# Trapping



## angelshelper81 (Mar 20, 2006)

I'm going to call the apartment owners for permission to trap soon, and I need to know what exactly I need to ast for premission for. I know there's more to it than tossing baited traps in likely spots, but I'm not sure I have all my bases covered yet.

For one, I'm going to need to send fliers or letters or something to my neighbors letting them know what's going on, and that they should keep their cats in. I don't know if I need to get permission for this - I'm pretty sure the prosthletisers who keep leaving religious tracts in my door don't get permission first, so I should be ok here.

I can't bring the cats in the appartment, so I'm going to need permission to set up an area for them outside somewhere. This might be the hardest thing to get permission for.

And I'll need permission to have the traps out.

I definitely need some advice on the second point - what exactly will I need? The current count is 15 cats, so I don't think I'm going to need a huge area, but will I have to put down tarps? set up tables? have a tent or something?? Or will just storing the cages up against the wall in the shadow of the buildings be okay?

Also, about how long is the trapping likely to take? Is it ok to just trap at night, since I'm not here during the day?

Any and all advice wll be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

Oh, that is great - you are on your way!
First check the weather and make sure it is not going to rain because that makes it more difficult. You don't want rian while you trap not while they recover!
The most important thing is to have a routine when feeding the cats prior the surgery. It is best to feed them once a day, at night - so they look forward to it. Call them certain words, make noises with the spoon in your bucket or container that you carry food for them in. You will need towels or blankets to cover the traps so you create the illusion of a tunnel for when you are actually trapping.
Start trapping around the time you usually feed them. I would advise to either not feed them or feed them a lot less..but not feeding them before will insure a successful trapping.
Have canned food ready, mackerel, something yummy and smelly that they like.
Se the traps in the exact spots where your kitties eat. Make the usual noises as if you are feeding them. Lay the traps down, set them, cover with the towel like I said above and put very little of the canned food in front of the trap, and then t-3 more tiny amounts leading inside of it. Those amounts shouldn't be bigger than a penny. Put a whole lot of it in the back; I usually put it on the ground and let the trap down and the food will squeeze through the trap's grill.
Then you wait at a distance, or hidden. Wait half an hour and then go check. You might even hear traps set as you take your distance..you can go check that noise right away. Remove the trapped kitty to the area where they will wait until you'll take them to the vet and while they'll recover. 
As for that area you can put a tarp down with newspapers on top. You can have gloves and dispose of the dirtied newspapers and hose the tarp when all this ordeal will be over with. 
I usually change the newspapers in the morning of the surgery so they have them clean and dry when they come to recover on them. If some of them should have to stay longer and recover than the next day, change their newspapers accordingly. 
They will move a lot while first trapped. Move quickly and place the traps gently so their pawsies won't get hurt by smashing them against the ground. Have the area for them to wait before their surgery and recovery where there is least human traffic. When in the trap pull the towel a little half way down the front - you want them to be able to breathe but also not be stressed by the outside world. During the night you can cover with an extra blanket so it won't get too cold. You can tuck the towels underneath so they won't get blown away. That will terrify them. Covered they will deal with this better. And then in time they'll forget anyway.
For how long will they stay in traps before the surgery? Ask the vet to give them fluids - since I am assuming you won't be able to squeeze any water in their traps + they can't eat after 8/9 pm..maybe 10/11 pm the latest if they'll be operated on the next morning. You won't be able to feed them but late that night. You can again squeeze some canned food by gently lifting the trap (with the cat in it) and putting it down. Then leave and they'll eat. Canned food is best bc it will keep them hydrated. After releasing them - some of them won't come back but after a day or too so in the meantime you want them to leave with something in their stomach. 
So don't forget to have a couple of days with no rain, ask the vet to give them fluids, have plenty of newspapers and canned food.
Do not put a tarp on top of the cages during the day, unless you have unexpected rain. The tarp will get how and they will cook under it!

I hope I am not forgetting anything. I'll scan my memory for further details :wink:


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

Don't leave traps out "for practice" they'll get in it at first and then when you'll be ready to trap, they'll give up!
I usually go with kitties on Sundays. Sometimes I start trtapping Friday night. I feed them canned food several times until Satrurday at 9pm. With some I trust to open the trap door, the one that goes up and I can only do it half way, and put a little paper cup cut in half with water in it for them, especially in months like august..You don't want to put anything ceramico, plastic or metal that they can get hurt in. 
When they come ourt of the surgery they are actually placed on newspapers inside the traps. It is nice if the cats won't stay long but if I have formerly pregnant females the newspapers will be wet from pee. I can pull them out..but I advize yuo to be careful.
Once I caught a female and she saw me opening the door, she zoomed right out..and once they escape, it is harder to catch them a second time very soon after anyway


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## angelshelper81 (Mar 20, 2006)

A few questions that I don't see answered above:

Is it okay just to trap at night? I'm not ususaly home during the day.

Will storing the full traps against the building (in the shade, probably between the building and the AC/heating units) be ok?

How long should I assume that the trapping will take? The current count is 15, and they range from one who lets me pick him up and keeps trying to get into the house, through the majority who will eat in close proximity to me but are skittish around others and cannot be touched, to one who runs if I make eye contact and won't come out from under the cars until I leave. I assume I'm going to have to make an appointment for a specific day, so how many days before that should I start trapping?


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

1)s, since cats are nocturnal - night time is ideal to trap. I thought i mentioned above..anytime after 8/9 pm.
Sometimes, I start trapping Friday around midnight and will be done till morning time. Then I keep the kitties in traps, in the garage, well protected from cold or warm - with heater and lots of blankets and fan respectively. I also make sure they eat canned food several times a day until the night before their surgery.

2) sounds good to place them in the shade. Make sure they are coverred and the towels won't be blown away!!! Have extra stuff to put on top in case it gets chilli at night, and remove most, but one if it is going to be too hot during the day.

3)As far as the trapping - do the routine like I have explained above. In 5 day up to a week you can set the trapping day.
My first time trapping ever I started Saturday at 6 pm and finished at 1:30 am with my 5th (and last) cat. The program I take my feral kitties too allows only 5 kitties per session/per person. Although I had a pretty large feral colony - over 40cats..it took that much time.
It is a very tiring process. You have to srtay active to be successful. If you don't hear any traps setting/nor see any kitties in traps upon checking in 20 to 30 minutes, go back with your bucket or feeding container and make noises with the spoon,as if you are about to feed them. I know that you cannot be too loud but that is why the routine is important. Get them used to a certain level of noise, call.
It may work faster for you too. Be confident and rested..you might or might not need it.


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