How to Snatch Feral Cat Kittens
There are many reasons why you might want to snatch feral cat kittens from their mothers. Some reasons might be because the kittens are not healthy, their mothers may not be well enough to take care of them or you might be snatching them to get them spayed or neutered. No matter what the reason you have, feral cat kittens are not as easy to snatch as you may think.
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Instructions
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Decide where you are going to take the kittens once you have trapped them before you start the process of trapping.
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Gain the confidence of the mother cat by feeding her in the same place and at the same time every day. She may not seem to like you, but by being consistent she will tolerate your presence and bring her kittens along with her.
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Make sure the kittens you are wanting to snatch are old enough to be weaned, which is anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks old. If the mother is bringing them out to eat the food you are setting out you can pretty much bet they are somewhere within this age range.
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Place the trap you are wanting to use near the place that you regularly feed the cats. If this is close to your home you may want to just have it sitting there for a week or so before you intend to do the actual trapping so that the cats get used to its presence.
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Bait your trap on the day you are wanting to get the animal. Use a strong smelling food like mackerel to entice the animal into the trap.
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Set the trap up at the time that you usually feed the cats so that they are hungry enough to be looking for food. Stay close enough to the trap so that you can keep an eye on it but not so close that the cats are wary because of your presence.
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Immediately cover the trap and remove it once a kitten has been successfully trapped inside. Take them directly to the prearranged location, let it be the vet or your local shelter.
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Tips & Warnings
You may have to trap mom and kittens together if they are too young to be weaned.
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Comments
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As a Director of an animal sanctuary and feral cat caretaker for two decades, I am appalled at the irresponsible nature of this article. Not once does the author mention the fate of the mother cat and the terrible consequences of "snatching" her kittens. One of the worst things you can do is "snatch feral cat kittens from their mothers." In fact, it is something that should only be done in an emergency relocation for safety or medical reasons, and there should be a plan to reunite the kittens with their mother ASAP. If feral kittens are "snatched" from their mother, the mother will run away in fear, and neither you nor anyone else will ever be able to trap her for spaying. She will get pregnant again very quickly since you ended her nursing cycle, and within a few short months an entirely new litter of kittens will be born in an even more hidden location without access to human assistance. In short, you will have condemned that feral mother and numerous future kittens to an even worse fate. As to the fate of the “snatched kittens,” a lesson in reality is in order here: Unlike house cats, feral cats nurse for a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks before they are weaned, and need to learn crucial survival skills from their mother during that time. In the US, the average time an adopted puppy or kitten actually lives in a home is only 18 months, so that cat will need to know how to survive if it ends up abandoned. If the kittens are not adopted, taking them to a "local shelter" will guarantee the likelihood that they will be euthanized within 48 hours, since feral kittens and cats are considered "unadoptable" by most US shelters. The best thing you can do is to work with the mother and her kittens, and gain their trust by providing all assistance to them in their chosen location via TNR, or Trap Neuter Return. You should research TNR on the internet and contact feral cat experts online and locally before ever attempting to assist feral cats.
