I'm having one heck of a time catching cats in my backyard. I had been catching cats but a couple raccoons realized there was a nightly buffet, they come every night and the cats stopped. There's one that I caught but the young boy escaped out a window on night one. He has a very bad yeast and bacteria infection in his ears and needs meds. The cats only come out at night. I go out every couple hours to check which makes for a long night. Usually, I catch the baby raccoon at 12:30, the adult at 3:30, and then nothing else after that. There are other cats out there too but I can't catch any. Any suggestions on how to keep the raccoons out of the trap? Do cats eat something that raccoons don't?
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Raccoons eat the food in trap. Can't catch the cats.
- Thread starter misee930
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Following to see what other folks suggest. We made sure they could not get the food by pulling the dish out, attached the dish to the back of the trap with wire. Cats can pull the dish out too though and we are not really sure who was doing that. We just kept putting the trap out. My husband is a trapper. Was. I think you'll find the raccoons will eat anything cats will, and more. Haven't tried it but what about a nice big meal of fruits and sweet corn and other veggies in a spot the raccoons can easily get to, away from the trap? Raccoons will eat nice juicy, maybe slightly gone fruit that smells more, and cats won't. Maybe they'll leave the meaty food for the cats? A wild guess.
I have no idea how to keep the raccoons out of the traps as they will eat absolutely everything and they love cat food.
Is there a way to try and get the cats to come out in the early morning hours or early evening? Maybe by leaving some food out during the day it would allow the cats to come eat then.
You could try calling for the cats and shaking a bag of food or taking a fork and banging on the dish to call for them. It might take a few days for them, but it just might be possible to train them to come eat when it is still light outside.
Otherwise you can keep trying and just release the raccoon each time, hoping they will grow tired of being trapped all night or wait until the weather gets cold when the raccoons aren't out. The problem with raccoons is that once they find a food source they are so hard to get rid of.
Is there a way to try and get the cats to come out in the early morning hours or early evening? Maybe by leaving some food out during the day it would allow the cats to come eat then.
You could try calling for the cats and shaking a bag of food or taking a fork and banging on the dish to call for them. It might take a few days for them, but it just might be possible to train them to come eat when it is still light outside.
Otherwise you can keep trying and just release the raccoon each time, hoping they will grow tired of being trapped all night or wait until the weather gets cold when the raccoons aren't out. The problem with raccoons is that once they find a food source they are so hard to get rid of.
I am thinking you should stop for a while..stop feeding and hopefully the raccoons will go away once they see there's no more food for them. Feed the cats during the day or when you can supervise to keep the raccoons away.
Providing food for the raccoons separately, the same food in the traps works for me.
You will need to stop for several days though too, to break their routine and get the cats coming back for food.
Raccoons won't actually hurt adult cats unless the cat is not too bright and takes a stand to them over food, which does trigger an attack. Otherwise they can both eat, even together as long as the supply is plenty to go around.
You will need to stop for several days though too, to break their routine and get the cats coming back for food.
Raccoons won't actually hurt adult cats unless the cat is not too bright and takes a stand to them over food, which does trigger an attack. Otherwise they can both eat, even together as long as the supply is plenty to go around.
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I think you should stop for a bit and regroup. My experience with trapping cats is to wake up early, before the sun comes up or try for a short time just when the sun goes down and set the trap for ferals. They are out hunting at that point, dusk and dawn... When I tried the all night thing all I got was raccoons (even on the porch!) and possums...and I read somewhere that you have to clean the trap after catching these animals because they will leave an odor and maybe the cats won't go in after them without a good cleaning. Besides losing a lot of sleep watching a trap all night, it's just easier to trap a cat at the times of day they are more active.
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- #7
Thank you all for your suggestions.
I've left food out all day but don't get any takers. I have a river on the side of my property and then woods. A lot of it is overgrown. I THINK the cats hang out in that overgrown area. I did read that raccoons LOVE marshmallows and suggested peanut butter, jelly, and marshmallow sandwiches. I made several and left them (with a bowl of water) outside the entrance of the shed (where the trap is). It kept the raccoons out that night but no cats in the trap either. The next time I put the sandwiches a little further away from the entrance thinking their smell was keeping the cats away. The raccoons went for the cat food instead.
I did wet down the trap afterwards one time but was unsure of how to do it properly. I'm afraid of it rusting and it isn't mine.
I've left food out all day but don't get any takers. I have a river on the side of my property and then woods. A lot of it is overgrown. I THINK the cats hang out in that overgrown area. I did read that raccoons LOVE marshmallows and suggested peanut butter, jelly, and marshmallow sandwiches. I made several and left them (with a bowl of water) outside the entrance of the shed (where the trap is). It kept the raccoons out that night but no cats in the trap either. The next time I put the sandwiches a little further away from the entrance thinking their smell was keeping the cats away. The raccoons went for the cat food instead.
I did wet down the trap afterwards one time but was unsure of how to do it properly. I'm afraid of it rusting and it isn't mine.
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- #8
As for cleaning the trap, regardless of what animal is trapped, they will leave a scent of fear and adrenaline behind, causing future cats to be cautious/stay clear.
Use any household spray like 409, spray all over well, wait a minute then hose it off well and dry in the sun.
It won't rust, only if it is unable to dry for days.
Use any household spray like 409, spray all over well, wait a minute then hose it off well and dry in the sun.
It won't rust, only if it is unable to dry for days.
You could keep feeding, just not using the trap. But leaving food out for too long will keep the raccoons coming too. You could leave food out just before dusk, then pick it up. The cats will get the hang of the timing....and it should be before raccoons come out at dusk. My cats know exactly when feeding time is, even the feral.
