How to Trap a Cat & Her Kittens

With careful planning and preparation, trapping a mother cat and her kittens isn't as difficult as it sounds. And getting the cats spayed/neutered and vaccinated and then returning them to their outdoor home is one of the kindest things you can do for the ferals in your care. Kittens can be sterilized when they weigh 2 pounds or are about 2 months old.

Things You'll Need

  • Holding place for the trapped cats
  • Spay/neuter appointment
  • Traps -- one for the mother and a kitten trap for each kitten, plus one
  • Newspaper
  • Tuna in oil
  • Cat carrier for very young kittens
  • Large dog crate
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Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 1

      Establish a regular feeding schedule for the mother cat and kittens. If they're used to coming for food at the same time every day, they'll be there when you're ready to trap.

    • 2

      Decide where you'll hold the trapped cats until it's time for their spay/neuter appointments. A garage, bathroom or protected deck is best.

    • 3

      Find a low-cost clinic for ferals or a veterinarian who is used to working with feral cats and make an appointment to get the mother and kittens neutered/spayed, vaccinated and ear tipped. You don't want to trap them and then discover they have no place to go.

    • 4

      Make arrangements for traps. You'll need an adult trap for the mother and a kitten trap for each baby, plus one extra. A rescue group in your area should be willing to loan you traps.

    • 5

      Practice setting the traps. If you fumble with them with the mother cat and kittens watching, they'll become suspicious and decide to eat elsewhere that day.

    • 6

      Withhold food for 24 hours before you trap. The cats need to be hungry to go into the traps.

    Trapping

    • 7

      Prepare the traps in a place where the mother and her kittens can't see you. Line the bottom of each trap with newspaper folded lengthwise to protect the cat's feet.

    • 8

      Bait the traps with tuna in oil. Put 1/8 tsp in the front of each trap, another 1/8 tsp in the middle and 1 tbs in the back.

    • 9

      Place the open traps in the exact location where the cats eat and drizzle some liquid from the can of tuna in front of each trap. Then move to a location where you can see the cats, but they can't see you.

    • 10

      When a cat is in a trap, cover the entire trap with a sheet to calm the cat and prevent it from thrashing around and hurting itself.

    • 11

      Plan to return the mother cat and kittens to their original location 24 hours after surgery.

    Very Young Kittens

    • 12

      Put the kittens in a cat carrier.

    • 13

      Place the baited trap against the front of the carrier. The mother should go in to be near her kittens.

    • 14

      At home, reunite the mother cat and kittens in a large dog crate. They can stay together in the crate until the kittens are old enough to be neutered/spayed.