18 tips on how to catch a wild cat

Many people, seeing a sick or injured cat on the street, want to help it. But animals are not always willing to contact people. And then the question arises: how to catch a cat without harming the animal or getting hurt yourself? Veterinarians answer: you need to be patient and prepare special devices.
How to catch a stray cat?

Hide the trigger plate

The cat may have learned to recognize the plate covering the hatch and learn how to avoid it. To prevent her from tiptoeing on and around the dish, try covering it and some of the bottom of the trap in front and behind it with newspaper or cloth.

Or cut a piece of cardboard slightly narrower than the width of your trap and a couple of inches longer than the trigger plate. Tape the cardboard to the middle of the plate and loosely to the bottom of the trap. Cats won't be able to step over the trigger so easily!

Other breeds

As a hunter for a private home, you can purchase the following breed of cats:

European Shorthair. Smart, active and inquisitive pets, distinguished by courage and bravery. The European Shorthair cat adapts to any weather conditions and is distinguished by its affectionate behavior. In the fight against rodents, animals have proven themselves to be ruthless killers.
European tabby. The color of the animal is similar to that of a tiger. Tabbies are distinguished by their strong structure and muscularity, have a strong, large head, sharp teeth and claws. The hunting instinct is inherent from birth, so they grow up to be excellent mousecatchers.
Turkish Angora. Cats of this breed have snow-white fur and blue eyes. Despite its defenseless appearance, the Turkish Angora tends to live in the yard and lead an active life. Thanks to fearlessness and curiosity, the pet effectively catches mice.

Use a drip eliminator

If a standard box trap just won't do it, try using a drip trap. It's a large mesh box that you prop up and launch manually using a rope. Be sure to place the drip trap on a level surface and have a partner, as the size of the traps makes them difficult to handle alone. Prop the trap with a wooden stick or a full bottle tied with rope, leaving enough rope so that you can hide a few meters away and hold the end of it.

Bait the trap with plenty of food in case cats you don't want to catch wander in before your target. Don't trigger the trap until your target cat is inside; if she sees other cats trapped, she will stay away! Once you have set the trap and caught the desired cat, immediately cover it with a sheet and prepare a trap box. Move the cat into a trap box to make it easier to contain and transport.

When to contact a specialist?

If an escaped cat climbed a tree or fell into a sewer hatch, it is better not to climb yourself, so as not to get hurt. There is a special rescue service for catching wild animals. We need to contact them. They will help you get the animal without causing harm. If an escaped pet shows signs of rabies or other dangerous diseases, you should not approach it under any circumstances. This is done by specially trained people together with the veterinary service.

Having set out to help a street animal, a person inevitably faces the need to catch it. Everything is easy and simple if the cat reaches out to you when it meets you, demonstrating exceptional friendliness. Such animals are waiting for human help, and picking them up from the street is not difficult.

However, the situation is completely different with timid and cautious cats, who do not really trust humans and prefer to keep their distance. In addition, it is important to distinguish a potentially aggressive animal from one that is simply fearful. Volunteers of the Murkosha shelter talked about how to do this and what behavioral tactics to choose in the article “How to distinguish a wild cat from a shy one? ".

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Important! When interacting with stray animals on the street, use disposable medical gloves. As a rule, novice volunteers have a vague idea of the capture process, so next we decided to answer the most frequently asked questions to help you figure it out.

Can all cats be caught and which ones do not need to be caught? To improve the situation with homeless animals, the catch, sterilization, vaccination and release (TSRV) program works well. There is quite good evidence of this practice even without a subsequent device, which, of course, is still preferable. The more street animals pass through the WWTP through volunteers and charitable organizations, the higher the effectiveness of our joint work. But there are still a few exceptions that a novice volunteer should take into account. 1) It is obvious that cats on their own, although they are exposed to great danger, are still domestic. Since not all such pets have collars, it is better to check with your neighbors in the yard if the cat belongs to one of the local residents and make sure that it is ownerless before grabbing the cat catcher. 2) A cat with signs of rabies (aggressiveness, drooling, convulsions, paralysis, etc.) must be taken from the street, BUT not you. Contact the service for catching stray animals, reporting the symptoms, external signs of the animal and the exact address. 3) Some cats have adapted to life on the street so much that they behave in the urban jungle like their wild relatives. They are very careful, hide well and run away at the slightest sign of danger. Of course, such animals are worth catching in order to be sterilized, vaccinated and released back, but this is really very difficult to do.

