Successfully trapping a stray cat is crucial for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs and ensuring community cat health. However, some felines are naturally wary, making the trapping process challenging. Don’t be discouraged! With patience and the right strategies, even the most trap-shy cat can be safely and humanely caught. This guide provides 18 expert tips to improve your chances of catching even the most elusive stray cat.
Understanding the Challenge of Trapping Stray Cats
Stray cats, especially those with limited human interaction, often exhibit heightened caution towards unfamiliar objects and enclosed spaces. Their survival instincts kick in, making them hesitant to enter traps. Factors like past negative experiences or simply a naturally suspicious nature can contribute to trap shyness. Understanding these challenges is the first step to successful and humane trapping.
Expert Strategies to Humanely Trap a Wary Stray Cat
Here are proven techniques to make your trapping efforts more effective and less stressful for the cat:
1. Trap Familiarization: Making the Trap Less Threatening
Before you actively start trapping, help the cat become comfortable with the trap itself. For a week or two prior to trapping, place unset traps in the cat’s regular feeding area. Initially, put food right at the trap entrance. Gradually move the food further inside each day, encouraging the cat to approach and eventually enter the trap without it being sprung.
2. Upgrade to a Larger Trap for Comfort
Cats can feel confined and anxious in small spaces. Using a larger trap with a wider opening and more interior space can make it seem less restrictive and more inviting. A more spacious trap may alleviate some of the cat’s apprehension about entering an enclosed area.
3. Create a Sense of Security with Trap Covers
Covering the trap with a dark towel or sheet (while ensuring the door mechanism is unobstructed) creates a den-like environment. This dark, enclosed space can feel safer and more secure to a cat, mimicking natural hiding places and reducing their anxiety about exposure.
4. Entice with Irresistible Bait
Sometimes, regular cat food isn’t enough to pique a wary cat’s interest. Upgrade your bait to something exceptionally appealing and aromatic. Consider using strong-smelling options like jarred baby food (meat flavors), canned mackerel, tuna, or cooked chicken. Explore a variety of safe and tasty cat treats to find what works best.
5. Lead the Way with a Food Trail
For extremely cautious cats, create a trail of small, tempting food morsels leading to and inside the trap. Start with tiny pieces just outside the trap, gradually increasing the size as you get closer to and onto the trigger plate. Be mindful of quantity; you want to entice, not fill the cat up before it reaches the trigger! You can also use the flavorful broth from canned food as a scent trail.
6. Relocate the Trap to a Calmer Setting
A noisy or exposed location can make a cat hesitant to enter a trap. Move the trap to a more secluded, quiet, and sheltered spot where the cat feels safer. The fewer people and disturbances around, the more comfortable the cat will be approaching the trap.
7. Observe Cat Habits and Patterns
Understanding the cat’s routine is key. Observe the paths they regularly take, their resting spots under bushes or trees, and the times of day they are most active in certain areas. Setting traps along these natural pathways and during their usual activity times increases your chances of success.
8. Utilize Distraction and Lure Techniques
Employing distractions can sometimes guide a cat into a trap. A laser pointer, controlled from a distance, can be used to playfully lure a cat towards the trap entrance. Alternatively, hang a tempting piece of cooked chicken from a string above the trigger plate, encouraging the cat to reach for it and trigger the trap.
9. Camouflage the Trap to Blend In
Disguise the trap to make it less conspicuous in the environment. Cover it with natural materials like burlap, then add leaves, small branches, or foliage from the surrounding area to the top, sides, and inside the trap floor. Ensure your camouflage doesn’t interfere with the trap door’s closing mechanism. Test the trap’s function after camouflaging before setting it for trapping.
10. Conceal the Trigger Plate
Some cats become trap-savvy and learn to identify and avoid the trigger plate. Conceal the plate, and a portion of the trap floor in front and behind it, with a layer of newspaper or a thin cloth. Another method is to cut a piece of cardboard slightly narrower than the trap width and a few inches longer than the trigger plate. Duct tape the cardboard to the middle of the plate and loosely to the trap floor. This makes it harder for the cat to step around the trigger.
