The gray cat poked its head out from under the building, its attention drawn to the food about five yards away.
It approached warily at first, but the food's appeal outweighed any trepidation the feline might have felt.
As the cat nibbled on the morsel, Jody Jones, program manager with Richmond Animal Care and Control, worried that she hadn't put enough food in the back of a trap to lure it deeper and ultimately spring the trap.
But when the cat went in far enough — Snap! — the trap closed to block its exit and it became one of 20 cats captured Sunday afternoon in Gilpin Court, a public-housing complex in North Richmond.
The cats will be spayed or neutered today at the Richmond SPCA's Smoky's Spay/Neuter Clinic. They will be released Tuesday near Gilpin Court, in a wooded area with shelter and feeding stations.
The SPCA and Richmond Animal Control will return to trap the remaining cats on Sunday.
"It's a great opportunity to demonstrate how trap-neuter-return can work, and work beautifully, with a large number of feral cats," said Robin Starr, CEO of the Richmond SPCA.
A colony of about 75 feral felines was discovered living in the crawlspaces of the Gilpin Court residences. The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority contacted the Richmond SPCA to address the situation humanely.
The trappers used caution Sunday to maintain the safety of the cats. Jones said the volunteers were skilled and trained to capture the feral cats in a safe, humane manner.
The trapped cats panicked when they realized they were unable to escape. Volunteers then draped a towel over the cage.
"They feel more secure in an enclosed, dark space," Jones said. "It calms them and they are less frenetic."
Many residents of the housing complex observed the happenings from their windows or front doors. Children watched intently as the trapped cats were placed in vans for transportation to their two-night stay at the SPCA.
Starr said feral cat colonies occur naturally around large human populations, such as the one found in Gilpin Court.
"It's a symbiotic relationship that develops over time," Starr said. "These cats aren't going to harm anyone.
"It's important that we learn to live with them in a compassionate way."
jslayton@timesdispatch.com
(804) 649-6861
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