Tips to catch ferrel cat

[Byrd gal]

I have two coop guests they look to be about 6 months old maybe? Not babies but not grown. Anyway I need to catch them to get fixed. They are very wild and are usually in the run of the coop. I cannot corner them to use a blanket and the animal trap is not working. Suggestions? I don't want spring kittens!!

 

[Isadora]

A long handled net, perhaps? Along with gloves and a towel for your protection once they're netted.

 

[raingarden]

Keep putting food in the trap. They will eventually get used to it and will go in.

 

[Sussex19]

Keep putting food in the trap. They will eventually get used to it and will go in.

X2
Don't set it to start with, just put the food in with door wide open.
Once they are eating out of it reliably, set it.

 

[Sussex19]

A long handled net, perhaps? Along with gloves and a towel for your protection once they're netted.

If they really are feral, a net will only work up till around 3 months.
After that, there is no way of getting close enough, and even if you did they would most likely escape it.
Pretty dangerous too, as you would have to get far too close for comfort when getting them out of the net.
Gloves hardly do anything for a cats bite, unless they are really thick and then you can't feel what you are doing. I once got bitten though gloves, and couldn't move my finger for a week, it was so bruised.

 

[SeaCity]

X2
Don't set it to start with, just put the food in with door wide open.
Once they are eating out of it reliably, set it.

Also you can cover part of the trap with a towel.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I had to catch stray cats multiple times no owners and they were living in our garage and turns out one had kittens. I used a live trap a large one with tuna and turns out they love bologna(which i thought was disgusting). And after 4 cans of tuna and a few pieces of bologna(which only the male cats ate) all mine were captured and tooken to safe homes. I wish we could have kept the calico kitten but a relative is allergic.

 

[cassie]

I didn't read the thread and other people may have suggested this same thing. Put food in the trap but have it set so that it won't trap. Get them used to going in and out of it before you try to catch them.

 

[CloneFly]

I agree with several of the above^ we've been doing feral cat rescues for over 20yrs... the trap is your best bet. Cover it with a dark blanket or towel so that they don't see the wires and make sure to place the food inside. It also helps to take *tiny* pieces of the bait and make a "crumb" trail so to speak leading into the cage. Be sure it's not enough for them to be satisfied with, just enough to tease them into getting closer to the cage and finally inside. Just be patient. You could also begin feeding the kitties for a few days then place the covered trap by their usual "feeding station" and see if that works. Best of luck!

 

[LhickenChicken]

Fishing net will work yes.