How to Trap a Cat

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Help feral & stray cats in your community with this step-by-step guide to trapping cats—from the cat-trapping experts at TinyKittens!

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Photos Courtesy of TinyKittens

Through tons of practice, the TinyKittens team has developed special methods for compassionate, low-stress handling of feral cats, allowing them to successfully treat an incredible 100 percent of the injured, sick, and extra special ferals they’ve trapped.

“During their time in our care, many of these extraordinary cats have changed their minds about humans and are now living the pampered lives they always deserved with forever humans who love them for everything they’ve survived and everything they are still to become,” says Shelly Roche, a Silicon Valley escapee turned founder and “Snuggler-in-Chief” at @TinyKittensHQ.

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TinyKittens founder Shelly Roche

TinyKittens’ largest feral colony has 423 cats, where they maintain an incredible 93 percent spay and neuter rate. They started working at their newest colony in January 2023, and have spayed, neutered, and treated almost 75 percent of the 206 cats, including treatment of numerous complicated illnesses and surgeries.

“47 cats and kittens from this colony have been adopted into amazing homes so far, and those we’ve returned are enjoying happier and healthier lives,” Roche proudly reports.

The most important thing to do is try to better understand each kitty, and remember they have a unique story to tell, she says.

“A big part of being a successful and compassionate trapper is understanding they are scared, and they react pretty much the same way we would if a giant, looming creature put us in a box and took us away from our home.”

“Most humans don’t get to see what a feral cat’s life is like away from the feeding station, but we at TinyKittens have spent years observing feral cats in their habitats. What we’ve learned is shocking. These remarkable cats have deep bonds with other cats. They snuggle, they play, they help each other give birth, and they co-parent each other’s kittens.  Once they are spayed and neutered, their lives transform. They become healthier, happier, and even snugglier and more playful with each other. Even if you don’t get to witness that part, it’s important to know what a beautiful gift you are giving them!”

How to Trap a Cat: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trapping a Cat:

1. Do a Site Visit and Assess the Situation:

• Rural areas have different considerations than urban areas. For example, in rural areas we must consider what wildlife and predators may be in the area, and in populated areas, we need to make sure we have permission from property owners and understand the people who might be in the area.
• Determine the quietest time of day for feeding and trapping.
• Is it safe? Ensure any feeding or trapping site is going to be safe for you and the kitties.

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2. Gather Your Supplies. You Will Need:

• At least one box-style trap. Your local rescue will usually have traps you can borrow.
• A variety of scrumptious stinky treats. We like tuna (in water), sardines, Churu, certain canned foods—even fried chicken can be tempting!
• Large blankets or towels. These need to be big enough to completely cover the entire trap once the cat is inside. If you are targeting a specific cat, you can use a plastic bottle tied to a string (think Roadrunner and Coyote) to prop open the trap door so you can manually trigger it when your target cat is safely inside.

3. Extra Supplies That Are Nice to Have:

• A trail camera that will send you photos or videos of the cat at the feeding station when you aren’t around. This will help you learn the cat’s habits, see if they have friends, observe how nervous they are, see how quickly they go in the trap to eat, and plan the best timing and approach.
• A breakaway collar and an Apple Air Tag. This can be used to find kittens if you trap a mama cat who is lactating.
• A trap divider is useful when putting fresh food and water in the trap during recovery.

4. Prepare the Cat for Trapping

• Establish a feeding routine. Feed the cat at the same time of day every day. If possible, zip-tie the trap door open to prevent it from being triggered and place the food inside the trap to start teaching the cat it’s safe to eat inside the trap. This will be a big help on trapping day.
• Can you leave a trap there? If there’s any chance people in the area might interfere with the trap, it won’t be safe to leave it unattended.
• Observe the cat. If possible, observe the cat’s behaviour at feeding time. Leave catnip or motion-activated toys and see how interested the cat is in playing. Try to assess whether the cat could have given birth recently. Can you tell if it’s a male or a female? If the cat is too shy to come out while you’re around, a trail cam can help you gather this information.
• Set up an area at a distance where you can observe the food/trap but remain hidden from the cat. This is where you will sit to monitor the trap on trapping day, so it’s important to get the cat used to you being there. If you can park nearby, with a good line of sight to the feeding area, sitting in your car is often a good, stealthy option.
• Adjust your routine/plan/setup as necessary. Your goal during this phase is to create a safe environment for the cat to come and eat at the same time each day, and to get them used to you being in the vicinity while they do it.
•  Leave a towel or blanket in the area so it will absorb familiar scents, if the environment allows. Being surrounded by familiar scents will help reduce the cat’s stress once they are trapped. 

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5. Plan Trapping Day

You may only have once chance to trap the cat, so make sure you really think about your plan!

