Cat Traps

Who am I?

Hi – My name is Joe Walker and I am a professional trapper in Louisiana. I own an animal removal company called American Animal Removal. I have over 20 years catching wild stray cats as well as other animals. This is my  review and guide to catch cats in a humane way. 

When you do catch a stray cat, which you will, please take them to your local animal shelter immediately and tell them that it is wild caught. Under no circumstance should you ever touch them or let anything come in contact with any of your pets. Keep everything washed with hot water and soap or bleach when appropriate.

These feral cats can and do carry many different diseases including rabies. They are the largest carrier of rabies species. They will bite and/or scratch you in a heart beat.

Stray Cat Trap

A) – This trap measures 32" x 10" x 12" which makes it a medium to large. It is big enough so that the feral cat does not feel intimidated to enter. You may also find that you catch other animals such as raccoons, opossums, skunks, etc..

It is made from galvanized wire mesh making last for ever as long as it does not get abused. The holes in the mesh are smaller sized in this model which is both good and bad.

Good because the animals can not trip the trap from the outside while trying to steal the bait. Bad because it makes the trap more enclosed which will cause a problem when trying to catch the very scared stray cats.

If you have never trapped before then determine if the cats are more so on the tame side or are they very skiddish. This determines whether or not to buy this trap. It does come with a complete satisfaction guarantee as they all do but be sure to see the time frames for the guarantee so that the warranty has not expired.

To read customer reviews, check pricing or to buy click here.

Feral Stray Cat Rescue Kit Trap

B) This trap is the same size as the stray trap mentioned above which is the perfect size for catching nuissance cats.

The primary difference is it has a convient side door that makes baiting and releasing the cat easy.

The next feature is that it has a diveder so that you can feed and water the stray cat if it is going to take you a little while to take it to the animal shelter.

The third and final feature is that it comes with a burlap sack to cover the trap with so that you do not have to waste a towel or blanket. The price difference is about $10 to $15 dollars more than the basic trap mentioned above. Either way get a trap and get started.

To read customer reviews, check pricing or to buy click here.

Trapping Best Practices

When the circumstance present themselves try to put the trap on something up off the ground such as a table – picnic table. This will not stop raccoons but it will stop skunks or groudhogs from getting caught. How to get a skunk out of a trap without getting sprayed is a nother story all by itself which I will not get into here.

Putting the trap on the ground is fine if you do not have the alternative. Just be very careful when checking it because a skunk can spray over 30 feet. Yes, skunks live in highly populated cities just as they do in the country.

How to Bait Your Stray Cat Trap

Agian, knowing which type of feral cats you are trying to catch will also play determine how you set your trap.

If the feral stray cat is on the tame side then:

1)  Place some canned cat food underneath the back of the trigger in the center. Being care ful not to get it near the edges as this will cause them to paw at it from the outside accidently tripping the cat trap. This teaches that it is a trap and then you may not be able to catch them at all.

2)  Place a table spoon in between the trigger and the opening of the trap being sure that it is centered and away from the edges.

3)  Place another table spoon of canned cat food two inches inside the trap from the opening. This time it needs to be spread from side to side as this what gets the stray cat to come enter the trap

4)  Place 2 or 3 spoonfulls of food at 2 foot interval away from the trap so that the cat can get a good taste of the food. This will make them more likely to enter the trap. We have tested with and with out the extra food and it increased our success rate by over 20%.

If the feral stray cat is on the skiddish side then:

1)  Place the trap in a dark non corner of your property. Place the opening away from the corner or pointing towards an open area. The main thing here is to keep it out of any light what so ever.

2)  Put a whole can of cat food on top of the trap and do not set it. Just let the feral cats have the food. Depending on how skiddish they are you may have to do this several times.

3)  Follow steps 1 through 4 listed above

Cat Trapping Gear Needed: (Don't laugh – you really need this)

1st and foremost - is the feral cat trap, of course. It is recommended that you get one from either of the two models recommended. If you already have one thaen that is fine too. Just use it because there is no sense on wasting money. The only difference is these traps listed are just a little better and that is all.

2nd - Large extra thick leather gloves. You must not get scratched or bit. In case you do you should go the ER immediately and bring the cat with you, it is very important as they can test the stray cat instead of giving you all of that preventative treatment. Trust me when I say it is very painfull, been there – done that.

3rd - Several cans of the cheapest canned cat food you can buy.

4th – A blanket, large towel or tarp to civer the trap up with so that the stray cat will not go crazy. It will settle them down. Special tip* Use another towel or whatever you can find to set the trap on when you carry them to your local animal services. They well use the bathroom and throw up, it fall through the holes in the stray feral cat trap and get your vehicle nasty.

Here is the link to the first cat trap. It will take you to Amazon where it is on sale and there are free shipping options.

Here is the link to the second trap kit. Again it goes to Amazon and its on sale through the link provided.

The feral cat facts provided here are aimed at educating the general public about these creatures so that individuals can appreciate the difference between feral cats and stray cats and to understand that unless the problem with feral cats is deal with effectively, in the long term, there may be no turning back.

A commonly known feral cat fact is that they live in colonies usually located in abandoned homes or in alleys and while they may be found everywhere, abandoned facilities in particularly are hugely attractive to them.

Dealing with the feral cat issue has been sporadic and uncertain, at best. Usually the focus is on eliminating them by trapping and killing them. There are two schools of thought about whether this method is effective.

Feral Cat Facts – Humane Society

The Humane Society has suggested that if systematically done, the long term effect of trap and kill will be visible however there are organizations that are of the view that the inhumanity of this exercise supersedes the acceptability of this practice. Preventing the establishment and growth of these colonies involves teamwork between owners of domestic cats, animal shelters and the local authority.

A critical feral cat fact is that without sterilization, feral cats can multiply at a frightening rate. Statistically according to the Humane Society, it is averaged that one female cat and her offspring may result in more than 420,000 feral cats within a seven-year period. Therefore neutering and spaying of feral cats is vital to help manage and ultimately reduce the population.

Feral Cat Facts – Very Skiddish

While feral cats are usually afraid of humans, their instinct for survival dominates and they will enter the human domain in search of food and shelter. Since these cats are difficult to distinguish from the normal domestic cats, it is easy to be drawn to their feline appeal. An important feral cat fact is that these creatures cannot and should not be touched, held or picked-up.

This is because such cats may respond ferociously when put into situations where they feel cornered or trapped. Parents in particular are advised to train their children not to interact with unfamiliar cats or kittens. This will reduce the incidence of injury due to feral cat attacks.

Feral Cat Facts – The Difference

The most obvious form of physical distinction between the feral cat and the domestic cat is that the feral cat has a notch missing on the left ear. Known as the ear-tip, this distinguishing feature is particularly useful for veterinarians.

Whenever they treat feral cats, as a matter of general practice most veterinarians will spay or neuter the creature before it is released into the wild.

Another lesser-known feral cat fact is that kittens can be adopted into homes, provided that this is done very early. Once the window of opportunity for adoption is closed, the cat becomes un-adoptable.

A final and general feral cat fact is that they are similar to domestic cats in a variety of ways including the fact that they have approximately the same lifespan and they contract diseases at a lower rate.