Dilemma w/Keeping Outdoor Cat Out of Cat Traps

Our 1.5 year old Calico got into a whole world of trouble this past week and we just spent all weekend getting her back. She's a "feral" cat that has gotten used to people and we look after her along with one of our neighbors. She and her litter mates were abandoned by their mother in our neighbor's yard shortly after they were born and our neighbor's raised them.

Our yard became her territory and we've come to share ownership of this "feral" cat. I use quotation marks around feral because she's really become a sweetie pie who comes to get her belly rubbed and sometimes demands to come in when its cold out. She's still an outdoor cat all the way though and Mary and I are both allergic to cats so we couldn't keep her indoors anyway.

It turns out that someone on our block is trapping cats and this week, Mrs. Peterson was trapped and brought to the Humane Society. Mrs. Peterson didn't have a collar on (she does now) and so he thought she was feral and brought her down to the Humane Society. We're going to release our cat outdoors again soon with her new collar and i.d. tag, but we're afraid of the same thing happening again. We're trying to find the guy who trapped her and talk to him, but even if that's all resolved it won't prevent another neighbor from doing the same.

Any ideas on how we could prevent a repeat of this unpleasant weekend?

BTW, here's a picture of an exhausted Mrs. Peterson after she realized that continued protesting to get outside wasn't going to work.
http://www.socialwave.net/gallery/826/si/

Poor Mrs. P!!!

You could get her chipped. That way the humane society will contact you when she's brought in.

Sorry, Im not much help.

Well, technically if she can't be inside, there is much risk that it can happen again. Chipping, collar and notching of the ear (indicates feral cat has already been caught and fixed) could help. But if you chip her, you "own" her, and can be responsible for her if something happens when she's out. Gotta ponder that first.

Im in the same boat myself.
What was the outcome of the situation???

Hi Kathi, fortunately, Mrs Peterson has learned her lesson about straying far from home. She really limits her travels now.

The neighbor who was a problem may have moved too, but I don't think this kind of resolution is anything that will give us any advice to give.

I didn't know you guys were allergic to cats, LOL. I am too, that's why I never touch them. I'm okay around your cat but I have a friend with a cat whose roommate also had a cat, and if I'd so much as step in the door of the house, I would have bad allergies for a week! And they would even try to clean all the cat hair before I came over.

Why are people putting cat traps out? And how did you know she was at the Humane Society?

Cat traps are put out to catch wild cats and have them fixed, generally. If a cat group is doing it (Safe Haven, Town Cats, etc...), they are trying to help with the cat population. Most always, they release them right back where they caught them after they have been fixed unless they are ill: Feline Aids, lukemia, some other serious ailment. These fixed cats are then tattooed so future handlers will know they are fixed. If they catch a collared or chipped cat, they generally release or call the owners.

Now if it is the Humane Society/Animal Control, they had a complaint. If it is a neighbor, same difference. I have known cat owners that trap their neighbors cat because of fighting or spraying or potential disease. They should still call you if the cat is collared and/or chipped. If not collared or chipped, then they do behavioral assessment, then adopt out or destroy. The animal will get no treatment or get fixed until a prospective owner is found. Again the cat groups will get involved if adoption gets difficult. They save hundreds from death. One of the groups even has a feral cat sanctuary for those that can't be adopted. Thank goodness.

Cats should really be kept indoors but if you have an outdoor cat, definitely collar or chip it, if you want it back. License it with the city or you may get in trouble when it gets caught. ($15 license vs $150 fine last time I checked). You should also get shots that protect it from disease. Sounds like a lot but they are worth it.

I really feel bad for those of you that are allergic. I sleep with my cats every night. They own me. This is a picture of when they were angels/kittens: Popeye, Bluto (no tail) and Sweet Pea (Black).

This post has been edited by techvbjoe on Jan 19 2008, 10:51 AM

My cat was caught in a cat trapthis weekend and my neighbor will not get rid of the trap. He hates cats and now my cats are bound to being indoors. They are really upset about being locked in the house. It also really upsets my allergies having them in the house constantly. What do I do to keep them away from the trap? He has cat nip all over it!