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One thing about traps — and if you’re doing cat rescue you probably already know this, but there are a lot of other people reading this thread who need to know it — do NOT leave a trap unattended, or you are apt to retrieve a dead cat. Once trapped, they MUST be retrieved right away! They cannot tolerate being trapped for any appreciable period of time (i.e., more than an hour or two at most is all I’d go).

If anyone is setting a trap, it’s important to stick around, rather than set it out with the plan of coming back the next day, or even later on that same day. Cats are very rugged critters, but this is one thing they just don’t handle very well.

Wow. I went on Easter and bought a taller ladder. I used my bigger dependable trap. I got help putting the ladder up (it was only about 22 feet high) and I rigged up this contraption with wood, rope and tied the trap (on the slanted barrel tile roof) to the ladder and tree until it was TIGHT. I set the trap, and the cat wouldn't go near it. So, after another few hours, I tied the trap open for the night with tons of food and water inside.
Last night (4th night). Back there are 6pm. I went up the ladder and she had went in the trap and ate some of the food. So, I set it up again with tuna and waited till about 8. SHe came out. Wanted nothing to do with the food or trap. Then I'm talking to some neighbors and what comes aruond the corner? A fire Truck! My friend said it was her neighbors boyfriend. I said ..'he picks her up in a fire truck???'. They pulled this humungous truck over by me and opened the door. I was the first to speak, and said 'do you feel like rescuing a cat?' They said YES. This girl and I were shocked!! That's why they came...someone called in anonymously! And they came!! The police had told us they do not do that. The fireguys said they do. SO.....they saw the cat and lowered the ladder on the roof with my pet taxi in hand and went to grab the cat. BUT...the cat ran so fast into it's unknown hiding spot that after 20 minutes they gave up....nobody could find it. Meanwhile my contraption was still up on it's angle set ready with tuna.
So the fantastic Fire guys left. IT was so great to see that....makes you feel good.
After they left, all the neighbors were disgusted with this cat (6.5 days now) and said the h@ll with it and everyone went inside (it's about 9:15 now) except me of course and an iraqi vet who was talking with me and helping me all along these 4 days. Nice guy with a new 4 month old baby. Anyway.....after 15 more minutes, he went inside and told me to knock if I need more help. I waited alone for another 10 minutes and out came the cat. Totally quiet and dark...I could barely see this black cat heading towards my trap. I looked and looked and finally I heard the door snap shut! I still wasn't sure if I caught it but I literally ran up that ladder and saw that cat in there and I almost cried! So, I knocked on the Iraqi vets door and asked for his help with my ladder....and the rest of the neighbors came out and gave me a donation of $35.00. IT was a great night. A few of us are sending letters to the WPB fire dept!!!