diff --git a/internal/cmd/deacon.go b/internal/cmd/deacon.go
index 8bba459f..46534635 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/deacon.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/deacon.go
@@ -91,6 +91,20 @@ Examples:
 	RunE: runDeaconHeartbeat,
 }
 
+var deaconTriggerPendingCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "trigger-pending",
+	Short: "Trigger pending polecat spawns",
+	Long: `Check inbox for POLECAT_STARTED messages and trigger ready polecats.
+
+When gt spawn creates a new polecat, Claude takes 10-20 seconds to initialize.
+This command polls pending spawns and sends "Begin." when Claude is ready.
+
+This is typically called during the Deacon's patrol loop.`,
+	RunE: runDeaconTriggerPending,
+}
+
+var triggerTimeout time.Duration
+
 func init() {
 	deaconCmd.AddCommand(deaconStartCmd)
 	deaconCmd.AddCommand(deaconStopCmd)
@@ -98,6 +112,11 @@ func init() {
 	deaconCmd.AddCommand(deaconStatusCmd)
 	deaconCmd.AddCommand(deaconRestartCmd)
 	deaconCmd.AddCommand(deaconHeartbeatCmd)
+	deaconCmd.AddCommand(deaconTriggerPendingCmd)
+
+	// Flags for trigger-pending
+	deaconTriggerPendingCmd.Flags().DurationVar(&triggerTimeout, "timeout", 2*time.Second,
+		"Timeout for checking if Claude is ready")
 
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(deaconCmd)
 }
@@ -302,3 +321,59 @@ func runDeaconHeartbeat(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func runDeaconTriggerPending(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Step 1: Check inbox for new POLECAT_STARTED messages
+	pending, err := deacon.CheckInboxForSpawns(townRoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("checking inbox: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(pending) == 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("%s No pending spawns\n", style.Dim.Render("○"))
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("%s Found %d pending spawn(s)\n", style.Bold.Render("●"), len(pending))
+
+	// Step 2: Try to trigger each pending spawn
+	results, err := deacon.TriggerPendingSpawns(townRoot, triggerTimeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("triggering: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Report results
+	triggered := 0
+	for _, r := range results {
+		if r.Triggered {
+			triggered++
+			fmt.Printf("  %s Triggered %s/%s\n",
+				style.Bold.Render("✓"),
+				r.Spawn.Rig, r.Spawn.Polecat)
+		} else if r.Error != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("  %s %s/%s: %v\n",
+				style.Dim.Render("⚠"),
+				r.Spawn.Rig, r.Spawn.Polecat, r.Error)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Step 3: Prune stale pending spawns (older than 5 minutes)
+	pruned, _ := deacon.PruneStalePending(townRoot, 5*time.Minute)
+	if pruned > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("  %s Pruned %d stale spawn(s)\n", style.Dim.Render("○"), pruned)
+	}
+
+	// Summary
+	remaining := len(pending) - triggered
+	if remaining > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("%s %d spawn(s) still waiting for Claude\n",
+			style.Dim.Render("○"), remaining)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/deacon/pending.go b/internal/deacon/pending.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce7ebbc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/deacon/pending.go
@@ -0,0 +1,255 @@
+// Package deacon provides the Deacon agent infrastructure.
+package deacon
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/mail"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/tmux"
+)
+
+// PendingSpawn represents a polecat that has been spawned but not yet triggered.
+type PendingSpawn struct {
+	// Rig is the rig name (e.g., "gastown")
+	Rig string `json:"rig"`
+
+	// Polecat is the polecat name (e.g., "p-abc123")
+	Polecat string `json:"polecat"`
+
+	// Session is the tmux session name
+	Session string `json:"session"`
+
+	// Issue is the assigned issue ID
+	Issue string `json:"issue"`
+
+	// SpawnedAt is when the spawn was detected
+	SpawnedAt time.Time `json:"spawned_at"`
+
+	// MailID is the ID of the POLECAT_STARTED message
+	MailID string `json:"mail_id"`
+}
+
+// PendingFile returns the path to the pending spawns file.
+func PendingFile(townRoot string) string {
+	return filepath.Join(townRoot, "deacon", "pending.json")
+}
+
+// LoadPending loads the pending spawns from disk.
+func LoadPending(townRoot string) ([]*PendingSpawn, error) {
+	path := PendingFile(townRoot)
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	var pending []*PendingSpawn
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &pending); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return pending, nil
+}
+
+// SavePending saves the pending spawns to disk.
+func SavePending(townRoot string, pending []*PendingSpawn) error {
+	path := PendingFile(townRoot)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(path), 0755); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(pending, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return os.WriteFile(path, data, 0644)
+}
+
+// CheckInboxForSpawns reads the Deacon's inbox for POLECAT_STARTED messages
+// and adds them to the pending list.