• Use what you’ve learned during the prep phase to make the best possible plan. Is the cat eating regularly inside the trap? Will the cat go into the trap when you are nearby? Will the cat only come out at certain times or under certain conditions?
• Can you trap two at once? If the cat regularly comes with another cat or cats, they will be much less stressed if you are able to trap two cats instead of just one. Keeping them together throughout the process will be beneficial for them.
• Schedule the surgery, and then plan your trapping day to minimize the amount of time the cat needs to remain in captivity. Ideally, we like to trap the day before surgery so the cat can be properly fasted the night before.
• Prepare the area where you will keep the cat before and after surgery. We generally plan to keep male cats one day after surgery, and females two to three days to ensure they have time to recover before returning.

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6. Tips to Reduce Stress

The recovery area should be indoors, temperature-controlled, quiet, and secure. We like to use a large 40-inch-plus dog crate that will fit a small litter box, food, water, and the trap or a transfer cage inside for the cat to hide in. We use large blankets/sheets to completely cover the dog crate, as well as covering the trap or transfer cage so the cat feels less vulnerable when they are hiding.

• If possible, add a white noise machine to mask unfamiliar noises, and plug in a cat pheromone diffuser to help reduce fear and stress.
• Plug in Feliway diffusers or use a cat pheromone spray on their bedding to help reduce stress.
• Prepare your vehicle for transport. We use a large sheet or blanket to cover the floor, as your trap will probably be dirty when the cat is inside. Never put a trapped cat in the back of a truck or anywhere other than inside the vehicle with you where the climate can be controlled, and it is quiet. We keep music off and talking at a low volume during transport to reduce stress. 

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7. Prepare and Set the Trap

• Feed a smaller amount the day before trapping to ensure the cat is hungry and motivated to go into the trap.
• Keep your trap-covering blankets nearby.
• Set up your trap, bait, and either the automatic trigger or a manual trigger. We prefer to manually trigger our traps because it gives the cat the opportunity to eat. Once the trap triggers, the cat may be too scared to eat.
• Make a trail with small amounts of bait or bait liquid leading into the trap.

8. Now, You Wait

• Retreat to your hideout and be very still and quiet. Cats will often stay just out of your sight if they see or hear you and aren’t used to eating with you nearby.
• Be prepared to sit quietly for as long as it takes.
• Never leave a set trap unattended.
• If the cat doesn’t come to eat when you are expecting it to, periodically re-evaluate your setup, and make adjustments. The cat is likely nearby and sensing something is different.

9. Triggering the Trap

• If you are manually triggering, wait until the cat is fully inside the trap (including their tail) and has been settled and eating for a few minutes. If the cat is nervous and looking around frequently, be patient and wait for it to settle.
• When the cat is settled and has eaten a good amount, pull the string quickly and hard to ensure the door falls into place before the cat has a chance to escape.
• The cat will panic and try to escape. It is very important to get the trap covered immediately, as this is the only way to stop the cat from thrashing. If the cat sees any light or cracks through the cover, it will try to escape, and could injure itself.
• Move the covered trap somewhere safe and quiet while you pack up.
• Take a moment to congratulate yourself on your stunning prowess as a trapper!

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8. What to Do After You’ve Trapped the Cat

• Get the cat settled in your holding area. If your appointment is the next day, provide food and water, turn up your white noise, turn out the lights and leave. Before you go to bed, remove the food so the cat is fasted prior to surgery.
• We use inexpensive home-security cameras to observe the cats after we leave the room. This allows us to assess how scared they are, whether they are eating, if they might be lost/stray instead of feral and how well they are recovering. It also allows us to know they’re ok without having to go in and stress them out by uncovering the trap and looking at them.
• If you’ve trapped two cats who know each other, you can keep their traps next to each other and uncover a section of trap in between the two so they can see, smell, and cuddle next to each other. Keep the rest of the traps covered completely.

9. Vet Prep

• Once the cat is settled in your holding area, make a list of questions/concerns to send with the cat to the vet. Did you observe any mobility issues? Wounds? Sneezing? Difficulty eating? Is the cat emaciated? We ask our vets to scan for microchips/tattoos, clean ears, check mouths for dental issues, apply flea treatment/dewormer, and vaccinate.

10. Recovery

• If the cat doesn’t seem to be recovering well, call your vet immediately and ask for advice.
• Keep their recovery area as quiet and low stress as possible. It will help them recover much faster.
• If the cat seems healthy and recovered after 1-3 days, return them to the same place you trapped them.
• If possible, see if someone who lives or works in the area would be willing to continue feeding the cat. We find that when we tell people the cat’s story, and they see how much we care about the cat, it often makes them care more about the cats and they become willing to look after them.

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Congratulations, You’re a Cat Trapper!

Remember, they’re not angry, they’re scared. “The way they react isn’t because they are mean or angry, it’s because they are scared and trying to survive,” says Roche. “Fortunately, we have the power to make their trapping experience safer, healthier, and less terrifying by understanding them better, and doing what we can to alleviate as much of that fear as possible.”

Being an extra compassionate cat trapper takes a lot of patience, flexibility, and preparation, but it is worth it!

This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Cat magazine. Subscribe today!