What do I need to catch it myself? 1. Kotolovka. A special trap for cats with a tightly slamming door. Perfect option. You can ask about rentals at animal protection organizations, shelters, or among experienced volunteers. If not found, use the next option. 2. Carrying. For your purposes, you need a durable plastic carrier with a removable lid and a metal door. Firstly, the presence of a door allows it to be used as a trap, secondly, such material is easy to disinfect, and thirdly, a removable lid will allow the veterinarian in the clinic to most carefully remove a cat from the carrier in a state of severe stress. 3. A fragrant and tasty treat. Used as bait and positive reinforcement. 4. Plastic bowl. Wet food suitable as a treat should not be placed directly on the ground. 5. Time and patience. In addition to the direct process of catching, feel free to spend several days taming a timid animal. Yes, with a competent approach, it may take some time, exceeding one free day, but the likelihood of a successful outcome of the operation increases. And it's better for the animal. Be prepared in advance for the fact that catching and all subsequent mandatory activities will take you the whole day.

Important! Blankets, rugs, sheets and similar items are not suitable for catching a cat. You risk missing, since a person’s reaction is inferior to a cat’s, and after such an attack the cat will no longer come within a cannon shot of you. In addition, you can overdo it and harm the animal, or it itself will rush to attack, defending itself.

How to catch a cat on the street? Earn her trust and offer favorable conditions. The simplest thing is to feed the animal in the morning and/or evening. At first, you leave food (choose one type and do not change in the process) near the cat’s shelter and move away at a respectful distance. With each feeding, reduce the distance a little. When the cat stops being afraid of you and begins to let you approach, offer her food inside the carrier. This stage is also carried out in several passes: at first the food is almost on the threshold, with each feeding move the bowl deeper. As soon as you realize that you can quickly close the door without missing the nimble cat, it’s time to act. Please note that a mistake will cost you lost trust and you will have to start all over again, so there is no need to rush.

This method of capture is much preferable, since harsh methods for cats with weak psyches are a strong psychological trauma, the consequences of which you will have to deal with for a long time. Accordingly, by speeding up the process at the beginning of the journey, you will not achieve anything good and will not gain time.

When should you contact professional trappers? This option may be relevant for you in the following cases: • the cat is aggressive, does not make contact at all and is clearly ready to attack; • the cat hid in some hard-to-reach place and essentially found itself in a trap; • emergency situation (threat of immuring cats in the basement, bullying, demolition of their habitat, etc.) – the choice between stress and death is obvious.

Important! Based on the experience of working with cats at the Murkosha shelter, harsh catching is extremely stressful for cats, greatly undermining their previously weak trust in people . The socialization of such animals subsequently takes a lot of time. Therefore, do not resort to aggressive methods unless necessary. And, of course, choose a specialist based on the recommendations of experienced volunteers.

What should you do next when the cat is caught? Take him to the veterinary clinic, having previously arranged an appointment (highly advisable), so as not to spend half a day in the waiting room with a frightened animal. For detailed information on the necessary tests, precautions in terms of infection safety and the principles of quarantining a stray animal, read the following material from the Murkosha shelter: “Safety rules when communicating with a stray animal".

Lure your cat into a more confined space

It's easier to catch a trap when you don't have to do it outdoors! Place food in a smaller space that you can get close to, such as a garage or shed. Hide and wait for the cat to come in, then close the door behind it. Before you lure your kitten in, prepare the room.

Clear the space of any possible hiding places, then lean one large board against the wall. Set up a trap box and hide it behind the board. When a cat is confined to a smaller space, it will immediately try to find the nearest hiding place. Since you only left her with one option, she will rush behind the board and possibly straight into a trap.

