Expert: Dear Tabbi - 10/1/2009

Question
QUESTION: How to get feral and stray cats to use a cat door , I have a shed that I allow cats to go in and out and a feeding station , right now I have an opening at both ends of the shed although many come in the feeding station for the food and I do see some that go into the shed none are there in the morning , I also have alot of wildlife like racoons and skunks that come around, having both ends open just anything can come in,I want the strays and ferals to use the shed as their home and of corse I do the TNR every chance I get , so if I close the cat doors which are plastic and see though would they even try to explore it to use it, there are a few that I have not been able to catch yet

ANSWER: Chris,

That is a nice feeding station! And that is nice of you to have a shed for them, but you don't say what is in your shed. Is it open (nothing in it) or do you have a lot of hiding places and/or cat beds? You mention closing the cat doors...is there another opening for them to get in and out of? Ferals will go where they feel safe and comfortable, usually back to their colony. Also, they may hear you coming and be gone in an instant and you wouldn't know (probably) if they were in there or not. Also, with other wildlife going into the shed they may not feel safe enclosed with them in a small area, especially if any of the wildlife see cats or kittens as prey.  

The wily cats are the MOST frustrating to catch! I would suggest using a drop trap. The trappers that help me use those in extreme cases and have been successful. We finally got one male that had string around his neck slowly cutting his head off that way. Nothing else worked! I am attaching some links that may be helpful, especially a couple of videos on drop cat use that are very good:
(copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar)

Videos:
http://droptrapdesign.blogspot.com/2005/10/demo-tape-available-vhs.html
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jennknott

Building a drop trap:
http://www.catinfo.org/Remotecontrol-droptrap.htm

http://www.catinfo.org/buildingadroptrap.htm
(portable drop trap)

http://droptrapdesign.blogspot.com/2005/10/build-your-own.html

Article on hard to catch ferals:
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_HARD_TO_CATCH_CATS

I have found that there are some cats who will NOT eat fish! It doesn't interest them. Kentucky Fried Chicken works well, as does just using dry food (if that is what they are used to) after withholding food for a day.

I hope this is helpful.

Tabbi






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QUESTION: I have almost the entire shed covered in stray with containers both on the floor and a bench that has 2 levals, and a cushion on a ledge of the window I put in, and I insulated it to , its a nice house for a coloney, just havent had any take up residence in there, the cat doors are see through so they can see inside so I wonder would they figure out how to get in and out of them have 1 at each side , or will they see the plastic door as not being able to get in and they are locked out, the one that has gone in there knows the shed and where the heating pads are there to , this evening there was a skunk that went through the shed and also and opposume to , I cant catch any of the kitties to show them how the door works either , its just now got to the point where it reconizes me but will still run, kinda on watch patrol chasing the skunk and opposumes and racoons away from the cat food ,  but I cant do that every night, I do leave food out during the day but seems no cats come around, I did have the last stray cat in the shed  a few times but not for long,and I did close the cat doors but she panic when I did that and seems when I tried to teach her how to use the cat doors she was afraid of being traped in there, so I dont think If did close the cat doors even though they are see through that the cats could learn on their own how to use it. I did end up bring her in, she was definatly a stray and not feral  took her to the vet and she had 7 kittens got them and her all the vet care and new homes,seems the other strays and ferals have other sheds and places to stay, its frustrating cuz I set that up for them and its so much nicer than where ever they are hiding,maybe put a brighter light in there?  and know there are a few I saw last night that are pregnat, its getting very cold here now and I am worried about them all , it get bitter cold here in Michigan , I also have a space heater I can put in there for them, winter there is tons of straw and summr carpeting and blankets have lots of pics you can see here at http://community.webshots.com/album/574868393CcoKHK?vhost=community

ANSWER: Chris,

Those pictures are great! What lucky cats! Maybe you can move their only food source inside the shed and that way they have to go inside to eat.

I emailed some trapper friends about their thoughts on the issue and here are the replies I received from different people:

"I have only seen one shed in use for ferals. It is a huge 12 x 12 tough shed one would use for storage in the backyard. There are windows (screens taken out) on each side of the shed where the cats jump thru the window onto the top platform of cat trees. There are vent openings on each of the three walls of the shed about four inches above the floor with no screen coverings. Just like the vents we have in our garages. The feral cats seem to use this structure year round unless it is super hot inside the shed in the summer.  I don’t know why the shed in the pictures is not being used. Perhaps the structure where they enter through the front of the shed is too restrictive " Mary

"I think the number of entry/exits is the key to using the structure. Unless the wild animals spray and/or defecate inside the structure or there is competition for food, I would think the cats would go inside for protection from the elements." Mary

"In my experience, for cats, safety always will rule--however, warmth could equal safe. Most will seek shelter.  For some reason they don't feel safe." Kay

"That's a beautiful shed, and it shows how much she cares.   My only thought is that if she has those night animals, they could be getting in through the low cat door holes..   More information about that part would be good.  If the night animals are not getting in, maybe she could put some trap-type, really good and smelly, food in there to make the cats want to come in." Sue

I hope this is helpful. Keep me posted on how the cats are doing regarding the shed.

Tabbi


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QUESTION: could be right about not feeling safe the opening are only about 2" from the ground,  and they do have the clear plastic doors that swing I just have them kept open I have seen racoons, skunks and opposumes go in and come out, there is compition for the food as the wild animals ones want to eat it all before the cats get it to eat , I could try to raise the door alittle bit higher not sure if they would look if I put it higher though  the one in that pic I do see go in there , that one limps so dont know that it would jump up there  and its used to the opening at the other door, the opening is the size of the small cat door , if I raise them to much then more cold gets in there and it wont be warm place for them with the wind and cold blowing through , didnt want to put any food in there because it would surly draw the other racoons and other animals in , and no animals have gone to the bathroom in there escept for in the cat litter box , I did have something spray in there maybe another cat, he went on one of the heated pads in there but thats out of there now , when I did catch that one stray I had her in there with me and had some food but she seemed more concerned about getting out but could have been because she had her kittens in a shed a few doors down from me , that entrence was a hole under the door and the only opening to here is another pic she just came out and you can tell how far off the ground it is, I will try to raise them higher , thought about just one opening but if an wild animal got in that could get ugly, dont want that , plus I do go out there every day and evening Id say maybe if they had to jump up into the openings they'd have to have a good aim , its gonna take some doing but maybe I will try alittle bit higher  and maybe wider to but if I put it up to high then she might see that as blocked off to , and will let in alot of cold air to, I will take off the cat doors and just make openings in stead , need a night vision camera in there so I can see whats going on I added some more pictures to the album of the changes I made and what their view would be to them  not sure if they would look for the opening thats now higher or not , not sure if they would notice the night light to see the opening or not, but it will be alot colder in there with these opening that big though so I dont know, tell me what ya think please, you can call me crazy but I want this to work out for them so so bad http://community.webshots.com/album/574868393CcoKHK?vhost=community

Answer
Chris,

Here is another comment I received today:

Higher doors would help resolve the skunk issue, but won't do much for the other animals.  Skunks and cats usually get along as long as there is enough food---not so with raccoons---more aggressive.  Bigger openings might make them feel like it was easier to get in and OUT.  hard to tell.  Maybe if she left food outside on for the other animals and put some good smelly cat food inside and UP off the floor---it might attract them in.  As we all know---cats are funny, they do what they want.  Multp exits might also help."

I guess the only thing you can do is try and see what works. Bright lights are bad though. Ferals like the dark, it makes them feel safer.

Tabbi