A cat that eats from your hand every evening will still fight like a tiger the moment you try to pick it up and push it into a box. People get bitten, cats get away, and after that they won’t come near you for weeks.
There’s a better way: a humane box trap. It’s how cat groups everywhere catch street cats for neutering, and it’s safer for everyone.
The short version
- Book the vet first. Trap the night before, or that morning.
- Borrow a humane box trap from a cat group or council.
- Skip the cat’s meal for a day, but leave water.
- Bait the back of the trap with sardines or tuna.
- Once it’s shut, cover the trap with a towel.
- Never leave a set trap, and never grab a cat by hand.
Before the day
- Book the vet. Alley Cat Allies says to time trapping so the clinic can operate right away or the next morning, so the cat doesn’t sit in the trap for long. Tell the vet the cat is a street cat and will arrive in a trap.
- Get a trap. Local cat groups and some councils lend them. A good one has a door at each end and is about 90 cm long, so the cat has room.
- Get help. Two people are safer than one, and someone can watch while the other waits.
- Learn the routine. Feed at the same time and place for a few days, so you know when the cat comes. Shy cats can eat from the trap with the door tied open for a few days first, so it’s nothing new.
- Check for nursing mothers. A female with swollen nipples full of milk has kittens somewhere. Plan with the cat group before trapping her. Read is that street cat pregnant?
On the day
- No food for 24 hours. Alley Cat Allies says to withhold food for 24 hours before trapping, but keep the water. A hungry cat goes in. A full one doesn’t.
- Set the trap on flat ground, so it doesn’t wobble. Line the floor with newspaper.
- Bait it. About a tablespoon of something strong-smelling, like tuna in oil or sardines, right at the back. Drizzle a little of the oil towards the door, and put a tiny bit just inside.
- Step back and watch. Far enough that the cat isn’t put off, close enough to see the trap.
- Cover it at once. When the door shuts, put a towel or sheet over the whole trap. Darkness calms cats fast. Don’t open it to have a look.
The rules
- Never leave a set trap. A trapped cat can overheat in the sun, and people, dogs and kids interfere.
- Never grab, net or throw a blanket over a cat. Alley Cat Allies warns against it for your safety and the cat’s. A scared cat bites, and cat bites get infected easily. If you are bitten, see a doctor.
- Never release a cat from a trap to try again indoors. It goes straight to the vet in the trap.
- Caught the wrong cat? If it’s already ear-tipped, let it go. Check our guide to ear-tipped cats.
Trap-shy cats
Some cats learn. They watch the others get caught and never go near a trap again. For them, groups use a drop trap: a frame propped over the food on a stick, pulled down with a string when the cat is under it. Ask a local cat group to help. Most have one, and someone who knows how to use it.
After the vet
The cat goes back in its covered trap to recover, somewhere quiet, dry and not too hot or cold. Most programmes keep cats a day or two, then let them go exactly where they were caught. Open the door, step back, and don’t worry if the cat avoids you for a few days. It’ll be back for dinner.
Questions people ask
What is the best bait for trapping a cat?
Something strong-smelling, like sardines or tuna in oil. Put about a tablespoon at the back of the trap, a little oil towards the door, and a tiny bit just inside.
Should I stop feeding a cat before trapping?
Yes. Alley Cat Allies says to withhold food for 24 hours before trapping, but always leave water.
Can I just pick up a street cat and put it in a carrier?
It’s not safe. Even a friendly street cat may panic, bite and escape. A humane box trap is safer for you and the cat.
Snap the cats before you trap them. Then you’ll know who’s been neutered and who’s still to go.
