Cat finder

Nightrider7731

Our (actually my daughter's) indoor cat has been AWOL for about 4 weeks now.· However, we have had numerous sightings of a cat matching the description in a development on the other side of a huge utility field (hi-volt towers) from our development.· While looking, we've seen·a cat with similiar markings in the field, so we're just not sure if the sightings are this cat or ours.· Another time we got a call of a sighting around 11PM and went to check it out only to see the cat run off into the dark because of a fox.· We are still not sure if the cat is ours or not.· The local feline rescue organization has suggested setting up a feeding station where the cat has been seen for a week·or so·before setting a live-animal trap to catch it.· Since stray cats typically come out after dusk when they feel safe, the rescue group suggested parking nearby the feeding station for a few days·in a row a waiting for a few·hours to visually confirm if the cat is ours or not.· If it's not our cat, then we can give up and my daughter can move on and I can stop searching.· If it is her cat, then we can continue this routine nutil we trap her.· I did this Wednesday·night (for my daughter's sake since I'm a dog person) and for a guy who is usually up until 2AM each night, I had a heck of a time staying awake in the dark from 9-11:30.· To solve my problem, I broke at my BS2 and the parts bin.· I used a R.S. IR transmitter/receiver and wired them in a couple PVC tubes on either side of the feeding station with a 20' lead running to my jeep.· Inside the jeep I have wired the IR leads to the breadboard and have the BS2 outputting a signal to a headset when the IR line has been broken.· So·Thursday night·I just cranked the seat back, put on the headphones and went to sleep.· I had two hits at the feeding station, but they were from the cat of the house I was parked in front of, so I just went back to sleep.· I had my watch alarm·set for 1:30, so I woke up and went home when it went off.· I will probably camp out again tonight since when I was·turing out of·the development at 1:30, my headlights caught a cat under a car across the street that looked just like ours.· Unfortunately it ran off when I backed up to look again.· Anyway, cat sighting or not, I still got about 3-4 hours more sleep than I usually get, so it was a win-win situation.· I will probably lengthen the leads tonight so I can park further away and have the stereo playing low without scaring anything away.· Maybe after a few nights of this I will finally get caught up on the sleep I've been missing, and maybe even get my daughter's cat back!

SK8 4 U

Sounds like a 'purrrfect' solution to me!!!

Hope you find your prodigal kitty!

All the best,

Joe

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Cats are the creator's method of demonstrating to mankind that man is not the supreme being.

PJMonty

Nightrider,

If you do set out a non-lethal trap to try and catch your cat, may I suggest the following from years of experience doing this:

1: For the first three or so days, set up the trap so it cannot close under any circumstance. You'll need to use some strong wire to secure the door so it will stay open. The reason for this is to allow the cats to become familiar and comfortable with the trap. Many cats will approach such a thing warily, even if they are hungry and it has food inside. Some of the smart and tough cats will approach gingerly enough that even when the door trips, they will have just enough of their bodies outside the carrier to be able to escape. Remember, you only have one shot at doing this. If the door closes and a cat manages to get out, they will never come back to the trap again.

2: I find that a piece of light cardboard across the floor of the trap will provide a surface that is more comfortable to the cats. The bare metal of the traps is something a lot of cats don't like, whereas cardboard feels okay to them.

3: If you trap any cats that aren't yours and which have no tags, PLEASE bring them to the local shelter or car rescue and arrange a low cost spay/neuter for them. If you are going to go to the trouble of setting the trap and catch the wrong cat, the least you can do is help reduce the population of unwanted feral cats. Most cat rescue groups will have a local vet who will do spay/neuter at a greatly reduced price when they know it is for a "trap and release."

Thanks, PeterM

Nightrider7731

I've been working with·a local rescue group on the feeding/trapping situation.· Unfortunately the tuxedo cat that people had been seeing and thought was ours was not.· I had set the feeding station and sensors up in the yard where·the cat·has been seen and had just got back to my jeep when I saw the sensor had been tripped.· I though maybe I had broken the IR beam when I set it up, but when I looked back, there was the other cat.· The markings where similiar on most of the body, but not the face.· Since we are now on week 5 with no reliable leads, we figure either someone is keeping the cat, or one of the several foxes in the area got her.· If I can find a cheap BS1, I may go ahead and weather proof the sensor rig and give it to the rescue group.· Either that or I may just swap out the BS2 with some other cheaper hardware so the rescue group can get some shut-eye when they are staking out a cat.

MacGeek117

Think of the possibilities of this alarm! You should patent this thing!
bugg

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Boe-bot: $229


Toddler: $249

Learning Google is your friend: priceless

Paul Baker

Speaking from an insiders viewpoint, its likely it would be rejected, and a patent on it would be only slightly lucritive. 90% of patents granted generate no money for the applicant, and cost them $425 upfront (for small entity) and $1000 at the time of allowance. This assumes that you get it right the first go around and don't need to file for continuation ($395 each time), plus there are misc fees that can be dificult to avoid (like responding to a correspondece from the office after 3 months of its mailing date). And don't forget lawyer fees (going rate for an IP lawyer is $125/hr). And your talking about a major investment for no gaurenteed payoff. If the rights are assigned to a company employing more than 5 people then all the fees are doubled.

Im not trying to discourage applying, I have several inventions in various states of completion I will file for when I am eligible to (I may not file until 1 year after termination of employement with the office), it just costs alot more than most people anticipate (I'll be representing myself since I understand the process and IP law statutes, which will save me all the lawyer fees. Ill still need to hire one if I ever have to appeal, since I haven't passed the bar (and don't intend to)).

After reading this back over, I feel this is too off topic for the thread, I will remove this post tomorrow morning.

Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 5/5/2005 3:10:58 AM GMT

StarMan

Paul,

You may be off topic a little but you have still brought up a topic of interest.· Perhaps another thread is in order.

BTW, in my neck of the woods (southern California), a cheap lawyer is around $275/hour.· I got a quote once for $600/hour.· And the guy held a straight face.



Chris Isaacson

SK8 4 U

Hi Paul...

My wife works in the legal profession, and specializes in family and adoption law...let me tell you what, when I found out what someone has to fork out for an international adoption, I about fell over. I went into the wrong profession!

All the best,

Joe

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Cats are the creator's method of demonstrating to mankind that man is not the supreme being.

MacGeek117

Nightrider7731, could you please post a schematic for the project?
bugg

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Boe-bot: $229


Toddler: $249

Learning Google is your friend: priceless