+func CheckInboxForSpawns(townRoot string) ([]*PendingSpawn, error) {
+	// Get Deacon's mailbox
+	router := mail.NewRouter(townRoot)
+	mailbox, err := router.GetMailbox("deacon/")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("getting deacon mailbox: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Get unread messages
+	messages, err := mailbox.ListUnread()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("listing unread: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Load existing pending
+	pending, err := LoadPending(townRoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("loading pending: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Track existing by mail ID to avoid duplicates
+	existing := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, p := range pending {
+		existing[p.MailID] = true
+	}
+
+	// Look for POLECAT_STARTED messages
+	for _, msg := range messages {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(msg.Subject, "POLECAT_STARTED ") {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Skip if already tracked
+		if existing[msg.ID] {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Parse subject: "POLECAT_STARTED rig/polecat"
+		parts := strings.SplitN(strings.TrimPrefix(msg.Subject, "POLECAT_STARTED "), "/", 2)
+		if len(parts) != 2 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		rig := parts[0]
+		polecat := parts[1]
+
+		// Parse body for session and issue
+		var session, issue string
+		for _, line := range strings.Split(msg.Body, "\n") {
+			line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
+			if strings.HasPrefix(line, "Session: ") {
+				session = strings.TrimPrefix(line, "Session: ")
+			} else if strings.HasPrefix(line, "Issue: ") {
+				issue = strings.TrimPrefix(line, "Issue: ")
+			}
+		}
+
+		ps := &PendingSpawn{
+			Rig:       rig,
+			Polecat:   polecat,
+			Session:   session,
+			Issue:     issue,
+			SpawnedAt: msg.Timestamp,
+			MailID:    msg.ID,
+		}
+		pending = append(pending, ps)
+		existing[msg.ID] = true
+
+		// Mark message as read
+		_ = mailbox.MarkRead(msg.ID)
+	}
+
+	// Save updated pending list
+	if err := SavePending(townRoot, pending); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("saving pending: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return pending, nil
+}
+
+// TriggerResult holds the result of attempting to trigger a pending spawn.
+type TriggerResult struct {
+	Spawn     *PendingSpawn
+	Triggered bool
+	Error     error
+}
+
+// TriggerPendingSpawns polls each pending spawn and triggers when ready.
+// Returns the spawns that were successfully triggered.
+func TriggerPendingSpawns(townRoot string, timeout time.Duration) ([]TriggerResult, error) {
+	pending, err := LoadPending(townRoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("loading pending: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(pending) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	t := tmux.NewTmux()
+	var results []TriggerResult
+	var remaining []*PendingSpawn
+
+	for _, ps := range pending {
+		result := TriggerResult{Spawn: ps}
+
+		// Check if session still exists
+		running, err := t.HasSession(ps.Session)
+		if err != nil {
+			result.Error = fmt.Errorf("checking session: %w", err)
+			results = append(results, result)
+			remaining = append(remaining, ps)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !running {
+			// Session gone - remove from pending
+			result.Error = fmt.Errorf("session no longer exists")
+			results = append(results, result)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Check if Claude is ready (non-blocking poll)
+		err = t.WaitForClaudeReady(ps.Session, timeout)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Not ready yet - keep in pending
+			remaining = append(remaining, ps)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Claude is ready - send trigger
+		triggerMsg := "Begin."
+		if err := t.NudgeSession(ps.Session, triggerMsg); err != nil {
+			result.Error = fmt.Errorf("nudging session: %w", err)
+			results = append(results, result)
+			remaining = append(remaining, ps)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Successfully triggered
+		result.Triggered = true
+		results = append(results, result)
+	}
+
+	// Save remaining (untriggered) spawns
+	if err := SavePending(townRoot, remaining); err != nil {
+		return results, fmt.Errorf("saving remaining: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return results, nil
+}
+
+// PruneStalePending removes pending spawns older than the given age.
+// Spawns that are too old likely had their sessions die.
+func PruneStalePending(townRoot string, maxAge time.Duration) (int, error) {
+	pending, err := LoadPending(townRoot)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+
+	cutoff := time.Now().Add(-maxAge)
+	var remaining []*PendingSpawn
+	pruned := 0
+
+	for _, ps := range pending {
+		if ps.SpawnedAt.Before(cutoff) {
+			pruned++
+		} else {
+			remaining = append(remaining, ps)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if pruned > 0 {
+		if err := SavePending(townRoot, remaining); err != nil {
+			return pruned, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return pruned, nil
+}