Finding the owner of a lost home

If you suspect that a pet has a legal owner, you must take steps to find him. Of course, having a chip or tag on the collar with a contact phone number or address is the best option for both the pet and the owner. If there are no contacts, then you will have to look for an old house through advertisements.

First of all, you need to look through advertisements in newspapers, social networks, as well as paper alerts about the loss of a pet with similar external signs in the area where the cat was found. Many owners begin an active search, posting in special groups, and also posting advertisements in their area of residence.

A veterinary clinic can advise the owner of the animal if the pet has a characteristic color or is a representative of a rare breed. In any case, you should leave a contact number at the nearest veterinary office in case the owner goes there.

In large cities there is a special 24-hour “Lost” service. After calling there, you need to name the approximate breed or special characteristics of the found cat, indicate the place where the animal was found, and leave your contact numbers.

Social networks allow you not only to post an advertisement about a found animal, but also to photograph it, which increases the chances of finding the owner. If there is a shelter in the city, you must provide your coordinates and a description of the pet you found. Often owners look for their lost ones there too.

Use the cat's kittens to catch her

Kittens are a powerful lure for avoidant cats. If you manage to catch her kittens first, place them in a carrier or other box trap and place its door on the back of the trap you plan to use to catch the mother.

Place a dark sheet or towel over everything except the entrance to the mom trap. Mom will think she can see her kittens through a dark tunnel and will walk into a trap to get to them. If it's cold outside, keep the kittens warm by lining their carriers or the floor with the trap with a towel and placing a couple of hot water bottles under them.

We evaluate the animal

It is sometimes not so easy to distinguish a street dweller from a pet that has accidentally found its way outside its home. It is a mistake to assume that a stray animal must be emaciated and dirty. The street poor people are often fed by compassionate people. In addition, a healthy animal takes care of its fur and looks no worse than its domestic relatives.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between domestic cats released by their owners onto the streets and stray inhabitants of streets and yards. In this case, it is necessary to observe such a cat for some time.

If an animal is outside in the evening and at night, then most likely it does not have a home. Walking domestic cats are usually accustomed to returning from the street at night.

Many owners let their pet out into the yard after putting an anti-parasitic collar on it. Its presence indicates that the animal has an owner and is not stray. Caring owners also attach a tag to such a collar indicating their phone number and address. Purebred and valuable animals are often microchipped so that in case of loss the rightful owner can be identified.

A cat that comes outside for the first time experiences severe stress if it has never left the apartment before. Therefore, the behavior of some pets found outside the apartment may be similar to their wild counterparts. As a rule, stray animals do not trust humans, especially if they have spent their entire lives on the street.

Pets associate people with food, warmth and comfort, so a lost animal is more likely to make contact even with a stranger. These cats have a well-groomed appearance and a beautiful, shiny coat. Upon closer inspection, you can note the cleanliness of the eyes and ears, and trimmed claws.

If the cat is a contact cat, then you should pay attention to the condition of the paw pads. If they are soft, then the animal rarely visits the street and is most likely lost. Coarse pads indicate that the cat is constantly outdoors.

Domestic cats are most often neutered, and unlike neutered cats, this is not as difficult to determine. Scratches, torn ears, wounds on the face and body, received in the process of protecting its territory and during fights for the female, indicate that the animal is homeless. Constant scratching and biting indicates that an outdoor cat is infected with fleas.

You should be especially careful about animals outdoors during the winter season. Poor food and cold are faithful allies of cat death. In winter, owners are less likely to deliberately let their pets out of warm apartments, so the chance that a person is lost is small.

We recommend reading about how to stop a cat from marking its territory. You will learn about why a pet leaves marks at home, how to wean a young and adult cat from marking, and how to prevent marks. Here's more about why cats sleep on their feet.

First steps

The first stage of acquaintance requires caution, since the cat can attack a person and scratch him. Check in first, demonstrating friendliness and respect

To find out the cat's mood, place a palm above its head. If he nuzzles or purrs, he allows himself to be petted.

If the cat rubs against his legs and purrs, then perhaps he is bored and wants attention. Unconditional trust is evidenced by the fact that the animal sits comfortably on the person's lap.

