To Drop Trap Or Another Method ?

[kmbishop111]

Okay, so I have some new cats and a couple hard to trap cats that I'm needing to TNR soon. I haven't added a Drop Trap to my arsenal YET, as it has not been practical to spend the money. (Plus it's money, and money seems to always elude me
Y'all know what I'm talking about lol)

My question is this, should I just get it over with and buy one, or is there some better alternatives that might work.

(I watched a neat Youtube video involving a reg trap and a WATER BOTTLE w a string?Does this actually work?)

I have no resources close to me where I could borrow one.

Oh, and the remote, how handy is that and is it worth the money?

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

I've used Wile E. Coyote traps for decades - a box, a "floor" a stick and a string - with cats who simply won't allow themselves to be caught in a regular Havahart feral cat trap. Mine's large enough to make sure that the tail is clear, and has form rubber insulation at the edge of the box all round. It takes a little patience, but mine have never failed.
.

 

[Norachan]

I've used the regular trap with a water bottle several times successfully. Very useful when you want to trap one particular trap from a colony.

Use a big enough water bottle to keep the door fully open and make sure it's full of water. The bottle will be more stable if it's weighted down.

Use a long length of rope. That way you can be a fair distance from the trap and the cats won't be too nervous to go in. Take along a blanket to sit on. It's easy to pull the bottle away if you are down at the same level as the trap. Cats won't be as nervous if you are sitting down, rather than standing over them.

Practice pulling the water bottle away a few times before you go out trap. One good firm tug should do it, but you'll feel more confident after a couple of dry runs.

Put plenty of food in and make sure it's right at the back of the trap. The easy to trap ones will probably go right in, eat and walk away again before the more trap savvy ones will risk it. That's OK though, seeing the other cats go in and out will make them think it's safe to go in too.

They key is too be calm and nonchalant about it. Sit down, look the other way, take a few deep breaths. For me the hardest part of trapping is not having a panic attack at the thought of trapping them.

Good luck!

 

[kmbishop111]

WOW! So the water bottle trick does work?? That is GREAT news!! That will cut the cost in HALF.

I have several Havahart and other traps, but was thinking I might have to go with a Drop Trap. Whew. Ok, now to practice my skills with this.

I have a few in particular that have outsmarted me for a minute now. The last one, Ramon, has been TNR'd so he's trap savvy anyway, but was needing to trap for medical reasons. I had a Vet on stand-by to do his tail amputation FREE OF CHARGE, if I could just trap him!! (During spay/neuter clinic) And Barron is the last of this colony to be TNR'd. (I had trapped 4 others from this colony already this day and it was down to crutch time)

Ramon would not get near the trap until around 3 pm as they were calling it a day at the clinic. I needed Ramon and Barron, AND the trap malfunctioned. Grrrrr.....

Ramon pictured on the left, Barron in the trap.

Thank you for the advice!!