TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

9. The Drop Trap
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
A cat goes under a drop trap, which then falls
down over her. There is no narrow, confined
space for the feline to enter. Consequently, many
cats who shy away from a normal box trap will
go in a drop trap, making it an incredibly useful
tool. It can be used as your normal trap for all
occasions, to catch the stragglers during a mass
trapping who won’t enter box traps, to catch
hard-to-catch felines or to pick out a cat from the
rest of the colony.
Currently, there is no large-scale manufacturer of drop traps, so you need to build it
yourself. The drop trap described here was invented by Laura Burns of HubCats
(Boston, MA) and requires only basic woodworking skills and tools to construct. If
you’re having any difficulty making or using the trap, you can contact Laura directly at
email: HubCatsBoston@aol.com. A second design for a drop trap using PVC piping and
athletic netting can be found on the Resources page of the Alley Cat Allies website
(www.alleycat.org).
• How it works
A wooden frame covered
by netting or mesh is propped
up on one side with a stick
and food is placed in the
center-back of the trap. The
trapper stands at a distance
and when ready, pulls on a
string attached to the propstick,
causing the trap to drop
and capturing the cats inside.
Each cat is then transferred to
a box trap through matching
guillotine-style doors for
transport.
• Design and construction
Dimensions
The frame of the trap is 3 ft. W x 3 ft. L x 14” H. The prop stick is 18” long. The
anchor flap is 14” W x 14” L. The door is 7” W x 18” H.
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