I offer this
as an alternative way to get a cat in the trap.
This will only work if you are able to pick up the cat, which is NOT the case for most ferals.
But,
If you Are able to pick up the cat,
this method is worth a try. It requires 2 people, though, imo.
Most TNVR places require the cat to arrive in a trap to neuter and spay.
It is very hard to stuff a cat into a trap who does not want to go in a trap, as the cat sticks all 4 legs outwards and scratches brutally and squirms like a shape-shifter,
so,
I came up with this method, for strays and a few ferals
who do allow me to pick them up.
Sorry for lame drawings, we have no photographer here! hahaha.
EDIT :
PERSON 2 SHOULD WEAR GLOVES, TOO !!! Thanks to 1Bruce1
THE ONLY REASON I DO THIS----- IS BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
TO STUFF A CAT INTO A TRAP-------
BUT IT IS NOT TOO HARD TO JUST DROP A CAT IN A BOX----
AND
THE TNVR VETS
REQUIRE THAT ALL FERALS ARRIVING FOR SURGERY MUST BE IN A TRAP.
and some cats are so trap savvy it is stunning. And some females you have to get them there pronto. It is now or never kind of thing, at times.
STEP 1:
Preparing
Get a TALL sturdy box (if you have to fit the box into your car to get where the cat is, factor that in).
Cut a few, very small airholes in the box, near the top.
Tape all seams of box securely shut.
Leave top flaps open.
Cut a trap door near bottom, cutting only 3 sides, so it is a flap.
Tape that flap shut, leaving a small tab of tape folded over, to grab the tape later. (see pictures)
Toss a pillow you do not care about into the bottom of box.
GEt an accomplice.
Place a piece of cardboard on floor of your trap, to prevent the feeling of the bars bothering the cat. I recommend using brown "Tru Catch" traps. YOu can borrow these traps from local TNVR groups.
Practice ALL the moves a few times. Make certain your person2 truly does understand what to do, s/he has to rapidly move to close and press down the flaps at top of box. The cat can quickly climb up the box and try to squeeze out the flaps. Person 2 role is important. She may need at least 1 glove to push cat back in.
Usually, prior to capture day, -------- you have to
Feed the cat in the intended trapping location for at least several days,
at same time,
to ensure that the cat knows when and where to show up for dinner. Feed cat near box for several days,
so cat gets comfortable near box. (You can't leave box outdoors cuz it will get ruined by dew and rain)
Over a few days, I usually pick up cat briefly randomly a few times, and put him back down, so he gets less freaked out by that. Not all cats allow this, only strays usually, almost all ferals will refuse being touched,
and if you can not pick up the cat, ------this method will Not work for your cat.
Sorry.
STEP 2:
the day of the capture.
Person 1 puts on animal control thickness gloves, (amazon)
and picks up cat, and quickly drops cat into the TALL box with the pillow at bottom. and pulls off her gloves.
Person 2 quickly shuts the top flaps before cat can climb up and run out. MUst be super fast at this step, no hesitation, just bam! shut the flaps, holding and pushing the flaps shut to prevent cat from getting out. Do not relax, you are not done, that cat can pop right out between the cracks.
Person 1 grabs the package tape dispenser, and begins to tape the seams of the top flaps shut. Often the weird sound of the tape being pulled kinda makes the cat go back to bottom of box. Person 2 joins in taping as soon as possible, but it is more important to keep holding the flaps pressed shut tightly.
STEP 3:
Hardest part. It seems dicey, but I haven't lost one yet. Well, okay, i have only done this 3 times.
Move the trap right up to the box, which is now taped shut at the top. Put the trap right next to the trap door that you have previously cut 3 sides for, and had taped shut. Hopefully, you did remember to leave the end of the tape on the door folded a bit, so you can grab ahold of that tape to remove it.
Person 1 keeps hand on trap door, but removes the tape from bottom and sides of the previously cut trap door, I have made kind of scarey noises at this point,
to help cat inside Not begin to squeeze out of trap door sides Before we are ready.
Meanwhile
Person2 has trap "set" to go off,
and holds trap riiiiiiight up against the soon-to-be open trap door. Have a sheet over trap, so it appears to be dark safe place for cat to run to. Have blankets to fill in any space between trap and box.
Soon as Person1 has all tape off, press trap right up against trap door.
Cat runs out of trap door of the box,---> straight into trap.
the trap door falls, and cat is caught
so we can get cat to the vet and improve his life.
I use the brown "Tru-catch" traps for this,
and Person2 can hold that trap door open with their finger, if need be,
because sometimes--------- if you are moving traps around, they close before you are ready.
I use the "backdoor" of the 2 door tru trap, i slide it down by hand behind cat. That way, i can get trap even closer to the box.
But a brown "Tru-Catch" trap can be held open with your finger for this method. This step will take practice.
You can borrow a trap from your local TNVR groups for this.
I do not know if this method can be done with the slammer kind of traps?? I do not use those slamming traps,
as they can really hurt a cat
if the cat's leg is still outside the trap, ouch, oh, i have had a cat limp for along time . Made me sick. Awful things, those slammers.
Slamming traps are usually silver and have a diagonal bar in them when viewed from the side. I use a brown "tru catch" trap, because they close fairly quietly, and softly, and if the cat's back leg IS still in the doorway as often happens,
the cat won't be injured by the Tru trap the way a slammer will.
Anyway, this is one idea that might help someone out there.
GOOD LUCK !!