Next, they ensure that the cat climbs onto her lap on her own.

Then they carefully teach her to limit her movements and lift her into her arms. At first, to avoid injuries in the form of scratches and bites, wear long sleeves and do not walk with bare legs or bare feet.

You can't look a cat in the eyes

Choosing a toy for a cat

The cat should not be given a reason to be aggressive. Human touch and fear can cause inappropriate behavior. Another common method is to try to lure the animal towards you with treats. Once the cat is on your lap, you can pet it and give it a treat. But at the same time, the animal cannot be restrained by force. Another way is to smear your hands with a product with a pleasant smell for cats - for example, valerian.

Fear of touch takes a long time to heal, but the new owner must be patient. At first, the cat is not picked up and contact is not required if the animal seeks privacy. Light touches are only possible if the pet itself approaches the person.

Nervous excitement should always be a signal to stop contact. And it manifests itself like this:

the tail trembles;
ears drooped towards the head;
shoulders and limbs tense;
pupils are dilated.

You should not immediately try to pick up the cat, as this will most likely result in injuries - bites and scratches.

First, the cat is accustomed to your hand by placing it palm down on the floor; you can place the cat’s favorite toy nearby. You need to wait until the cat comes up and rubs itself on your arm or leg. In this way, she wants to make sure that the object present is not dangerous. If a person initiates contact, the animal may respond with an attack.

If the cat attacks, pick him up early

If the pet has given the go-ahead, the palm is slowly raised to eye level and held in this position for a while. Then they begin slow stroking. You need to stop before the cat gets tired of close contact with a person.

Experienced animal lovers are sure that raising a kitten from the street is difficult, but possible. The main thing is to follow simple rules

It is important to understand that changing behavior takes a lot of time. So you need to be patient

Before you think about how to tame a wild kitten from the street, figure out whether you need it.

The difference between pets is that they are people-oriented. Cubs, seeing a person from birth, feeling his smell, get used to trusting and reacting positively to the one who caresses and feeds them. Street animals, without an owner, gradually forget about trust and love for people, and therefore begin to react aggressively.

Personal safety measures when catching a cat

A small kitten is lured out with a rustling candy wrapper tied on a string. Children who are playful by nature will rush to the model, mistaking it for a mouse. All that remains is to lift the lump by the scruff of the neck and quickly press it to your chest.

Adults, despite their hunting instinct, will not fall for this. Cautious, taught by negative experiences, they use ingenuity to escape. You will need equipment for catching with bait.

Important! The cat catcher must protect against injuries and scratches. Wild animals can be infected with contagious diseases.

To catch, you need to wear thick gloves and a tight suit, which you won’t mind throwing away later. Sharp claws should not reach the skin.

Correct assessment of the situation

This is the first thing the expert recommends doing. You should find out if there is a mother cat nearby. Perhaps she left her baby for a while to get some food. However, you cannot ask the kitten about this directly, so you will have to wait a while. You should position yourself close to the abandoned kitten, but do it in such a way as to remain unnoticed and not scare it away.

Be patient if you really want to help a lonely kitten and not take it away from its mother who may have been gone for a while. Animals usually go in search of food in the daytime. If the kitten is left alone in the morning or evening, this indicates that it has indeed been abandoned. However, it is still better to wait for the cat to return to be sure.

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To make sure it really is a stray kitten, the expert recommends talking to your neighbors. It is possible that this is a missing pet that the owners have been looking for for a long time. Talk to people who live near you to get information. You can also post flyers around the area to make sure no one is looking for your missing kitten.

Carrying and special trap cages

If the escaped cat adequately tolerated traveling in a special carrier, you are very lucky. It is enough just to leave the cat carriage open near the place where the animal is hiding. Place some treat inside. Don't forget that cats are quick to react. It's best not to try to close the carrier door yourself. Tie a string to its handle and keep it at a distance, or come up with an automatic closing mechanism.

