Fixing Feral cats

[Animals4Life]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

I would do the females first if I were you. It only takes 1 male to breed the gals, so even if you neuter 9 out of 10 males you'll still get kittens. Controlling the females first would give you the quickest results. Good luck!

When I did a large trapping on a farm (30+ ferals) I just took whomever I was able to get in the traps until I got them all. I got all of their ears notched so I knew who was done already and besides that, most of them are too smart to get caught again so I feel it is best to trap and go with whomever you catch. I have a humane trap as well if you need to borrow it let me know! I also set up large enclosures in my barn and put all of the kittens in there once they were altered and I was able to tame almost all of them and adopt them out. The rest have made nice semi-feral barn cats.

[Loper (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Inkpen

Nice BIG dude!! Beautiful face..with a few ticks...

Loper..count me in for the trapping an I can help you set up after care cages... I was with the feral cat group here in Calvert....

We can use the big coyote cage to trap a lot of the cats at once.

When can you get apointments at Clinic?

River Rat brought me a bunch of cages yesterday and got me in touch with Lucky Ones in Charlotte Hall and they only do Thursdays (can only trap 5 at the max to bring in at a time). Well Pet does Wed and Fri as their surgery days (Well Pet didn't give me a limit but told me to call SMAWL to help with funding).

I was going to start to trap Wed but both my husband and sister will be unavailable this week. So we'll get an after room ready this weekend with AC to put the after care cages in (right now it is full of saddles) and start trapping next week. A couple of the litters look to be a little young yet, but I know of two mommas and their kittens that look to be over 8 weeks. The after room could also be used to house any kittens we get that are not quite ready to be fixed.

Thanks for the help offer, I'm sure we will need it!

[Loper (Premo)]

couple more pics
only the ones I could see.

[Unbelievable]

Originally Posted by Loper

couple more pics
only the ones I could see.

OMG you do have a few, don't you?! You're so great to care about what happens to them.

[Loper (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Animals4Life

When I did a large trapping on a farm (30+ ferals) I just took whomever I was able to get in the traps until I got them all. I got all of their ears notched so I knew who was done already and besides that, most of them are too smart to get caught again so I feel it is best to trap and go with whomever you catch. I have a humane trap as well if you need to borrow it let me know! I also set up large enclosures in my barn and put all of the kittens in there once they were altered and I was able to tame almost all of them and adopt them out. The rest have made nice semi-feral barn cats.

That's what I'm looking for, whatever we get. Not sure about the ear notching though. How'd that work?

[Inkpen (Premo)]

Vet will cut a portion of the ear tip off so that you have a visual ID of who has been altered adn who is now and needs to.
Standard practice across US for IDing ferals....

[Inkpen (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Loper

That's what I'm looking for, whatever we get. Not sure about the ear notching though. How'd that work?

Check out this artice...
Julie is one awesome vet!!

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/eartipping.html

[Inkpen (Premo)]

Here is my favorite feral cat program...meet Julie at a feral cat conferance years ago and just amazed at what they have done and what they have become!!!

Operation CatNip....

[river rat]

You have got a cat farm not a horse farm.

Go for it girl. Get all the help you can. You could get Well Pet on Wed and Fri and Lucky Ones on Tues and Thurs and be done with it all in a week or two.

Lucky Ones will be open on Tues again in Aug.

Call Smawl and get those vouchers. Oh yea, when you talk to Marion on Thurs. morning don't forget to ask her how much/inlc rabies. Sounds as though you may get out better at Well Pet

You are doing a great thing, ya know. Think of the difference you will make in their lives. Specially the boys. It seems they get beat up and chased off and killed so quickly in these colonies.
How many mature males do you think you have? I bet there is just one.

[Pasofever (Premo)]

I have lots of veri kennels if you need to borrow some...



I dont like the idea of cutting off the tip of the ear but I guess it would mark identification...