How to Catch a Stray Cat
You've noticed a stray cat hanging around your home or business for the last few days. You don't know if the cat's feral or a house cat that no one owns anymore. You'd like to catch them before they get hurt or run over by a car.
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Instructions
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Feed the cat for a week or two to get them used to eating from your bowl. Stick close, but don't let the cat see you at first.
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Start moving closer and closer to the food source so the cat starts getting used to seeing you. Depending on the cat, this may take a few days to a few weeks.
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Try petting the cat to see how they'll respond. If they take a swipe at you, or growl, back off.
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Put the cat into a carrier and take them to the vet if they'll let you pick them up or touch them.
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Bait a humane trap if you don't think the cat will let you pick them up. Use smelly fish. Humane traps have instructions about how to bait the trap and you can contact your local human society for places to get humane traps.
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Stick close to the trap. You don't want to trap the cat and let it overeat or get too cold in the trap.
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Take the cat to a vet so they can be tested for medical conditions and neutered/spayed. If you want to keep the cat, talk to your vet about whether this cat would make a good pet. If the cat's feral, you may want to release them in a safe place.
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Tips & Warnings
Never throw a blanket over the cat or simply try to grab them. You or the cat could get hurt.