11. Add a Stick Barrier for Trigger Sensitivity
For cats that have learned to step lightly to avoid triggering the trap, insert a stick through the side holes of the trap just in front of the trigger plate, a few inches above the floor. This forces the cat to step over the stick, increasing the pressure of their paw on the trigger plate just beyond it, making it more likely to spring the trap.
12. Manual Triggering with a Prop Stick
For highly intelligent or cautious cats, manual triggering can be effective. Prop the trap door open using a stick or a full water bottle tied with a string. Use enough string to allow you to hide a short distance away while holding the end. When the cat is fully inside, pull the string to manually close the door.
13. Consider a Drop Trap for Difficult Cases
If box traps are consistently unsuccessful, a drop trap might be the solution. A drop trap is a large mesh box propped up and manually triggered with a rope or string. Place it on level ground and ideally work with a partner due to its size. Bait generously inside the drop trap to distract non-target cats. Wait until your target cat is fully inside before triggering, as seeing other cats trapped can deter them. Once trapped, immediately cover the drop trap with a sheet and transfer the cat to a box trap for easier handling and transport.
Important Note: Drop traps are not recommended for novice trappers. Experience is essential to ensure cat safety when using this type of trap.
14. Confine and Trap in a Smaller Space
Trapping in a wide-open outdoor area can be challenging. If possible, lure the cat into a smaller, enclosed space like a garage or shed. Prepare the space beforehand by removing hiding places and setting up a box trap concealed behind a large board leaned against a wall. Lure the cat in with food, then close the door to the space. The cat, seeking refuge, is likely to hide behind the board and potentially enter the waiting trap.
15. Side-by-Side Trap Setup for Circling Cats
If a cat tends to circle the back of the trap instead of entering, use this behavior to your advantage. Place two box traps side-by-side with their entrances facing opposite directions. As the cat circles one trap, it may inadvertently walk directly into the trap positioned beside it.
16. Kitten Lure for Mother Cats
Kittens are a powerful draw for their mothers. If you’ve trapped kittens first, place them in a carrier or another box trap and position its door against the back of the trap you intend to use for the mother cat. Cover both traps with a dark sheet or towel, leaving only the entrance of the mother’s trap exposed. The mother cat, sensing her kittens nearby, may enter the trap to reach them. Ensure kittens are kept warm with towels and hot water bottles under their carrier, especially in cold weather.
17. High-Tech Kitten Sounds
For extremely shy kittens or mothers hesitant to enter a trap, technology can assist. Play a video of kittens meowing on your phone and place the phone at the back of the box or drop trap. Lonely kittens may be attracted to the sound of “other kittens,” while mother cats may respond to what they perceive as their kittens’ calls for help.
18. Take a Break and Reset
If trapping attempts are consistently failing and causing stress, take a break for a week or two. This allows both you and the cat to de-stress. Unless the cat requires immediate medical attention, a pause can be beneficial before you resume trapping efforts with renewed patience.
What to Absolutely Avoid When Trapping
Humane and safe trapping practices are paramount. Avoid these harmful techniques:
- Never use trapping equipment not designed for cats. Inhumane traps can cause severe injury or death.
- Do not attempt to catch a cat by hand. Even friendly cats can panic and bite or scratch when grabbed. You risk injury to yourself and the cat.
- Never withhold food for more than 48 hours before trapping. Prolonged food deprivation is dangerous to a cat’s health.
- Do not withhold water. This is inhumane and won’t improve trapping success.
- Never give up! Persistence and patience are key. With consistent, humane efforts, you will eventually succeed in trapping the cat.
By implementing these expert tips and maintaining a patient and humane approach, you can effectively and safely trap even the most challenging stray cats for TNR and community cat care. Remember, your efforts contribute significantly to the well-being of these animals.
