Trapping Feral Cats In Winter

Most brands of live trap work essentially the same way but follow the instructions particular to the model you get.

Trapping feral cats in winter. The safest way to trap a feral cat or a wild animal of any kind is to use a safe live trap such as the havahart brand. We believe that fall is the best time to do major tnvr trapping. Step one get the right kind of cat trap. Provide a buffer from wind and snow.

They are resilient and able to live and thrive in all varieties of locations weather conditions and climates. Community cats also called outdoor stray or feral cats are well suited to living outdoors usually in close proximity to humans and can survive winter on their own. Leave enough time always plan on at least two days to trap an entire colony three days if you re after ten or more cats when mass trappings fail to get all or almost all of the colony it s often because the trapper only allowed for one day and something went wrong like bad weather unexpected foot traffic loud construction noise or a similar disruption. Set up your trap in an enclosed area to protect the cat from the cold.

Obtain a live trap. Cats rely on body heat to stay warm so keep your shelters small for colonies with just a few cats. Trapping cats in winter may also offer an opportunity to prevent the birth of more kittens come spring. Don t use anything folded on the floor of a shelter.

Build your winter cat shelter in a safe spot concealed from predators where your feral cats can feel safe. Before trapping feral cats in cold months though it may be wise to first provide a shelter. For more populated colonies go with multiple shelters of a larger size. Bales of straw are great insulation and a good windbreak.

A medium sized trap should be fine for most feral cats and raccoon sized animals. Bedding for feral cat shelters. All cat traps are not made equal. These cats are already struggling to stay alive and feral cat focus will not put one more obstacle in their way.

The cat will be forced to step over the stick and her paw will land harder on the trigger plate just beyond it springing the trap. In this post i ll explain how to catch a feral cat in a trap in four easy steps. If possible trap as far away as you can from the shelter you ve built. During winter you cannot safely trap and keep feral free roaming cats warm enough to heal properly after spay neuter surgery.

I ve learned through my experience in trapping and socializing feral cats that they are really smart and unless you go in with a plan it s not nearly as easy as it may seem. For cats who have learned to step lightly to avoid triggering traps slide a stick through the side holes of the trap just in front of the trigger plate and a few inches off the trap floor. Bushes or a covering of fir branches hide shelters well.