Trapping, Altering, and Releasing Clinton

Clinton

Clinton is a cat who came from the Sandra's feeding station.  I now mostly see him at the park.  He is a mild Tomcat who has had a bad respiratory infection since I have known him.  I suspect he may be sicker than that.  On Thursday when I went to try and trap Wanda and failed again, I decided it was a good time to get Clinton.  If he is sick I do not want him fighting with the other males at the park, and I also wanted to get him some relief if I could.

He was so easy to trap.  In fact, he kept setting the trap off by rubbing on it lovingly before he even got in it. I basically had to give him a push in there.  He continued eating his treat/bait and then realized what had happened.  He wasn't happy. 

He was so heavy when I picked up the trap, I couldn't believe it.  It was a long, staggered walk to the car for me.

Clinton in the trap in the back of my car, he's not happy

I took him in on Thursday and picked him up on Friday.  The vet gave him a very expensive long lasting antibiotic that appears to have helped him a lot.  His breathing is not nearly so rough and wet.  Also, he had been drooling a lot, and the vet found something lodged in his teeth which she removed.  He is not drooling anymore.  It was probably a fish bone, because a fisherman puts out fresh fish for the cats at Sandra's, and I still see him there on occasion. 

Loaded up to go to the vets with two cats, Clinton is in back

Starlight had to go in, too

 At the vets

The vet also said he was huge.  She said he weighed over 9 kilos.  Well, no wonder I could barely pick him up.  The traps are quite heavy just by themselves. 

When I released him the first thing he did was get his bearings.  Then he headed straight to the hill to take a very, very long peepee.  I felt so sorry for him that he had been holding it.  He never sprayed once in the trap or in my car.  He was the most respectful male cat I have ever trapped. 

Clinton on the hill just before I released him. That's Strike coming to take a look at the food I brought.

 

 

Clinton gets his bearings

 

Clinton had to peepee really bad.  So he did that for a long time :(  Poor guy.

Then he sauntered back over...

and had a snack

 

then he went and made biscuits like he always does after he eats :)

 

He stayed nearby and ate a meal of soft food I brought with me while the others around joined in for a bite, too: Strike,  Greyboy, Blabby, Topper, and Sose were there.

It was starting to get dark

It was time to say goodbye for the night.  

Greyboy walked me to my car.

Greyboy

When I saw Clinton the next day, he was looking and sounding much better than before I trapped him.

I hope this will take some stress off him, and he will be able to live a long life there at the park.  Godspeed, Clinton.  Thank you. 

Thanks, Clinton.  I love you.