Injured Feral Cat

[sheddy]

Heres a problem. We have a cat on our patch, possibly ex domestic but now living wild.
A few days ago he was spotted with a severely wounded head. It seems that the Vet will (with financial assistance from the RSPCA) take him, and treat/put down, we just have to bring him in.
Now how do we catch the bugger and drive him to the vets safely without being ripped to pieces/bitten/shat on ?
We do have a cat box, but I fear it will need additional heavy duty reinforcement !
Should add that the wife is behind this....

 

[ufkacbln]

To be quite honest - I admire your sentiments, but this is not going to be a pleasant experience.

Ill of not a cornered feral cat is going to be very difficult to catch.

Seems to me that not only is the treatment fallingto the RSPCA, but they have the expertise, clothing and equipment to catch the cat as well.

Hand it over to them, otherwise see the local Army Surplus store:

 

[wafflycat]

Heres a problem. We have a cat on our patch, possibly ex domestic but now living wild.
A few days ago he was spotted with a severely wounded head. It seems that the Vet will (with financial assistance from the RSPCA) take him, and treat/put down, we just have to bring him in.
Now how do we catch the bugger and drive him to the vets safely without being ripped to pieces/bitten/shat on ?
We do have a cat box, but I fear it will need additional heavy duty reinforcement !
Should add that the wife is behind this....

What you need is the loan of a mink trap (humane trap). You place the trap (with food in it) in a place the cat frequents - preferrably covered over (apart from the entrance obviously) and in a quiet place. Load the trap with food & water - something nice & stinky like tuna often works well - and wait. You *must* check the trap AT LEAST once every 24hrs. Once the animal is caught - take it off to the vet's in the trap. Ask the RSPCA if they have a trap they can let you have for the duration.

I've done this to catch an injured feral and it works.

 

[giant man]

wafflycat's advice is good, if he is that feral, and they do seem to vary of course, then it may be your only choice, bar getting torn to shreds of course. poor thing.

 

[CopperBrompton]

+1

Forget trying to snatch it in some way, a humane trap is the only sensible solution. I'm sure the RSPCA will be able to help, if not try contacting the Cats Protection League or Celia Hammond Animal Trust.

 

[Gromit]

Leave it to the RSPCA they have the equipment to deal with it.

 

[sheddy]

Well astonishly he let us catch him Sunday pm (suggesting that he was once domesticted and not feral at all) box him up and took him to the vets.
I'm hoping that they will put him down as he has no owner

 

[Baggy]

Good news that he let you catch him - and good for you doing it, loads of people would just turn a blind eye. If he's an ex-domestic cat hopefully they might be able to patch him up and find him a new home, poor chap.

 

[Ashtrayhead]

Well done, Sheddy. Good work.

 

[wafflycat]

Well astonishly he let us catch him Sunday pm (suggesting that he was once domesticted and not feral at all) box him up and took him to the vets.
I'm hoping that they will put him down as he has no owner

You're hoping they put him down because he has no owner?

If his injuries are fixable, the RSPCA, Cats Protection or any number of other animal rescue places regularly find such animals new homes. Inded one of my three cats, Marble, is a feral rescue, who has made a fine pet. Francis, one of my others, is one I took in as he was wandering the streets as a kitten, in a poor condition as he'd been abused/neglected.

 

[longers]

I too hope they are able to patch him up and rehome him. It's good that you went to the trouble Sheddy

There's an alley cat comes in my house over winter and gets somewhere warm and a bit of food. It's not in great nick but is well behaved and buggers off when my alarm goes off.

He's the scruffy twin of one of mine and it was only when that one walked in the room that I noticed the cat on the chair opposite was a stranger

 

[sheddy]

Well the vet has just phoned to let us know that he is too far gone and will be put down. I was just worried that he was wandering around and have a slow lingering death.
Thanks for the replies

 

[wafflycat]

Ah well. These things happen. Shame - but you did the humane thing by catching the cat.

 

[fossyant]

Well the vet has just phoned to let us know that he is too far gone and will be put down. I was just worried that he was wandering around and have a slow lingering death.
Thanks for the replies

Shame that, out in Turkey at the moment and there are loads of mangey cats.......our three are lucky...not seen one here with a shiney clean coat of fir

 

[Crackle]

Well done Sheddy, you did the right thing. I found a stray dog last year and caught him after he'd been ignored by everyone. Poor fella eh.