First of all, begin by feeding the cat or cats at the same time every day. Make a small noise when you put down the food, such as jingling your car keys or calling. This gets the cat used to coming to a particular spot at a particular time. Then you place the trap in this spot.
If the cat is very difficult to trap, it is suggested that you leave the trap open with food inside. Let the cat go in and out a few times in order to eat the food. You can leave a small trail of food up to the trap, but make sure you only use the smallest amount of food as a trail – otherwise the cat eats all the ‘bait’ and is no longer hungry enough to go inside the trap!
Do not put traps too close together, as the sound of a trap snapping shut will scare off any other cats. It is preferable either to space traps widely apart, or put them down one at a time. Once the cat is in the trap, cover it immediately with a cloth. The covering will calm the cat and will prevent it from trying to get out. Cats can injure themselves if they try to get out of traps. NEVER leave a cat uncovered in a trap.
Once the cat is inside the trap, and the trap is covered, remove the trap to an area out of sight and sound and put down the next trap.
If you continue to have difficulty trapping, call on one of our trappers for help or advice. Contact us at admin@catsofdurban.co.za
Vital information if you want to trap a cat.
If you wish to trap a cat in order to sterilize it, or take a wild cat for treatment, there are two things you must learn:
How to operate the trap
How to prevent injury or undue stress to the trapped cat.
There are two types of traps: the self-baiting trap, and the operated trap. The only difference between the two is that, in the first, the cat triggers the mechanism and in the second, the trapper triggers the mechanism.
It is difficult to instruct someone how to operate a trap in writing, as each trap is slightly different and has different ways of operating.
When you hire or collect the trap, make sure that the owner of the trap gives you an instruction in how to use it. Once you have the trap, try it out a few times to get used to trapping.
The most important thing, in fact is VITALLY important, is that once the cat is inside the trap, the trap MUST be covered with a cloth – a sheet or tablecloth.
A cat in an uncovered trap will injure itself against the bars in trying to get out.
However, once the top and sides are covered, it will calm down immediately.
Putting a cat, or transporting a cat in an uncovered trap is extremely cruel and stressful to the animal.
See the picture above of trappers Doug and Jeni with a number of covered traps, waiting to go to the vet for sterilization.
Handle the covered trap gently, with no sudden movements. Make sure it is in an area with no drafts or sudden noises.
Just remember that this cat is terribly scared and has no idea what is about to happen to it. Speak to it soothingly, and keep it covered as much as possible.
