<p>Quopoe, I second everyone who has said get a friend to help. That is your best possible solution and someone who is comfortable handling cats should be able to resolve this in short order.</p>
<p>Thanks all for the advice. I wished I were not afraid of cats, but alas, we all have something we fear, and cats/mice are my mountains to tackle. I have not seen the kitty today, but it’s still early. He has been hanging around for a while next door, but has very recently started getting closer and closer to our front door. I don’t think it’s a girl cat. Like I said, he’s been around for a while, and no signs of kittens in this time. When I first saw him he was nice and big, which is why I think his owners have moved on. He is leaner now. I think he may be living off of the fat of the land, as the squirrel population is not as active as it once was around our house. Although, I have not seen any evidence, my Mom saw him with one a couple of weeks ago. She does not mind him being around the house, (we all know not to feed him or we will never be rid of him). </p>
<p>Like I said before, animal/humane society won’t come out for 1 cat. I would not have a friend catch him without a cage or something to put him in, and most of my friends are not friends of cats. :(</p>
<p>Animal control is not the same as the humane society. Perhaps this organization could help you:<br>
Feral Cat Friends Inc., Garner, NC 27529 Phone: (919) 662-5365</p>
<p>Your local feed store (unless you live in a big city) may rent a havahart trap, which would allow you to ask a friend to help.</p>
<p>I also wonder if perhaps Craigslist would turn up someone who would be willing to come and capture the cat in exchange for a $20 bill.</p>
<p>Sorry to invade the Parent Forum again, but I work at a no-kill animal shelter and spend 8 hours a day working with cats, most of which have been abandoned or abused.</p>
<p>I agree with what several other people have said. DO NOT call animal control. They will kill the cat. I think you should try to find a no-kill animal shelter in your area. Just ask a friend or neighbor help you trap the cat in a box or cage and take it to the shelter. Even if you don’t have a special cage, just grab a cardboard box and poke some holes in it. My guess is that the animal was abandoned when someone moved, so it probably isn’t mean. </p>
<p>If/when you decide to capture the cat, do not show fear around it. I know that can be very hard, but cats are very good at sensing fear. They will not trust you if they sense that you fear them. If someone else is going to capture the cat, make sure they won’t fear it. </p>
<p>I hope this helps.</p>
<p>Cowtipper, I work for a shelter too! <em>high five</em> Thats where the knowledge of all those icky nasty diseases comes from: 3 bouts of ringworm in 1 year!</p>
<p>To the OP: I have another suggestion. There’s a product called Feliway, and we use it to calm cats down. It releases familiar pheromones or something. If you’re really scared, try spraying some of that around beforehand.</p>