tips on using a drop trap?

minouloveblue

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There are eight ferals - two mothers with two kitten each, a tom cat, a male cat and young male - that I need to capture. The younger male got out of a the traditional trap last week. I ordered the expensive drop trap because it is getting cold and I have some wacky neighbors scaring the ferals.
Tips for the drop trap? The kitten are eight and 10 weeks. Help
 

catsallaround

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Never used one but my only advice would be practice inside or outside but not near cats your trying to trap
You have enough cages to transfer all individually? and if new to trapping you have a good vet that can take at least the females/spraying age males fast?
 
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minouloveblue

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I am trying to find vets in the area that will spay/neuter them at a lower cost. I have trapped cats before and some went to a shelter that I found out later did not fulfill its promise and said two of them were too wild. I took one feral in about 1.5 years ago and it took time for her to get used to indoor life and my other two cats. She's an angel and my nine-year-old love her company.

Meanwhile, I feel the need to help the rest of the cats. They avoided the traditional traps that a shelter put out earlier this year and only left between 11 am and 3 pm. The two females are bound to get pregnant again. I was only successful getting half of their liters (when they were smaller).
 

momofmany

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Are your questions concerning how to best use the trap, or what to do with the cats once you catch them?

I built a drop trap and donated it to our local humane society for their TNR program. I actually never used it, but read enough to teach them to use it. They caught a feral that had alluded them for 5 years with that trap.

Place the trap in an area where you normally feed them. Don't know what materials your trap is made from, but they found that putting a piece of non-stick material (like rubber, or a rubber backed rug) under the side that remains on the ground will prevent the trap from sliding when it is tripped. Some traps have a non-slip surface on one side of the trap already.

Get yourself a good long rope to tie around the stick that holds the trap up. Place yourself some place where the cats won't obviously see you when you hold the rope, but don't pick a place where the cats would walk by to get to the food. I was told by someone that they sat inside their car with the window unrolled holding the rope one time. If you need to move their feeding location around to do so, then start migrating the food closer to where you are ultimately going to place the trap.

Bait it with the stinkiest food you can find and wait for them. Many cats can't resist the smell of Kentucky Fried Chicken (original recipe with skin and bones removed).

Once you've caught the cat, you will need to transfer the cat into another trap or carrier. If your drop trap is built like its supposed to, there should be a transfer (or release) door near the corner of one side. When a cat is trapped like this, they will run from corner to corner trying to find an escape route. Open up the transfer trap and place the opening against the transfer door. Hold it completely tight against it and open it when your companion is in position. Have someone else to stand at the opposite corner to do 2 things: hold the trap tight against the transfer trap and to make the cat nervous so they head in your direction. I heard a story where a cat was able to push through a crack they created between the transfer trap and the drop trap because it was not held firmly enough.

Did I answer your question?
 
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minouloveblue

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I did not know that I couldn't use the drop trap to transport the cats. That is wonderful advice. I am still waiting for the trap to arrive. I am not sure about it's construction. I ordered the trap from Alley Cats.
 

debster747

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I used a drop trap a while back... once the trap drops on the kittens, cover the drop trap with a large cloth. That will calm down the kittens inside and make transferring them to the carrier a bit easier. Good luck!!!
 
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