TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
much of the cats’ territory you need to cover will differ with each situation and will
depend on factors such as how many cats are there, how large is the territory, what parts
do you have access to and how many traps do you have on hand. Most traps should be
concentrated around the feeding station or along routes they travel to get there.
When placing the traps, don’t rest them on the ground out in the open so that they’re
surrounded by empty space. Instead, put them up against something length-wise
whenever possible – a fence, a wall, a curb, the front bumper of a car, a dumpster, a bush,
a tree, etc. The trap then appears to the cat to be part of another familiar structure and is
less threatening than when it’s off by itself. Make sure, however, that the ground is level
beneath the trap. Sacrifice having the trap butt right up against a wall if moving it out a
foot or two will mean it’s sitting steady on the ground. Don’t put traps right next to each
other, but separate them by at least a few feet.
Once a trap is in position, open the front door and set the trigger. Remove any debris
or branches which might block the front door from completely closing. If possible, make
the trap appear more like the landscape by sprinkling some dirt or pebbles or leaves on
the floor in front of the trip plate. This isn’t necessary if the trap is being placed on grass
and the trap floor isn’t covered with newspaper.
If you’re out in hot, direct sunlight, pull the sheet from the handles and drape it over
the sides of the trap in the rear, shading the bait so it won’t quickly dry out. Place a rock
or some small heavy object on the sheet to keep it from blowing off. Some trappers like
to always cover the entire top and sides of the trap with the sheet, believing this makes
the interior of the trap more inviting for the cats. We only do this in special situations
where we’ll be unable to check on the traps as often as we’d like. That way, when the cat
is trapped the covering will help provide some sense of calm. But usually we don’t cover
the traps entirely because the sheets blow around in the wind. Also, we haven’t ourselves
observed that covering the traps makes much of a difference in whether most cats will go
in or not. If you do cover the trap, then make sure the rear door (as well as the front
door) is not covered. The cat should be able to see all the way through in order to
minimize the sensation she is entering a closed-in, confined space.
Finally, take a piece or two of the Pounce, crumble it up and sprinkle a trail leading
from a couple of feet away into the trap and up to the trip plate. This same technique can
be done with the juice from tuna or little bits of the bait – don’t use too much and risk the
cat being satisfied before she gets to the main dish.
6. During the trapping
Once the traps are all in place and set, exit the territory. Tempting though it may be
to keep an eye on the action, the cats will be aware that you’re watching them. Stay out
of sight and don’t stare, especially when one is right in front of the trap and thinking
about going in. If you’re trapping in your own backyard, go inside the house and watch
from there. If you’re at another location, wait inside your car or stand just around the
corner. The less tension and anxiety you exude, the better.
Unless the territory is secure from strangers, the traps should never be left unattended
and you should always be nearby and able to observe whether anyone is entering the
territory. The cats are completely vulnerable once they’re trapped and dependent on you
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