be sick or dangerous in any way.
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Things You'll Need
- Live animal trap, one that will not hurt the animal in any way
- Cat food, wet food often works best, or other bait (canned tuna, chicken, etc)
Instructions
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Contact your local animal authority to check for laws regarding the capturing and releasing of nuisance animals.
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Follow all safety information and directions for the live-trap you have purchased. Place the trap in a location you have seen the cat frequent on your property, and try to keep it some-what sheltered from the elements. Place the food in the back of the trap, or as the directions state. If the food is canned, always remove from the can as there are sharp edges left from can openers and 'pop-tops' that can injure the feline.
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Check your trap often. Cats are nocturnal, so checking first thing in the morning is advised. Refill or replace food if necessary.
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Call a vet immediately upon discovering a cat in your trap. Never let the animal loose in your home before a check-up, especially if you have children or other animals in your home. The cat will need to be thoroughly checked out to be sure it is not suffering from any illnesses that could harm you or household pets. Common diseases in feral cats include the almost-always deadly Feline Leukemia. Have the cat scanned for a micro-chip at the vet's office. He may not be feral at all, but scared and separated from his family.
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Contact local Animal Care and Control to let them know you have captured a stray/feral cat. The cat may be lost and her family may have started looking for her.
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Tips & Warnings
Talk to local rescues before you attempt to rescue a feral cat on your own. Rescues often have more resources available to them to do this properly. If you are wanting to adopt the cat into your family, ask if a rescue can help you with the trapping and introduction processes.
Feral cats can carry many diseases, and will often bite or scratch at a human when scared. If your trap has any holes in it where a tooth or claw can reach you, wear leather, or other thick material, gloves that a tooth or claw cannot penetrate. Be advised that you may accidentally capture a wild animal, such as raccoon, opossum, skunk, or rat. Never attempt to release a wild animal on your own. Always contact an expert to handle wild animals. Never attempt to handle an aggressive or sick animal that you do not know. Call Animal Control if you are unsure of the cat's behavior or appearance.
References
Comments
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is there any way to prevent pregnancies in feral cats. I have one who has been in my area for nearly 3 years, she is non-aggressive unless cornered and she brings her kittens to my place when they are old enough to wean. We trap the kittens, but can't trap her, I really do not want to turn her over to animal services for it is certain she would be euthanized and that would break my heart. If there is a way to stop the baby factory I would love to know.
