Trapping Kitties

The last few weeks have been hectic-ville. And as usual, I decided what better time to move house, than right before Christmas when I am at my busiest with work.

After moving into my new teeny, tiny flat, and having been there for no more than an hour, Mr Jack Cat decided to make a bid for freedom as I came in through the door, and hasn't been seen since... and that was over a fortnight ago. Booooo.


Soooo, I've been leaving food out since he's gone, inside his cat box, and every night, something comes and eats it... although they're not too fond of the cat biccies (classic Jack). After a few days, I stuck some white paper on the bottom of the box, to see what sort of foot prints were going in and out. The outcome? Definitely paw prints.

Then I came up with a rather genius idea of sticking some masking tape, sticky side out, to catch some hairs of this hungry creature. Having only seen a black cat around these parts, I was pretty pleased to find tabby hairs stuck to the tape in the morning. It's gotta be Jacky.

Then Mama suggested borrowing a cat trap, so last Tuesday I contacted the lovely, lovely people at the Cat's Protection League. They told me it was more than likely that Jack is close by, rather than trying to head back to the old house, and lent me this scary looking contraption:


Tuesday night I was convinced I'd have my furry friend back by morning, and had quite a sleepless night, waiting to hear the trap door close. By 5am the food was still untouched, so I popped a bowl of meat just inside the entrance to get him in there... by 7am the food had gone.

Wednesday night I sussed out where to put his bowl to set off the trap. At 5.45am the trap went bang, and I leapt out of bed, to find the food gone, the trap door down, but alas, the trap was empty, and I could hear some frantic scrabbling over a fence. Houdini cat?


Thursday night, I didn't put the trap out in case it scared him off, and instead set my alarm for 5am. I figured he came for his food around this time. I opened the kitchen door, put his food just inside, and snuggled up in the dark, underneath my duvet, and kept watch til 7am, when people started going to work. In this time I saw a cat run past the door, but it was too dark to tell whether it was Jack.

Friday night, I put the trap out again with the biggest mountain of food at the end, convinced that this time it would DEFINITELY get him. By morning, all of the food had gone, but the trap door hadn't gone off.

By yesterday I felt like I was losing the plot to say the least, and just left food out in his box last night. By morning, the food all gone, and as usual, tabby hairs stuck to the damp bowl.

So, today I went off out with a big old wooden crate and an old cat flap, and paid Papa a visit in his workshop of wonders (I should have taken a photo of it- seriously, every tool you could ever imagine in there, along with amazing vintage car he's restoring), who did a mighty fine job of installing cat flap in box, as well as gluing lead onto the flap to ensure it shuts properly!

Now the latest trap is installed:


Basically, the cat can go in through the flap, but won't be able to come back out, as Dad fitted a clever catch on it (you can see it at the bottom of the cat flap).

The cat trap contains:

Friday's copy of The Sun on the floor (keep him warm, and entertained innit?!)
One bowl of trout in jelly
One bowl of fishy biccies
A cosy fleece blanket
A catnip banana

On top, I have placed my clothes airer, covered with some old calico, and weighed down with some wood.

Thanks to a free Barclays biro, I have propped the flap open a smidge, and left a welcoming few biscuits to lure him in:


Now, all we've gotta do is all keep our fingers and paws crossed that it is Jack that I'll trap, not some random selection of neighbourhood kitties.

Come on Boom Booms, we want you home in time for cuddles at Christmas!


Will keep you posted on the return of Jacky Boom Booms.

Kitty cat lovings xx