To do this, open a small gap in the trap door and slide in a little food and water on a plastic lid, without putting your hand inside.
#The stray cat how to#
X Research source Learn more about how to handle the animal, along with other ways to confirm that it really is feral. A feral (untamed) cat typically stays in the far back of the cage, may shake or bang the walls, and ignores toys and people.X Research source Continue on for advice on finding the owner or adopting it yourself. It may eventually relax, come up to the front of the cage, or investigate toys or people that come near the cage. A stray pet tends to have a dirty coat, and a tendency to meow and make eye contact.Minimize the amount of time the cat has to wait, as this is extremely stressful for the animal. Keep the cat in the trap in a quiet, dark area while it waits. If you do not plan to look after the cat at home, arrange in advance for a shelter or animal control agency to pick up the cat.Make a decision based on the shelter's response and on the cat's appearance: In some areas, you are required to take lost pets to a shelter so the owner has a chance to find it. Once you have captured the cat, contact a local shelter to ask about local laws. In exceptionally cold weather, cover the trap with a sheet or towel, then heap snow over this covering to help keep the cat warm and calmer once it has been trapped.ĭecide what to do with the cat once it is trapped.Too much food will create a mess if the cat panics and scatters it or vomits.It's better to risk the plate not going off, since you can put out more bait and try again. If the cat triggers it prematurely and escapes, it may never come back. Do not set the trip plate on a hair trigger.Herring, mackerel, or sardines canned in oil (but not pickled) are excellent choices. Bait the trap with a small amount of strong-smelling food.
Cover the trip plate and wire bottom of the trap with newspaper, so that the cat won't instinctively avoid stepping on the trip plate. X Expert Source Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KAįeline Behavior Consultant Expert Interview. If you would rather catch the cat yourself, buy a humane cat trap from a hardware store, or ask animal control if they have any available for loan.