See 1st comment under this
for a 2nd idea to consider.
as an alternative way to get a cat in the trap.
This will only work if you are able to pick up the cat, which is NOT the case for most ferals.
But,
If you Are able to pick up the cat,
this method is worth a try. It requires 2 people, though, imo.
Most TNVR places require the cat to arrive in a trap to neuter and spay.
It is very hard to stuff a cat into a trap who does not want to go in a trap, as the cat sticks all 4 legs outwards and scratches brutally and squirms like a shape-shifter,
so,
I came up with this method, for strays and a few ferals
who do allow me to pick them up.
Sorry for lame drawings, we have no photographer here! hahaha.
EDIT :
PERSON 2 SHOULD WEAR GLOVES, TOO !!! Thanks to 1Bruce1
THE ONLY REASON I DO THIS----- IS BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
TO STUFF A CAT INTO A TRAP-------
BUT IT IS NOT TOO HARD TO JUST DROP A CAT IN A BOX----
AND
THE TNVR VETS
REQUIRE THAT ALL FERALS ARRIVING FOR SURGERY MUST BE IN A TRAP.
and some cats are so trap savvy it is stunning. And some females you have to get them there pronto. It is now or never kind of thing, at times.
STEP 1:
Preparing
Get a TALL sturdy box (if you have to fit the box into your car to get where the cat is, factor that in).
Cut a few, very small airholes in the box, near the top.
Tape all seams of box securely shut.
Leave top flaps open.
Cut a trap door near bottom, cutting only 3 sides, so it is a flap.
Tape that flap shut, leaving a small tab of tape folded over, to grab the tape later. (see pictures)
Toss a pillow you do not care about into the bottom of box.
GEt an accomplice.
Place a piece of cardboard on floor of your trap, to prevent the feeling of the bars bothering the cat. I recommend using brown "Tru Catch" traps. YOu can borrow these traps from local TNVR groups.
Practice ALL the moves a few times. Make certain your person2 truly does understand what to do, s/he has to rapidly move to close and press down the flaps at top of box. The cat can quickly climb up the box and try to squeeze out the flaps. Person 2 role is important. She may need at least 1 glove to push cat back in.
Usually, prior to capture day, -------- you have to
Feed the cat in the intended trapping location for at least several days,
at same time,
to ensure that the cat knows when and where to show up for dinner. Feed cat near box for several days,
so cat gets comfortable near box. (You can't leave box outdoors cuz it will get ruined by dew and rain)
Over a few days, I usually pick up cat briefly randomly a few times, and put him back down, so he gets less freaked out by that. Not all cats allow this, only strays usually, almost all ferals will refuse being touched,
and if you can not pick up the cat, ------this method will Not work for your cat.
Sorry.
STEP 2:
the day of the capture.
Person 1 puts on animal control thickness gloves, (amazon)
and picks up cat, and quickly drops cat into the TALL box with the pillow at bottom. and pulls off her gloves.
Person 2 quickly shuts the top flaps before cat can climb up and run out. MUst be super fast at this step, no hesitation, just bam! shut the flaps, holding and pushing the flaps shut to prevent cat from getting out. Do not relax, you are not done, that cat can pop right out between the cracks.
Person 1 grabs the package tape dispenser, and begins to tape the seams of the top flaps shut. Often the weird sound of the tape being pulled kinda makes the cat go back to bottom of box. Person 2 joins in taping as soon as possible, but it is more important to keep holding the flaps pressed shut tightly.
STEP 3:
Hardest part. It seems dicey, but I haven't lost one yet. Well, okay, i have only done this 3 times.
Move the trap right up to the box, which is now taped shut at the top. Put the trap right next to the trap door that you have previously cut 3 sides for, and had taped shut. Hopefully, you did remember to leave the end of the tape on the door folded a bit, so you can grab ahold of that tape to remove it.
Person 1 keeps hand on trap door, but removes the tape from bottom and sides of the previously cut trap door, I have made kind of scarey noises at this point,
to help cat inside Not begin to squeeze out of trap door sides Before we are ready.
Meanwhile
Person2 has trap "set" to go off,
and holds trap riiiiiiight up against the soon-to-be open trap door. Have a sheet over trap, so it appears to be dark safe place for cat to run to. Have blankets to fill in any space between trap and box.
Soon as Person1 has all tape off, press trap right up against trap door.
Cat runs out of trap door of the box,---> straight into trap.
the trap door falls, and cat is caught
so we can get cat to the vet and improve his life.
I use the brown "Tru-catch" traps for this,
and Person2 can hold that trap door open with their finger, if need be,
because sometimes--------- if you are moving traps around, they close before you are ready.
I use the "backdoor" of the 2 door tru trap, i slide it down by hand behind cat. That way, i can get trap even closer to the box.
But a brown "Tru-Catch" trap can be held open with your finger for this method. This step will take practice.
You can borrow a trap from your local TNVR groups for this.
I do not know if this method can be done with the slammer kind of traps?? I do not use those slamming traps,
as they can really hurt a cat
if the cat's leg is still outside the trap, ouch, oh, i have had a cat limp for along time . Made me sick. Awful things, those slammers.
Slamming traps are usually silver and have a diagonal bar in them when viewed from the side. I use a brown "tru catch" trap, because they close fairly quietly, and softly, and if the cat's back leg IS still in the doorway as often happens,
the cat won't be injured by the Tru trap the way a slammer will.
Anyway, this is one idea that might help someone out there.
GOOD LUCK !!
See 1st comment under this
for a 2nd idea to consider.
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