Helping to Reduce the Feral Cat Population Using Cat Traps
As the feral cat population continues to grow, many areas are trying to figure out the best solution. Some humane groups are capturing, neutering and returning these animals to make sure they are not able to reproduce. To do this effectively they are using cat traps in the capturing phase.
Feral cats are not like the cats you adopt or bring home from a breeder. These cats are used to living outside and do not have regular interaction with humans. They aren’t used to being pet and usually don’t want to get close to humans as they are just afraid of you as any other wild animal would be. While some do have a history of living in a home, most do not. Most are born, raised and eventually die without ever experiencing a relationship with a human.
As more and more of these cats are born, many of them are exposed to the elements and often die quite early in life. They don’t have a warm place to stay in the winter, don’t go to the vets for medical problems, and are always at risk of incurring diseases and other problems. Often they are hit by cars, and they can cause a lot of damage to sheds, homes, and garages in their search for food and shelter.
The idea behind the TNR (trap, neuter, release/return) program is that by limiting their ability to reproduce, the problem will decrease over the years. Considering statistics, right now every person in the United States would have to own 9 cats to keep all cats from being homeless. That means for the average home of 4 people, you would have 36 cats.
Using Cat Traps
The trapping of these cats isn’t as easy as one might think and requires using the same techniques as with other wild animals.
Raccoon traps can usually double as cat traps since the animals similar in size. Bait the trap and take care to check it often so when the animal is caught it can quickly be taken care of.
In this situation you will want to get them to a vet or to a shelter that participates in the Trap Neuter and Release program. Once they are there, they will be taken care of. Once they are fixed and are medically ready, they will be returned. By joining this program in your area, you can help cut down on the amount of feral cats in your neighborhood.






