Sabi is an extremely smart cat. The professor said that she used to have a very good relationship with her that Sabi would go near her and let her pat. That changed when the professor tried to use a net to catch her. The mistrust in Sabi grew stronger and stronger over the years as the professor sent more and more students in aid of capturing her.
I was one of them. I believe in the management of animals that God has entrusted this earth to us. It is our job to take good care of it. Similarly, the cats have chose to come to live on this campus with us. I have to make sure that they are properly managed because our territories intersect.
According to the professor, Sabi has given to more birth to more than 10 kittens so far. 4 of which were born in the janitor's storage, for which they weren't so happy about. Before that some of her kittens fell into the drainage, they ended up calling the firetruck to rescue the kittens.
Over the course of 6 some odd months, I have tried all possible traps. The standard vet cage, box drop trap, drugs, and dog hoop, all have failed miserably. For the standard vet cage, because Sabi saw the whole thing when I captured her son, Chibi-kuro. She was smart enough to know the cage was a no no. A while later, I made a second trap, a box trap with manual trigger, but the 1st year triggered the trap maybe prematurely, the box hit Sabi on the butt and she ran away. She learned that the box was also dangerous.
Despite all that, whenever she sees me, she'd follow me closely, expecting food. On Sunday night, I started braiding a rope from 3 strands of carboard packaging ropes. I lead her to the location where I have hidden the snare underneath the leaves. When she was eating, I slowly knelt down at a distance and grabbed the stick. Much to my surprise, when I yanked the stick to restract the loop, Sabi lept into the air as high as 1.3 meters. The loop missed. Lucky for me, it happened so fast, she did not notice the snare. That night, I gave her food, but she had great doubts in me. She hit the food with her paws several times before feeling comfortable to eat it.
On Wednesday, I was very out of it. I was very disappointed with the results so far. I knew she trusted me and relied on me for the food, but for reason she could not understand, I had to do all these mean things to her. I betrayed Sabi's trust and this trust I can never get back. On the other hand, I have failed my mission. (even though it was never my duty as a grad student)
That day afternoon, I had two pieces of ropes on my hand, attempting to make one last run at Sabi. At 3pm, 3 hours before the feeding time, I walked to the spot and to measure up and ponder how I can set the snare. I wasn't even expecting to catch her. All I wanted was to make one last effort and report back to the professors that I have failed just like the other students.
As I was crouching near the tree under the stairs of the library, measuring up the branches, Sabi strolled by and stared at me. At first I panicked that she saw my trap, but then again, she didn't really know about what I do. I tossed her one end of the rope, she looked at it.. and sniffed it. She must've thought I was playing with her. I tossed the rope to her a couple more times until she has no reaction to it at all. Then I made a snare and placed it on floor hanging from the tree.
I went back to the lab to get food and a blanket. Most of the students have gone back home for the semester break so I chose to act alone. I prayed, "This is out of my ability God. If I succeed this time, I won't take the glory from you. Just like this cat, I have ran away from you, but I hope you can catch me, just like I will catch her"
When I have returned, she was not there anymore. Then I heard some people talking about a cat. I walked to their direction and saw Sabi walking on the road. The other people were surprised that Sabi began to follow me as soon as she saw me. I placed the food just next to the loop and waited. She walked through the loop to reach the food, her armpit were inside the loop exactly. I placed my hand on the other end of the rope, my heart was beating fast.
Timing was everything, yet I closed my eyes and praied for 20 seconds. When I open my eyes, I pulled on the rope with all I have. Sabi was locked to the loop, she jumped and swang, but to no avail. After 5 minutes of struggling, I tossed the blanket on the ground and she grabbed on blanket and stopped to struggle. Her eyes widened and filled with rage, claws cocked, ready to attack. That's when I noticed that during the altercation, she had already knicked me on my thighs and knees 3 times. These scratches were minor compared to the prize of caputring her. I was drenched in sweat, took out my cellphone and called to the lab for help. There was only one student in the lab, he hurried here with the vet cage. It took us another 10minutes to finally stuff Sabi into the cage. Knowing she was in the cage, she became calm and perhaps frightened.
It tore my heart to do this for I care for these cats so much. The next day morning, the other professor came to my lab and took us to the hospital. We found out that Sabi had already shredded the carboard I placed inside the cage. After I came back from the hospital, I was so relieved. This was perhaps the most difficult task I have been given in my life in Japan. Now is time to focus on my academic challenges.
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