How do you trap kittens?

Hi Guys
I just discovered a mother cat & 4 tiny kittens living at the end of our street in a sort of wood yard. The wood yard is actually part of a hotel but they are doing some refurbishing so there's an area which is sort of used as a wood shed. The kittens seem to be living in here with mummy cat.

Fed them this evening. Two came out to eat with the mother cat. They look very thin but other wise quite healthy and they are eating solids.

How do i trap them? I have a proper cat trap and i'm pretty sure i can easily get the mother cat, but what do i do about the kittens? How can i get them all at once?

I don't want any to get left behind...

Some people make drop traps (I saw someone say in another thread there is a link somewhere on TCS). I've also seen people stick a bottle with a string attached to it under a normal trap door. Instead of the kitten setting it off you just wait for a few to go in and yank it out.

I've never trapped them myself though, so that's the best I got.

I do like the drop trap, my hubby made me one, I think it's less scarey for the little ones, and its big enough that likely they may all go in at once then you just pull the string, the thing is you have to watch it, and cover it and transfer them to a carrier via the slot that goes in it with a little door you slide out and get them in the carrier,
I got the last 5 of mine like that, I just cant remember where I saw that page how you build it. Maybe if you PM Hissy she will know I'm sure, Good luck

have taken a look at some sites with these drop trap thingys
i wonder why no one has suggested a design where the floor is already part of the trap ... as in the top falls onto the floor which is shaped to fit the top and then you fasten the floor to the top or slide some rope under it and tie the whole thing up to secure it....

well maybe i'll try and build one.... hopefully i can get them all to go in at once...

they are so so so thin
i know you are supposed to not feed them for 24hrs before hand but i just don't ahve the heart to starve them.... will continue to leave dry food out all day... hopefully wet food will be enough to lure them into the trap...

also mummy cat looks a bit menacing
not friendly at all!

Good luck though! Let us know how it goes. I hope it's easy and you get them all...

Be careful of the wire you make the drop trap out of- the kittens can get their heads or bodies caught in chicken wire and get seriously hurt. Hav-a-Heart traps come in kitten size as well as adult.

Originally Posted by hissy

Be careful of the wire you make the drop trap out of- the kittens can get their heads or bodies caught in chicken wire and get seriously hurt. Hav-a-Heart traps come in kitten size as well as adult.

Click to expand...

Was thinking of using a large gallon sized plastic transparent container with some air holes poked through it then we can just land the top on the lid and seal it that way with the existing clasps which are pretty firm. They'll only need to be inside for a 100meter brisk walk and then into the spare room at home...

in any case am a bit annoyed with our vet who basically told us that if we bring them into any of the vets they will put them down if not claimed or adopted within a month... she painted such a grim picture of the whoel situation here... very disheartening... the association on the other hand has painted quite a different picture... i was told by the lady in charge of trapping that they would place the kittens in foster homes for me... but the vet seems to think they are over stretched... anyway, i'm going to go ahead and try and trap them. if the assc. says they'll find foster homes for them i think that is better than them being on the streets.

Originally Posted by hissy

Be careful of the wire you make the drop trap out of- the kittens can get their heads or bodies caught in chicken wire and get seriously hurt. Hav-a-Heart traps come in kitten size as well as adult.

Click to expand...

I agree, Yes the wire can be a hazard, but My hubby did a wonderful job to make sure there were no loose sharp edges, also he made me one with a plastic type looking wire, I think that may be better

I eventually wound up trapping them individually in cat carriers. I spent a few days getting them used to eating in the carrier then on the last day i just closed the door behind them and that was that.

Originally Posted by zazi

I eventually wound up trapping them individually in cat carriers. I spent a few days getting them used to eating in the carrier then on the last day i just closed the door behind them and that was that.

Click to expand...

That's a good way to rescue them, I've done that before and it works if they're not too afraid- which is mostly the case with grown kittys. Good job.