How to Catch a Stray Wild Kitten

Whether you are afraid of accidents or a simple desire to round them up, it is sometimes necessary to capture young kittens. Fortunately for the catcher, wild cats are almost always hungry and it is possible to trick them out of hiding by offering food. However, it is important to keep in mind that kittens can be clever and if they become over stimulated or too scared, they will not come out of hiding, not even for food. You may need to gain their trust by repeatedly offering food before they will let themselves be caught.

Things You'll Need

  • Smelly food (cat food, tuna or anything with a strong meat smell)
  • Large towel
  • Pet crate or a cage
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Instructions

    • 1

      Count how many kittens you need to catch. You can do this over a number of days by watching the area and remembering how many you see. It can also be helpful to take note of the kitten's size, whether a mama cat is feeding them and how healthy they seem (scrawny and small or big and chubby). Strong, healthy kittens may require you to chase them down, while hungry kittens usually go to the nearest food source.

    • 2

      Place the pet crate in an appropriate spot near where you usually see the kitten. A good spot is as near as possible to where the kittens hide and sleep.

    • 3

      Remove the lid from your container of pet food and place it inside the crate. If you are using another type of food, carry it to the location with the lid on, so that the smell does not dissipate or become spread over a wider area.

    • 4

      Hide in a convenient spot near the crate and wait patiently. The kittens will smell the food and begin to come out. Some of them will easily go into the crate and you can shut the doors. Others may need to be trapped.

    • 5

      Wait for the non-trapped kitties to pass near you. An extra can of food will usually help. Ideally, hide behind a bush that you can see over and place the can food in the roots. As the kitten tries to squirm through the roots, throw the towel over it so it can not see, then quickly grab it, wrapping it completely in the towel to protect your own arms.

    • 6

      Flip the pet crate on its back so that the door is facing up and all the kittens have fallen to the other end. Open the door and quickly stick the kitten in. Repeat these tactics as necessary until you have captured all the kittens. Keep in mind that this may require multiple visits over a week or two to the same location.