Critter Control - Part V

I’d be a fool to think Skittles wouldn’t run off because of any affection for me. Up until this point, she had spent two weeks in a very large dog crate and one week in our garage getting use to her new environment, our daily routine of coming and going, and, most importantly, understanding where her food came from. Skittles was a wild cat, after all, and no dummy when it came to survival.

And so, at the start of week 4 of the prescribed taming/acclimation process, I let her out into our yard for the first time. I had no idea what to expect and found this part quite interesting. She darted around the yard, quickly absorbing the new sights and sounds, but never ventured too far from familiar territory (the garage) and intermittently ran back there for protection from perceived danger. After several minutes of this back and forth, in and out, I coaxed her into the garage with treats and shut the door, having had enough excitement for one day.

As the week wore on, we spent more and more time outside until she appeared reasonably comfortable with her new surroundings. With the help of treats, she quickly learned how to use the cat door to access the garage. She could now come and go as she pleased, routinely showing up for meals, naps, relief from inclement weather, and tea time on the garden bench. She was free.

Skittles

That was Skittles, good to go and relatively easy to tame when compared to Snickers. If Skittles was predictable, Snickers was completely unpredictable. Perhaps it had something to do with their age (Snickers came to us at 7 months of age, Skittles at 4 months) or malnutrition before and after birth. Clearly, Snickers was not the sharpest tool in the shed or was she?

Snickers

Snickers’ fears have always outweighed her love of food, so the process of taming her took a whole lot longer. Two weeks in the dog crate for Skittles became three weeks for Snickers. One training session on the cat door for Skittles took several days for Snickers, but then Snickers also figured out how to unlock the cat door. Go figure.

Even now, one minute I can pet her, the next minute I can’t. One minute I can pick her up, the next minute not a chance. Yet she’s the first to come running when she hears my voice and is never far away when I’m in the yard, always just a bit beyond reach. I’m not sure if she’s playing with me or simply has no memory. But, perhaps she’s sharper than the rest of us.

Skittles had several hiss-y fits when Snickers arrived and again when she was released, but a few paw swipes between them soon gave way to playing in the gardens and joint hunting adventures. They seem content here with each other, playing, hunting, or simply hanging out, and my yard appears to be vole free. Hmmm….  maybe it’s time for a third just to be sure. 

Lest you all think I’ve lost my mind, next time we’ll move on with the process of landscape design. Fall is for planting. Enjoy your yard, the cooler temps, and the way the leaves catch the light of the lower, late day sun.

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen'

Some tips for working with feral cats:

• Don’t bring them inside the main part of the house, no matter how cute they are. (I had no choice since my husband is very allergic.) Although tame, Skittles and Snickers are still wild cats and would probably destroy my house.
• Feed them a high quality dry food, using the daily amount suggested by the manufacturer. Feral cats will instinctively hunt regardless of food. Smelly wet food will attract other wild animals.
• Pet them briefly while they are feeding, so they stay use to human touch and can be snagged for monthly Revolution applications. (Video: How to deactivate a cat. Essay: Clipnosis. We use our hands instead of the clip in the video.)
• Avoid moving towards them when they are moving away. You'll quickly learn the meaning of "herding cats". It's impossible so let them come to you, using treats if necessary.
• Use a long stick for play, not your hands or feet.
• Feed them in their cat carriers with the door open for several days prior to a vet visit. Then, just close the door when it's time to go.
• Get them chipped and forgo collars. A collar can get hooked on a branch and trap a cat.
• Make sure you have time for the 4-week+ taming process. Feral cats will run off if they haven’t sufficiently bonded to you, their new surroundings, and, of course, mealtime.
• Refer to the many online feral cat websites. I am no cat expert, just a landscaper looking for a little help with critter control.