How to Safely Trap a Cat

Few things are more heartbreaking than discovering a stray or lost cat. While most cats are affectionate and friendly and will easily come to strangers if called, many stray or abused cats will not. If you want to catch a cat in the safest manner possible, consider using a live trap. According to Cornell University's Integrated Pest Management Program, live traps capture animals without killing them and include box traps and multiple capture traps.

Things You'll Need

  • Live trap
  • Newspaper/blanket
  • Sheet/towel
  • Tuna/ canned cat food
  • Bowl
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the live trap in an area where you've recently witnessed the cat. Set the trap against something like a fence, shed, dumpster or under a bush or a hedge, rather than out in an open area.

    • 2

      Put newspaper or a blanket inside the live trap, and cover the top of the trap with a sheet or towel to make it more attractive or appealing to the cat. According to an article posted by Stanford University's Cat Network, covering the trap with a large towel, blanket, sheet or old bedspread will make the cat feel more secure and will also help protect you from the cat's claws and teeth when you move the live trap.

    • 3

      Pour a can of tuna or canned cat food into a bowl and place it into the trap as bait. Place the bowl containing the tuna or canned cat food in the microwave for a few seconds to strengthen the aroma and make the food more appealing to the cat.

    • 4

      Check the live trap every few hours. Cats are active throughout the day and night, so check the trap multiple times during the day.

    • 5

      Leave the towel draped over the trap, and move the captured cat to a safe, quiet area.