There are also special cages for catching animals in outdoor conditions. Visually, they often resemble regular carriers and are distinguished by a built-in door closing mechanism. It is expensive to buy such a device for one-time use. Usually such traps are found in shelters and veterinary clinics. Try to negotiate a rental of this device and go to catch the animal using the most technologically advanced method.

What to consider when catching a cat

How to wash a cat: options if he is afraid of water and scratches

The health status of street vagabonds is questionable. To protect yourself, approach the matter thoroughly:

prepare traps and treats;
wear protective clothing with long sleeves and gloves;
They observe the behavior and habits of the tramp: where he lives most often, what kind of treat he likes.

Important! Animals feel threatened and resist. Aggression is a reaction to fear, not a character trait, and therefore should not repel the future owner.

Homemade cat trap

Ways to catch a wild cat

The cat needs to be fed for several days. Pieces of meat, fish, and milk are suitable. While the cat is eating, you need to talk to him and calm him down. This is necessary so that the animal learns to trust the person. When the savage gets used to it, you can set a trap for the street cat: a cage, inside of which there should be bait. It is recommended to cover the floor with a soft rug to make your pet comfortable. Even if the cat is friendly, you can’t pick it up with your bare hands, it’s unknown how it will react.

Step-by-step instructions for a cat trap. I tested it on my Fluffy - it works!

Leisure Animals Cats Entertainment

It happens that ordinary entertainment with a cat becomes boring. I would like to arrange something like this and have a lot of fun with my pet! We offer a fresh idea that will help you diversify the time spent with your cat.

Don't miss the opportunity to puzzle this cute creature - the surprised cat will have a lot of fun.

Cat trap

First, build a simple trap using available materials.
Wait until a bright detail catches the attention of your pet tiger.
Fingers crossed, it seems the cat really doesn’t suspect anything...
Hey-hey!!! Do you see that surprised expression on his face? He's charming.
Now let’s look at the action of the trap one more time from the outside, so that you, completely imbued with the idea, will bring it to life for yourself and your cat, to the delight of you!

Did you like this entertaining tip? Tell everyone who has cats about it!

If someone wants to do a noble deed, catch all the cats and female cats and have them spayed and neutered. You can take something from a domestic well-groomed cat, but from these garbage cats, who have been savages for several generations, there are only problems and infection.

Cats may look cute and cuddly, but don't underestimate them. If cats feel threatened, they can be fast, agile and tough with their sharp claws and teeth. It's easy to mistakenly think the same thing about feral cats that live near your home. Unfortunately, stray cats are not nearly as harmless to each other and to others. Summer residents live nearby in the summer; they got a cat, she is several years old. They leave, and she is left to fend for herself.

It is necessary to feed and can be tamed, we also had a feral cat with kittens living on our hacienda, there were rat skins lying around... She fed the kittens, they didn’t touch her, then she began to hunt openly. It is not the cat that needs to be poisoned, but its owners who abandon it. If you have a cat, then don’t mind a bowl of milk. And if it’s a cat, think carefully. Our domestic cat lambed outside in the summer, on the roof, and we couldn’t get the kittens.

Veterinary examination

The cat is immediately taken to the veterinarian

If the doctor does not find any diseases, the animal is treated for fleas and worms. It happens that there is no veterinarian nearby. This happens in remote settlements. Then the animal is sent to quarantine. The cat is isolated in a separate room or at least a cage to prevent contact with other residents of the house. But it should be remembered that some infections are transmitted by airborne droplets - for example, calcivirus. The cat is given dishes for food and drink, and a separate tray is placed.

The first three weeks require quarantine

The duration of preventive isolation is 14-21 days. During this period, the animal is observed, behavior, appetite, and appearance are assessed.

Table 1. Dangerous symptoms when examining a cat in quarantine.

