Everything you need to help a community cat
Trapping instructions, trap rentals, trusted reading, and the intake form required for drop off. Complete the intake form after trapping for each cat trapped. This lets us add needed patient information to our system to speed up drop off.
How to trap
Trapping community cats humanely
Trapping is a skill that takes a little practice. Here are the key steps, in order.
- 1
Withhold food first
Withhold food for 12–24 hours before trapping so cats are hungry and motivated to enter the trap.
- 2
Choose the right time
Dusk or early morning are best, when cats are most active.
- 3
Set the trap properly
Set the trap on flat, stable ground in an area where you've seen the cat. Cover the trap with a towel or sheet, leaving the entrance open.
- 4
Bait it well
Bait the trap with a small amount of smelly food (canned tuna, mackerel, or wet cat food) at the very back, behind the trip plate.
- 5
Watch from a distance
Stay nearby but out of sight, and check the trap frequently — every 15–30 minutes. Never leave a set trap unattended for long periods.
- 6
Once trapped, cover the trap
Cover the trap completely with a towel to calm the cat. Do not open the trap.
- 7
Overnight care
Keep the cat in a safe, temperature-controlled space overnight before your TNVR appointment. Continue to cover the trap.
- 8
No food or water the morning of
Do not feed or water the cat the morning of the appointment — this is required for safe anesthesia.
Humane trap rental
Don't own a trap? Borrow one of ours. A $25 refundable deposit is held for each trap and returned in full when the trap comes back.
- · One humane box trap per cat in your request.
- · $25 deposit per trap, refunded when it is returned.
- · Ask for traps when you submit your appointment request.