When to do when you catch a cat?

Answer 1

When you catch a stray cat, hold the fur firmly at the scruff of the neck above its shoulders. Support him around the belly---cats do not like the feeling of "flying" with nothing under their legs. Bring kitty to a quiet room that has a door. Walk to the opposite side of the room before letting go of it. It will immediately run under the bed or behind furniture--let it be. Leave the room and close the door. Get something to use as a litter box--- even dirt in a shallow cardboard box will do for overnight. Go to the store for a bag of dry food and a couple cans of wet food. At home, find three sturdy bowls. Put cool water in one. Put several teaspoons of wet food in one bowl, and a small handful of dry food in the other bowl. Put these on the floor near the door--you need both hands free. SLOWLY open the door, with one foot/leg in the opening to prevent escape. If kitty is still hiding, keep the door open only a tiny bit and bring each bowl into the room. Put the bowls close to where kitty is hiding. Speak softly, but don't try to get to the cat. The cat will eat when it feels safe--AFTER you leave the room. Let the cat be in a quiet space by itself. Peek in very 3-4 hours, but don't bother her.

Depending on how long it has been on the street, and how afraid it is, it can take days to weeks for the cat to stay out of hiding. Each day, visit the room. Lay on the floor NEAR where it is hiding but do not reach for it. If you have eyeglasses, hold them out so the cat can sniff your scent. Bring a soft blanket with your family's scents on it and leave it for the kitty to inspect. Leave shoes in there---anything that has your body odors on it. Cats communicate via scents--the will "read" your scent and begin to accept you. Use a string, dragging it across the floor to entice kitty to play. Note: Street cats must LEARN HOW to play! Don't be discouraged if the cat still is hiding and not coming around you. Just keep trying. Be patient. And, make sure you feed/water the cat two times every day, morning and evening.