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How Do I Trap A Cat?

Before you begin trapping, it’s important to understand that Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a careful, humane process that requires planning, patience, and responsibility. These guidelines will help keep you and the cats safe—please review them fully before setting any traps.

TRAPPING GUIDELINES courtesy of Bay Area Cats 

NEVER LEAVE A TRAP UNATTENDED. Traps can be stolen, cats can be taken or harmed or may harm themselves, or you may trap wildlife. 

DO NOT set the trap unless you have a TNR appointment 
Schedule a TNR appointment 

When you catch a cat, cover the trap immediately with a large towel, fully covering the trap, and move the trap to a quiet area. Use pee pads under the trap during car transport and holding. 

Withhold food. Remove all food sources 24-36 hours before trapping to ensure cats are hungry enough to enter traps. DO NOT feed immediately after trapping or cats learn avoiding traps means food. 

Trap training. When cats see other cats get trapped, they start getting trap smart. Therefore, if you have access to traps and are waiting for an appointment, zip tie open the trap (so it won't catch a cat) and only put the food inside the trap when feeding.  

SETTING TRAPS 

Base: traps must be lined with newspaper or pee pads. If windy, secure with masking tape. 

Bait: tuna, sardines, Fancy Feast flaked fish & shrimp, and Friskies are all good options. 

  • Put 2-3 very small PEA-SIZED piles of bait leading towards the trip plat. 

  • The main bait (1 Tbsp) is placed at the very back of the tray. 

  • Make a juice trail leading to the front of the trap (no food outside the trap) 

Placement: place the trap flush against a wall, plant, fence, or other objects. The best spot for the trap is where the cats are used to eating. 

Do not stand near the trap. Watch from your car or inside the house. 

DO NOT set the trap unless you have an appointment lined up.  

HOLDING OVERNIGHT 

  • Cover the trapped cat with a sheet or towel. 

  • Do not open the trap. The cat can escape, or you can get injured. 

  • Do not transfer the cat. The trap is fine to hold overnight. 

  • Use puppy pee pads under the trap in the car for transport and in your holding area. 

HARD-TO-TRAP CATS 

Are you too close to the trap? Stay indoors or in your car with a window cracked and listen for the trap. Do not stand too close or the cat won’t go in the trap. 

Use tuna juice or bait trail. No food on the trip plate or outside the trap. 

Is the trap against a bush, wall, or fence instead of the middle of the porch/yard? 

How long have you tried waiting? It may take 3-4 hours waiting over multiple days to trap a difficult cat. 

Are you trapping early morning and night? Cats are most active morning & after dark. 

Try trap training. Zip-tie opens the trap overnight (so it won’t catch a cat) and feed the cats only out of the trap for several days. You may have to start the food bowl slightly outside of the trap and move it further inside each day. 

Selective trapping 

  • Open the trap front door and prop a corner on a full large water bottle. Tie one end of a long piece of string or rope around the bottle's base. 

  • Hold the other end of the string through a car window, inside a house, or over a fence. Put enough food at the back that the non-target cats can eat and leave. 

  • Wait for the cat to go all the way in the trap, then pull the string, pulling the bottle away quickly and shutting the door. 

RECOMMENDED TRAPS 

Tomahawk Gravity GT606. Tomahawk's latest trap is similar to Tru Catch but with a door-locking mechanism so cats can’t escape (discount code DCNC23). 

Tru Catch 30LTD. Quiet door closing. The door needs to be secured with a zip tie after the trap. This is the lightest of the traps. 

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