I did drop off Sundance at the vet and not long after, they called to tell me that he had tested positive for FeLV and FIV. So we stamped his Bridge Pass. A few days later, another orange stray showed up in the exact same place that Sundance first appeared.

I tried to get close to him, but if I thought that Sundance was skittish, this boy was ten times worse. Just one move toward him and he vanished for about 5 days.

I ended up just setting the trap into the bushes . During the day, I left it open and ready, but at night, because of the fear of trapping a coon, skunk or possum, I would prop the door open so it wouldn’t spring.  I kept checking it using my binoculars, but it stayed empty.

About a week later, I decided that perhaps he was just looking for his brother, and he wouldn’t be back. I was involved in a new project in one of my cat enclosures. It was nearing noon, and I was ready to go in the house and call it a day. I decided to go ahead and take one more look at the trap- and lo-and behold there he was trapped!

I was so happy to finally capture him. Watching him from a distance, I could tell something was really off about him. I grabbed a dark towel and hustled to the trap.

When he saw me coming, he went ballistic, ramming himself repeatedly over and over against the wire. I quickly covered him and waited for him to calm down. I knew that the vet wouldn’t be very pleased to have me drop him off so close to closing time, but I called anyway. They told me to bring him down.

I picked up the carrier and to my surprise the door wasn’t firmly latched! I had put a stout piece of cardboard inside the trap before the trigger plate. I think when he initially went inside, his back feet scooted the cardboard forward and it jammed under the door. He was sticking his paw out of the opening, and when I went to pull the door open a bit and slide the cardboard out- he nailed me. He tried to put his head under the door, desperate to escape.

I was not going to let that happen, so I tilted the trap quickly backward and he slid to the back of the trap. Before he could figure out how to show up and fight again, I slid the cardboard out and slammed the door shut.

Carrying him to the truck, became quite the ordeal. He was running back in forth in the trap and it was so off balance for me to hang on to. He was a HUGE cat- and heavy. I was out of breath when I got to the truck. I slid him in and braced both the sides against some containers, so he couldn’t get out even if he wanted to,..

It was another hot day. I was worried he was overheating, so because he was braced securely, I removed the cloth and was able to get a good look at him. Although his eyes did not show any cloudiness to them, I got a sense he was blind? His pupils were darting right and left and he appeared to not be able to see me? He was so scared. I just sat there and talked him down until he stopped open mouth panting. Then we went to the vet and I dropped him off.

I named him Elusive, because he certainly was that. He sure gave me a run for my money. I was still out of breath after I got to the vet.

Just like the other orange boy, he too tested positive and we put him down. I was sad to lose two golden boys within weeks of each other, but they are no longer suffering AND no longer making babies that are probably infected as well.

I hope this is the end of the strays around here. I had the place pretty cleaned out with trapping, neutering and releasing all the feral cats last year. Not sure where these boys came from, but I know where they are now- they are much better off than before.