Name of organ, system	Violations
Wool, leather	Bald patches, growths, dandruff, peeling, neoplasms
Eyes	Tearing, discharge, redness, swelling of the eyelids, incomplete opening of the palpebral fissure, visibility of the third eyelid
Respiratory system	Runny nose, pus from the nose or crust around the nostrils, trouble breathing
Ears	Abundance of sulfur, crust, especially in combination with an unpleasant odor
Musculoskeletal system	Lameness, unnatural position of limbs, etc.
Nervous system	Fear of light, water, depression, apathy
Digestive system	Appetite disturbances, diarrhea, bad smell of stool, presence of pus, blood, and other foreign products in it
Mucous membranes	Blueness or yellowness
urinary system	Bad smell of urine, presence of blood in it

They check the condition of the internal organs by feeling the stomach and observing the cat’s reaction. It is also a good idea to measure your body temperature. The norm is considered to be 38...39 °C.

The cat should have its body temperature measured

If any signs of disease or infection are found, then you should find an opportunity and still show the cat to the veterinarian. At home, without special tests, it is impossible to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe therapy. In severe cases, this can lead to the rapid death of the animal.

HOW TO CATCH WILD CATS. Brief Instructions. Catch and sterilize!

4 messages

On the eve of spring, as well as at the request of a large audience and due to the fact that I am not rubber and cannot catch all the animals in the city at the same time, I decided to write a short instruction that will increase the chances of catching distrustful, timid and wild animals.

First of all, you should remember that when you catch a “wild” cat or dog, you are unlikely to succeed the first time, so you should not despair and give up after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd unsuccessful attempt . It may take several weeks, a dozen attempts, a lot of effort and nerves to catch a “wild” animal, or it may even succeed the first time (if you are lucky).

First you need to study the area where the “wild” dog or cat lives. Perhaps there will be baiters or people she trusts, or some kind of confined space, or some feature in the animal's daily routine or habits that you can use to successfully catch.

I advise you not to believe in the fairy tales of some “especially smart” catchers who advise catching wild cats by “covering them with a cage”, and then putting them in a basket, wrapping it with tape, or grabbing a wild cat with your hands and putting it in a carrier - this is all deception and blasphemy: in the 1st case the cat will be 10 meters away from you at the moment when you just lift the cage, in the 2nd case the cat will rip your hands bloody and will be 10 meters away. IN BOTH CASES THESE CATS WILL NOT COME TO YOU ANYMORE!

If you caught a wild cat using these methods, then, most likely, it is either dead, or in deep anesthesia, or trusts you so much that it could not be caught at all.

The best tool for catching cats is a landing net. It's a landing net, not a net! A landing net differs from a landing net in that it is triangular in shape, while a landing net is round (photo 1).

For catching animals, the simplest Chinese landing net is suitable, which can be purchased at any fishing store, of which there are many in all bazaars. The landing net folds and unfolds. When folded, it takes up 1 m in length, and you can easily ride with it on public transport, and when unfolded, it takes up 3-4 m. The wider the landing net, the better. The main thing is that the net is made of thick fishing line (photo 2), and not from fabric or similar material (fabric is much easier to tear) (photo 3).

In principle, you can even catch puppies with a landing net, but not always (my landing net was broken by the first wild puppy, breaking the metal rods on which the net is supported).

Next, you need a strong carrier, something like this (photo 4). The basket is garbage. It is useless to catch someone with it (photo 5).

The fishing technology is as follows:

Although many say that cats see equally well both during the day and at night, I prefer to catch them in the dark because:

1) I noticed that in practice, in the dark, cats do not have time to notice the rapid swing of a fishing gear flying directly at them;

2) if you are lucky enough to catch a cat, then it will hit the ground from side to side in the net, making a roar and releasing its feces in all directions, and then you will drag it along the street in it or put it in a carrier, and, believe me To me, there will most likely be imaginary animal rights activists on your way who will mistake you for a flayer. Well, then there are different scenarios. Therefore, in the dark, the likelihood of being noticed is much less.

In general, you came to the feeding place alone in the evening, or you took the granny who fed, opened the landing net, and poured food for the cat. The most important condition for catching a cat is (. ) TO GO BEHIND HER BACK (. ) - DO NOT TRY TO PLACE A LANDSCAPE ON HER WHILE IN HER FIELD OF VIEW (. ) - tested by dozens of unsuccessful attempts and many wild pregnant cats who have experienced the “joy” of motherhood doomed suicide bombers.

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