How to Catch a Cat in a Live Trap
Live traps are an effective and humane way to catch cats, according to the Humane Society of the United States. But trapping does have its drawbacks. For example, some cats retrieve the bait without getting caught in the trap. Other cats are suspicious and avoid the trap completely. Additionally, you may inadvertently catch an animal other than a cat, such as a raccoon, in your live trap. In order to prevent these and other problems from occurring, create and follow a trapping plan from start to finish.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic or wire cat trap
- Blanket or large towel
- One sheet of newspaper
- Canned mackerel
Instructions
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Feed the cat in the spot where you plan to set the trap, to encourage the cat to come back to the area. Put the cat food out at the same time each day.
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Cover the unset trap with a blanket, and place it near the cat food so the cat gets used to the trap, recommends Feral Cat Coalition. Since cats can jump and critters like raccoons and skunks cannot, position the trap off the ground to ensure that you trap the cat instead of other animals.
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Place very small amounts of bait around the trap to give the cat a taste for the treat, recommends the Humane Society of the United States. According to Stopping Pet Overpopulation Together (S.P.O.T.), canned mackerel is pungent and irresistible to most cats.
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Stop feeding the cat for 12 to 24 hours before you plan to trap it, to ensure its hunger.
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Set the trap. Since cats do not like to walk on wire, and so the cat's feet will not fall through when you pick up the trap, line the bottom of the trap with one sheet of newspaper. Do not put the newspaper on the trip plate, and make sure it does not keep the trap door from closing, recommends Feral Cat Coalition.
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Place 1/2 tsp. of canned mackerel in front of the trap to entice the cat. Put a larger amount of the mackerel in the rear of the trap, just underneath it, so the cat has to go all the way inside and work harder to get the bait, thereby tripping the spring mechanism to close the trap door, recommends the Humane Society of the United States.
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Check the trap every 15 minutes, recommends Feral Cat Coalition.
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Tips & Warnings
The Humane Society of the United States recommends using a high-quality plastic or metal wire trap for a safer and more successful trap.
You may be able to borrow a trap for free from your local animal shelter. You can also buy traps from home improvement stores.
If the cat does not like mackerel, S.P.O.T recommends cooked chicken or hamburger, sardines, tuna, or salmon.
Trap only in temperate weather conditions so the cat is not trapped in extreme heat, cold, or rain, for example.
Have someone available to check the trap at all times.
Notify neighbors of your intent to trap the cat with a trap, so their cats do not end up in the trap.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit cat image by hannahfelicity from Fotolia.com
