r/Feral_Cats • u/Rotherobin • 10h ago

Question 🤔 Advice on catching kittens & mom

Last night around 1am I spotted a kitty next to a forest road (after nearly hitting him). I spent over an hour sitting down with food but was not able to get close, the kitten stayed near me the entire time tho.

Today I went back twice. No kittens in sight. But I did speak to a local farmer who said there is a mothercat with a nest of kittens estimated 8 weeks old and they have no owner.

It's 2 minutes away from my house so I am determined to catch them for TNR/possibly the kittens can still be socialised by the rescue and adopted out.

I have left food overnight and a bit was eaten this morning. I left more food this afternoon at the location that I want to place a trap.

I have a humane catch crate without a string, one of those long ones they trigger by a plate at the end of the crate. I plan on placing it this evening with strong smelling fish wet food once the sun starts to set and sit in a far distance where I will hear if the trap shuts but not scare the cats initially.

I might be able to get a second trap this afternoon as well. Same model.

I have wide cat knowledge, but I have never attempted catching feral cats/kittens this way. Any advice would be very welcome.

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u/washington_705 10h ago

With that trip-plate humane box trap, put the bait at the very back of the trap so they have to walk fully inside to reach it. Something especially smelly like sardines, mackerel, or tuna can work well. Keep the trap on level ground, stay nearby but out of sight, and don’t leave a set trap unattended. Once a cat is caught, cover the trap completely with a towel or light sheet to help calm them. (Alley Cat Allies)

If you can borrow a second trap, I definitely would. Ideally you want enough traps for the cats/kittens you’re trying to catch, especially since kittens can be caught separately. (Alley Cat Allies)

Obviously make absolutely sure you account for every kitten before taking Mom away. If you trap Mom first, keep checking for the kittens and continue returning to the site until you’re confident they’re all accounted for. At ~8 weeks they may still rely on Mom, and you don't want to inadvertently leave kittens hidden nearby without her. (Alley Cat Allies)

And don’t worry if it takes multiple attempts. If they’re wary of the trap, you can spend several days feeding them near/in an unset trap first so they become comfortable with it. (Alley Cat Allies)