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effective, some experienced trappers will use it instead of box traps to catch all the cats ina colony, not just the more difficult ones.When the first edition of this handbook was published, we included instructions onhow to build a drop trap because none were commercially available on a large scale.Since then, Neighborhood Cats has teamed up with Tomahawk Live Trap to design amass-produced model and now all you need to do is place your order. The trap doesrequire a little training and practice. Chapter 10 describes in detail how to use one.For the do-it-yourself trapper who wants to build her own drop trap,check out the Drop Trap Design Bank (http://droptrapdesign.blogspot.com/).Trap designs, demonstration videos and more are available.• Train the cat to enter a box trapIf a box trap can be safely left out for one to two weeks, a cat can be trained to enter itto eat. Begin by securing the front door of the trap in an open position. Use a cable tie orrun a stick or rod through both sides of the trap just below the open front door, blocking itfrom falling. Place the trap near the normal feeding station or spot.The first day, put a plate of food on the ground a foot or so away from the front of thetrap. Keep placing the food at this spot until you see it’s being eaten. Then, next timeyou feed, move the plate so it’s still outside the trap but right below the open front door.Again, wait until you see the cat is eating from the plate, and then move it a few inchesinside the trap. Continue this process until the plate is at the back of the trap and the catis going all the way in. Then set the trap.This method works well with lone cats, but can be problematic if the hard-to-catch catis part of a larger colony. In that case, you might not be able to tell whether the target catis eating the food and being trained to go in the trap as opposed to other cats in thecolony. If the colony is a small one, say six cats or less, you could try training all of themby putting all of their food on the plate or in a big bowl. Then when you’re confidentyour target cat is among those entering the trap to eat, use the bottle-and-string trick tosingle him out (see “Bottle-and-string trick” in the “Kittens” section earlier in thischapter).Training a cat this way assumes it’s safe to leave a trap out unattended for anextended period of time. A private setting, like a caretaker’s backyard, is best. If thelocation is accessible to the public, precautions to protect both the cat and the equipmentshould be taken. The trap should be locked with a chain to an immovable object, like afence post or stairwell rail. The rear door should be removed and taken away, renderingthe trap useless if anyone wanted to try setting or taking it. In this situation, , where thecat can enter either the front or rear door, the goal is to train the cat to go to the middle ofthe trap’s interior to eat.Even with these precautions, if the trap is too visible and foot traffic is too high, thismethod should not be used. Only try it in a publicly accessible place with light traffic.Even then, find a spot that is at least somewhat hidden, like behind a concrete barrier orsome bushes.92