Trapping cats for TNR (Trap – Neuter- Return) is the best thing you can do to help feral and stray cats in your neighborhood.

All you have to do is place bait in the trap, set the trap, and wait!  Sounds easy doesn’t it?  Sometimes it is, but sometimes it takes more work.

Here are some foolproof techniques to ensure success.

1. Get the cat on a regular feeding schedule
   Most ferals and strays come out in the evening, so place food and water sometime after dinner but before dusk. Feed at the exact same time every single day to get the cat used to your feeding schedule.  Never leave food out overnight – you will attract raccoons, opossums, or other creatures you don’t want to catch!
2. Bait and set the trap
   Once you’ve got the cat on a regular feeding schedule, it’s time to bait your trap.  Place a small amount of food on a paper plate and place it behind the step plate.  Set your trap and wait.  Hopefully the cat who is used to eating at the same time every day will walk right in and set the trap off.
3. Cover that cat!
   Immediately after catching a cat, he will panic.  To calm him down, just cover the trap with a sheet or towel.
   

If the above steps don’t work, here are the next steps to take that will help you.

1. Feed inside the trap
   Sometimes outdoor cats are leery of anything new in their environment (or man made).  You have to acclimate the cat to the trap and it will be a cinch to get him in it.  Just use a zip tie or bungee cord to hold the door open so that it will not go down.  Since you’re got the cat on a regular feeding schedule, start feeding the cat inside the trap.  Start by placing the food at the entrance to the trap, and each day, move it closer inside until it is finally in the back of the trap.  Once you’ve got the cat coming and going, set the trap and you’ll win!
2. Use stinky bait
   Who can resist stinky wet food?  Try using wet canned cat food, tuna fish, or mackeral.  On a cold day, try heating it up in the microwave so that the cat can really get a good whiff.

Other tips and techniques

• Never leave a trap set overnight or unattended for long periods of time.  Cats should never be left alone in a trap in an unsafe location.
• Leave a note on the trap, or at the very least, your name and phone number.  Some people may think you are intending to harm the cat.  Leave a note that says that you are catching the cat for vet attention and are planning on helping him.  Leave your number to call with more questions. Sometimes people find trapped cats and let them go and you’ll have to start all over!
• Always cover a trapped cat and remove it immediately.  Covering a trapped cat will calm it down.  Remove it from the area, especially if you have other traps set.  A trapped cat will spook other cats.
• Pat your self on the back!  Trapping cats for spay/neuters and medical attention is the most wonderful thing you can do to give that cat a healthy, happy life.
• Collect as many cats as you can!  For every cat you bring us to be fixed, you have prevented 11,000 kittens from being born over the next 5 years.
• Call Carol’s Ferals as soon as you catch your cat!  You do not need an appointment, but we need a heads up.  Trapped cats are accepted Sunday-Tuesday from 6:00-7:30 pm.
• If you believe you have trapped a nursing mother, do not release the cat.  Call Carol’s Ferals and we will help you determine if the cat is nursing and if you should release her to tend to her kittens.
• If you catch an unintended cat, do not release it.  We will take any cat you bring us, and the more cats you trap and bring us, the healthier the outdoor cat population in your neighborhood will be.
  
• If you are having a lot of trouble, try limiting the food the day before you plan on trapping.  This will make sure the cat is good and hungry and will go inside the trap more eagerly.
  

Call Carol’s Ferals if you encounter any other trouble or have any questions.  We are here to make sure that you are successful.  We have trapped countless cats and have encountered dozens of different situations.  Every cat can be trapped with the right technique.  We always have ideas if you are struggling.

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