It took six months. But it’s done. Let’s start at the beginning.
June – I see a cat in the deep grass beside the road. Set my trap for days.
July – A black cat shows up in my yard at the edge of The West Woods. Set my trap for days.
October – Younger Daughter sees a black cat jump out of our dumpster. Vigilantly monitored to see if it was eating regularly from the dumpster.
December 13 – Older Daughter sees a black cat on the road between her house and Younger Daughter’s house. Then she saw it again that night in the edge of one of the wooded areas. I set my trap for the next two days.
December 16 – Got home from doing a yard sale and spotted the black cat in the field in front of my house. I moved my trap to that area.
December 17 – Trap is set. I watch the cat hunt in two different fields.
December 18 – Trap is set. The cat hunts in the field then disappears into a wooded area.
December 19 – Trap is set. I watch the cat hunting in a field near one of the ponds. Then he suddenly shows up very near my trap. I watch through my binoculars, holding my breath. Then he suddenly turns away and gets into stalking position. At this point, I’m about to lose my mind. For days I have set my trap. I’ve watched this guy show up in various locations, always hunting. How is it that I never have my trap in the field he shows up in?! So I grab a jacket and head that way. I decide I’ll pick up my trap on the way by and try to quietly set it closer to where The Elusive One is now hunting. I manage to get to my trap and pick it up. I walk quickly but as quietly as possible. I’m thinking as I walk – where can I set the trap down? I was trying to decide what direction the very tiny breeze was coming from so that I could send a whiff of canned cat food smell in his direction. Then suddenly, he turned towards me and froze. I froze as well. But it was too late. He tore away from me, running as fast as I’ve ever seen a cat run. I was deflated.
I walked home and set my trap in the field across from my house. Nothing was working. I’d tried two different kinds of the smelliest canned cat food I had. When that didn’t attract him, I’d used tuna. I called Younger Daughter because I knew she was going to the grocery store after work. I need something smellier – I said. She said – How about sardines? Perfect.
As the sun started setting that evening, I added a little dry food to the two different places I was leaving it out. One of those spots was where my trap stayed the biggest part of the time. I hoped The Elusive One would discover that food some night and then come back the next day to the same location and walk into my trap. Late that night, I stepped out my front door and shined a flashlight across the road at the spot where the food was. And Oh My Gosh there he was. Of course, the light immediately scared him and off he ran. Hopefully he had discovered the dry food.
December 20 – Walked over to where I’d seen The Elusive One the night before. And lo and behold, the dry food was gone. Could have been anything that had eaten that food. But I’d seen the cat in that spot the night before. I set my trap – with sardines. By this time I was completely convinced that he did NOT belong to anyone. Too scared. And way too much hunting. Our closest neighbor doesn’t have cats. But I called the next closest neighbor and asked. Nope, no cats – he said. How about your grandparents? (even farther away). Nope. No cats there either. Now it’s just a few days until Christmas. We’d had a very mild November and December. But Christmas weekend was supposed to turn bad weather-wise. I was beginning to feel desperate to get this guy before the ugly weather hit.
Most days, it would be about 2pm when I’d finally see him. But on this day, 2pm came and went. Nothing. 3pm. Nothing. 4pm. Nothing. At four thirty I walked into the kitchen and didn’t even glance out the window. I knew I wasn’t going to see my cat. Today would be a bust. Husband called from the other room – The cat out there somewhere? I automatically said No then glanced out the window, then almost screamed YES!!!!! And he’s RIGHT by the trap!!!! Husband came running in and we stood at that kitchen window, breathless, watching. The cat circled the trap. He tapped it. I actually started shaking. If he started trying to reach in for the food, he’d trip the trap. The noise would scare him to death and he’d never approach that trap again. Another circle. He wanted the sardines. But he couldn’t figure out how to get to them. We held our breath, and I stood there shaking, knowing this could be it, or it could be the end of our chances if he tapped that trap too hard. A third circle around the trap and then he stuck his head in. I literally was no longer breathing AT ALL. He took another step. He was cautious. Please just one more step. And then it was done. The Elusive One stepped one more time towards those sardines and the trap slammed shut. I grabbed a towel, took off out the door, across the road, and into the field. He was beating himself up pretty badly. I threw the towel over the entire trap and everything went still. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would beat out of my chest. Husband raced over and carried the trap (with cat) all the way to my kennel. I set the trap on the floor and started getting a cage ready. I couldn’t believe it. I really really really couldn’t believe it. It was done.
Christmas weekend came and went. Temperatures dropped. Then we headed towards the New Year’s weekend. As with most of the country, our temperatures here plunged to record-breaking lows. We’ve had single digit readings with wind chill numbers between ten and fiften below zero. The Elusive One has been in a cage in my kennel, cozy and warm. I got him (finally) . . . just in time.
Stop back by tomorrow and I’ll tell you how it’s going with The Elusive One. And I’ll tell you his name and how he got it.
SO GLAD YOU GOT HIM BEFORE IT TURNED SO COLD. I FINALLY GOT MY ELUSIVE ONE AFTER 3 YEARS OF TRYING TO CATCH HER, IT IS TO LONG TO TELL HOW,BUT YOU WOULD NEVER BELIEVE WHAT I RIGGED UP TO FINALLY CATCH HER AND I AM SO GLAD I DID, I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THESE FRIGID TEMPS. SHE WAS SO SMART AND STREET WISE, SHE IS DOING GREAT AND SHE LOVES ON ME WHEN I AM IN THE KITCHEN RUBBING AGAINST MY LEGS AND SHE WILL FINALLY LET ME STROKE HER AND I CAUGHT HER this past fall.
Posted by: Madeline | 01/04/2018 at 08:56 AM
you ever wonder if they mess with us on purpose?? glad he is now caught and safe
Posted by: Random Felines | 01/04/2018 at 09:46 AM
Phew!
Posted by: The Poupounette Gang | 01/04/2018 at 10:48 AM
YAY!!!
Posted by: Cat's Cats | 01/04/2018 at 11:18 AM
I never doubted for one moment that you would get him, Chrystal. Well done!!
Posted by: Maria in FL | 01/04/2018 at 02:15 PM
Very exciting, and with a happy ending.
Posted by: John Bellen | 01/04/2018 at 08:41 PM
YAY!!!! So glad you never give up!
Posted by: Andrea and the Celestial Kitties | 01/04/2018 at 11:50 PM