Cat Zip Alliance
TNR Instructions For Trapping Cats
(for more info about TNR & Trapping Cats, see www.feralcat.com or www. alleycat.org)
1. GET THE CATS IN A ROUTINE & PICK THE TRAPPING LOCATION
Get the cats used to being fed at the location and time of day you will be trapping. Either early morning or late afternoon/dusk will be best. The cats have already picked their location, but you can select the trapping/feeding area in that location. A secluded location as far away from traffic, noise and people as you can get will be best. It's best if the trapping/feeding area is not readily visible to the passerby but it should be in a location where you can observe the trap(s) from a distance. After doing this for at least a week, you should be ready to trap.
2. GET A TRAP
Find a trap. You will want to use a raccoon-size trap for adults; smaller-size traps can be used for kittens. These can be purchased at Cofer’s
Best price and trap can be found at:
wildlifecontrolsupplies.com - best trap is item #NWS52836 Live Trap 36" x 11" x 12"H - Slide Release Rear Door for $39.75 each.
or check out:
http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/cagetrap_quickguide.asp
3. GET THE BAIT
Do not feed the day before you trap and make sure any leftover food is removed. If there are neighbors that leave food out, you must get them to pick it up also. Good bait foods to use include Meow Mix cups - any of the fish flavors, cooked chicken (some swear by KFC), canned tuna, canned salmon, canned mackerel and cooked hamburger patties.
4. FIND A VET
Find a veterinarian that is willing to spay/neuter feral (wild) cats. Not all vets will since it can be hazardous and carries some risks to the veterinary personnel. You will want to find out how many cats they can do the day after you are planning on trapping and limit yourself to trapping only that number. It's best to do a small number (1 or 2) each day because if it rains on trapping night or you don't catch anything and the veterinarian was counting on doing a large number, it will leave a big hole in their schedule and they will not be pleased. Also, make sure the vet will tip (NOT just notch) the ear of the feral cat so you can quickly know that one has already been sterilized if it should be trapped again later.
5. PICK THE DAY
Plan the day you will be trapping. Watch the weather forecast and make sure it doesn't call for rain. Don't bother trapping in the rain. Cats don't like to get wet and will not come out. Remove all food and do not feed for 24 hours prior to trapping. Make sure your veterinarian will be able to fit the cat(s) in for surgery.
6. READY, SET,
Place
Set the trap. Starting outside the open trap door, place about 1/2 teaspoon of tuna or other bait every 5 or 6 inches all the way into the end of the trap. Do this by dropping the bait through the top of the trap. You can also dribble the juice out of the can. Make sure to get some bait on the trip plate. Don’t put the actual can of food in the trap, as the cat can injure itself while eating or if it jumps around once trapped. Instead place a tablespoon of bait on a small paper plate. If ants are a problem, use the Meow Mix plastic cups and sit them in shallow plastic dishes of water. The black plastic dishes from frozen meals like Stouffers work great.
Once the cat is in and the trap is sprung, cover the trap with an old blanket, sheet, or large towel. Most cats react immediately to the sprung trap by jumping around – “popcorning” – but will calm down as soon as they are covered. This prevents the cat from injuring itself. If you have already spayed/neutered any of the cats in the colony, check the ear to see if it has been "tipped". If it has, this indicates the cat has already been sterilized. In that case, open the trap, release the cat and then re-bait and reset the trap.
If you find you have cats who can get in and out of the trap without stepping on the trip plate, place a piece of cardboard across the trip plate to make the area bigger so that they cannot avoid stepping on it.
7. STORING THE CAT
Keep the trap covered. If you cannot take the cat to the vet right away, the best storage place is on level ground (dirt or grass or pine straw) near your house – but make sure it is safe from curious dogs and not visible to people who might steal the trap or harm the cat! If it's daytime make sure the cage is in (and will remain in) the shade. It it's raining or cold, store in your garage or garden shed. Place plastic lawn bags on the ground, layer with newspaper or an old towel for absorbency and set the covered trap on top. If it isn’t safe outside or the weather is bad, an alternative is to place the trap and cat in the guestroom bathtub with the bathroom door closed. The cat will not be able to get out of the trap unless you open it...so don't! Don't worry about food, water or litter. It will be fine without food and water until you can get it to the vet (it shouldn't have food prior to surgery anyway). If it has to urinate it will go right through the cage wire either onto the ground outside or onto the newspapers. For transport, protect your car by placing a plastic lawn bag covered with a towel on your seat.
8. YOUR VET APPOINTMENT
If you take a sturdy secure cat carrier, the vet will put the cat in there after surgery. It's less bulky to carry and can easily be opened to release the cat. If you expect to keep the cat for more than one night, have the vet return the cat to the trap (as long as it is not a kitten-sized trap!), which makes a nice cage for recovery. Remind the vet to use dissolvable spay stitches. Ask the vet to spay all pregnant females. Ask the vet to use their own judgment and euthanize any severely ill or injured animals, unless you want to be consulted first. That way they don't have to reach you by phone while they're in the middle of surgery. Also, ask the vet to tip an ear (usually the right ear), so that you can recognize that this cat has already been sterilized if you get it in a trap again in the future. This also helps other people who may trap the cat in the future. If you get a cat in the trap, inspect the ears (use a flashlight if after dark). If one is "tipped" or "notched", release the animal from the trap and reset it.
9.POST-SURGERY
Many times you will get the feral cat back the same day it had surgery - it may still even be asleep. The cat will not be fully out of anesthesia until the morning after surgery. Even if they are awake and look OK, they will be unsteady and may injure themselves if let out that evening. Keep the cat overnight in the trap or cat carrier. Cover with a towel or sheet to keep the animal calm. DO NOT attempt to give the cat food, water or litter. It can live without those things for one more night. However, if you have a trap divider (see web sites above for traps), you can safely corner the cat in the back of the trap with the divider and then open the front of the trap and place a non-breakable dish of food and water inside. If you are trapping when the weather is bad, and particularly in winter, you might need to keep cats for longer than one night and will definitely want to invest in a trap divider ($12-$15). Animal Care and Equipment Services even sells a feral cat recovery cage at http://www.animal-care.com/product_list.cfm
10. RELEASING THE CAT
Ferals need to be released after surgery. Living outside as a feral is what they are used to and they will be much happier there living out their life - even though we know it's not the ideal life for a cat. They should be regularly fed and watered – a “managed” colony”. Do not try to tame them. They are better off wild with a healthy dose of fear regarding people. That fear of people will keep them alive longer. If you can catch wild kittens between 5-16 weeks old they can usually be tamed. The older they are the harder it is and adult cats take a lot of patience and a special kind of person as they will probably never be really outgoing and friendly (in other words, "adoptable") animals. Most rescue groups are always over-capacity and cats that are skittish are extremely hard to find a home for, take up shelter space, and prevent other tame cats from being saved.
It is important to release the cat back into its own colony/territory where it already knows how to get around, where to find shelter and the food and water you provide, and has already established itself in the colony social pecking order. Pick a time of day when activity (people, cars) is light, and place the trap or carrier so the opening is facing the direction you want the cat to go (away from roads). Open the door and don’t be offended when the cat takes off without saying “thanks”!
