Back in May last year, I posted about my sister in SE20 who is trying to trap some feral cats who live near her house.
She is soldiering on in her mission, but we are all worried about one particular black cat, known in the neighbourhood as Chunky (for obvious reasons). The poor boy needs a vet but, unfortunately, he is so strong and aggressive that he has proven difficult to catch. One local lady did manage to succeed and was actually on her way to the vet with him when the big sod broke out of the carrier and escaped.
My sister has seen Chunky once in her garden, and the rescue have advised her to leave food regularly and to try to establish a routine of him returning regularly before setting a trap for him. It sounds as if he’s the sort of cat who won’t be trapped if humans are around, so my sister will be relying on one of those self-activated traps that the rescue have agreed to lend. I have only ever seen them used in cartoons so I have no idea how they work but, given Chunky’s track record, I think it could be a challenge.
Let’s hope not only that Chunky will like Louis Catorze’s rejected Canagan, but that he will like it enough to take his eye off the ball and allow himself to be trapped. And, if anyone has any ideas for trapping a cat as big as a Sasquatch and twice as elusive, please let me know.
I have a photo of Chunky but it’s too upsetting to post, so, instead, here is Catorze willing his large, black comrade to do the right thing:
jesuisleroisoleil 
I have a cat trap she can have
Just needs to be posted
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That’s so kind of you, thank you! The rescue have lent one but Chunky has been cleverly evading all traps so far. 😱😱😱
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I do hope Chunky’s story will end well soon.
Who knows? If the poor one is stocky, perhaps his or her feral cat’s life suits him or her all the same.
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It doesn’t sound as if he’s the sort to be domesticated, but we’re hoping he can at least be neutered and have his poor face fixed. He has a very swollen cheek. 😢😢😢
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Good luck to your sister. Some cats are just too smart and too strong to be caught. I have one living with me named Floki who can read minds and disappears whenever we think about putting medicine in his ears.
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Ha! When they don’t want to be caught, they just won’t be! 🤣🤣🤣
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Nope. 🙂
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I feel exactly like Sa Maj looks in the picture: cold 🙂 I hope Chunky gets helped very soon and has a happy and healthy life.
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Thank you! He’s like a wanted criminal on the run … 😱😱😱
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Then, let’s hope he gets caught quickly.
[ and sorry for writing « his or her » and « him or her » although you had written « the poor boy ». ]
😺
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We’ve assumed he’s a boy from his enormous size! Mind you, Catorze is a boy and he’s minuscule so I guess you never know!
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I regularly set such traps for strays of all kinds, including ceux qui sont plûtot costeau. Yes they fit inside, and no the cat cannot get out. They are completely humane and are a cause of minor feline inconvenience. However, I would recommend welding gauntlets at the vet.
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Chunky is like Houdini … 😱
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There are such things as drop traps, which are like nets suspended over where the food is. I think a human has to activate the drop. but they can be well-hidden at the time. If his face is swollen he probably has an abcsess from a fight with another cat. We hope yoiur ssiter and sthe rescue can trap him and get himmthe help (and neutering) he needs .
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Ah, because Chunky doesn’t have predictable comings and goings, we’d need a trap that doesn’t require a human …
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Bonne chance! It took me 7 YEARS to trap a feral! I finally caught Miss Fertile by not feeding her (and the neighbors agreeing to same) for 3 days and putting out a dish of the smelliest fish (canned mackarel 🤮 ) It may seem heartless but he won’t be tempted to enter the trap unless he’s ravenous. I assauged my guilt by reminding myself that it was for her good and the vet informed me that she was beginning to go into heat again! She was having litters 3x a year!
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Ooh, well done. I wonder how many neighbours are feeding Chunky?
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I hate to think about what Chunky is going through. I hope he can get to the vet soon. Trying to capture a cat that doesn’t want to get caught is a feat in itself, never mind one that can break out of a carrier 😦 Maybe he’d appreciate something soft to lie on, along with the food?
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Just getting him into a regular food routine has proven tricky … 😬
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Ugh– he probably senses something is up. I really hope it works out soon.
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Oh, he senses it all right! He’s probably become so chunky because he’s too darned clever!
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