21/08/2024
Not only do I help lost dogs, but I actually got started in lost pet recovery when I lost my own cats through an open door. Over the last two weeks, I got to practice catching one of my own cats again. Between having covid and then not getting any sleep from being at the hospital with my dad after he got covid, I locked Ginger out in my catio and she clawed her way out overnight to freedom. I could only look for her when I came home to shower and walk my dog. It took a week before I could get flyers out to every mailbox in the neighborhood. The next day, a neighbor called to say she had been eating his cat food on his front porch for several nights. He had a trail camera already set up on his porch, because like me, he feeds feral cats so he was able to share pics of Ginger to me. That night, I set up a trap and camera in his yard. Didnt get her on camera for two nights. Then she showed up on his camera again, but did not come near my camera or the trap. I talked to Lovy Myers on Saturday and she advised to set up a feeding station in my yard, away from my feral cat station. I did that Saturday night and she showed up!! Next night I moved my trap to the feeding station and she showed up again but would not go into the trap. My neighbor reported that she came to his feral station too late to get any food. Ginger is my spiciest cat and has hated the trap since I first trapped her 10 years ago. SO I decided I needed to get creative. I put her brother George in my dog kennel and put it outside my bedroom window. Then I covered the cat trap with lots of the deer tongue (weeds) that grow in my yard so it didnt look like a trap. I loaded the trap with food and backed it up to the door of the kennel. Then I covered the inside floor of the trap with more deer tongue. SO I had George's crying and smelly food to attract Ginger into the trap. I went to bed at midnight with my window open and three cameras on the trap set up. She showed up at the trap around 1:30 but would not go in. I checked the cameras in the middle of the night and saw her. Then finally my camera app went off again at 4:43 and she had gone in the trap!! She was finally safe. I ran out to get the trap and brought her inside. Her boy toy Sydney was so happy to see her!. Then I ran out and brought George in from the dog kennel. He was such a good boy! I have attached several pics from the ordeal.
