download/print - Neighborhood Cats

PreparationsAs with any trapping, it helps to get the cats on a routine so they show up daily at thesame time and place to eat. That way you know where and when to show up to trap. Oneof the big advantages to using a drop trap is that you don’t have to withhold food the daybefore the trapping. Because the cats are less fearful of a drop trap, they don’t need to beas hungry before they’ll go under. Just don’t feed the day of the trapping. Then theyshould be interested enough to check out the bait.Here’s a list of materials you’ll need, in addition to the drop trap itself:Box traps with guillotine-style rear doors or transfer cages (as many asthe number of cats you plan to trap)Trap dividersString or cord (should be strong, at least 50 feet in length and wrappedaround a stick or similar object)Heavy object, like a large rock or bucket of rocks (for weighing downthe drop trap)Large blanket (to cover the drop trap)Sheets (to cover the box traps or transfer cages)Large plastic bowl or equivalentBait (lots of it!)Binoculars (optional - for spotting eartipped cats or if you’re going towatch the trap from a far distance) Setting up the trap• Choose a locationThe first decision is where to place the trap. Four factors should be considered inchoosing the optimal spot:(a) Good visibility. You'll need to see the trap clearly from a distance soyou can tell when to pull the string.(b) Flat surface. Choose a place where the ground is flat. If there are anygaps between the trap and the ground after it drops, a determined cat caninsert a paw and push the trap up just enough to escape.(c) Loction near the usual feeding site. Ideally, the trap will be set upwhere the cats are used to coming to eat.(d) Adequate space for a box trap. Remember, you’re going to have totransfer cats out of the drop trap through its sliding side door and into a boxtrap or transfer cage. Make sure there’s enough room on the side of the droptrap for a box trap or transfer cage to fit.98