Cats need to be held the night before and at least one night after surgery. There is usually hours to a couple of days time period from the time a cat gets trapped until the time they go in to the vet to be neutered. Once the surgery is done, they will be transported back and depending on which vet does the surgery, they may need a day or two after the surgery to be cared for, in the traps. I will be the first person to admit that this is not easy, but once you get a routine down, it will seem easier.
The MOST IMPORTANT issue in this part of feral cat care is the place where they are to be housed to do this. So, we need people who have temperature controlled rooms, buildings, or areas where you can do that, for now. We do hope to get some dedicated space for this, but that will mean that you will need to go there to do this. This part of the program is still being organized. If you have space, please let us know. If not, but you would be willing to go to another place to take a shift at doing this, also let us know.
Caregiving means that you will take care of the cats, inside the traps by feeding them; stopping food at a certain time and removing it from the trap; keeping the trap clean; and generally watching the cat to make sure all is well. Addie, the Program Administrator, is excellent at this and can share what she does and what to watch out for. I have been learning from her and each time I take her cats, I learn something else. So, for me, it was a ‘learn as you go’ situation.
This is one way of keeping a feral cat trap fed and clean. As you get experienced at doing it, you will find other ways. For instance, Addie does not use a divider, but she is well practiced at doing this.