Need tricks/tips for trapping end boss feral cat (TNR) please

July 19, 2023 7:34 AM

I have been trying for some time with no success to trap a large aggressive male feral cat, using the standard size EeziSet Cat Trap recommended for TNR, using a variety of smelly tinned fish (mackerel, sardines) and the fancy cat foods that come in little tins. So far I haven't even seen any sign that anything has come near the bait. I'm putting much more detail in the extended explanation, hoping that some MeFites who do TNR might have some strategy suggestions.

In more detail: I am a small farmer in the UK, surrounded by other farms. I have two neutered male farm cats which this feral male has been intermittently attacking, sometimes pursuing them all the way to their cat door as they retreat into the farmhouse.

I am reasonably certain that this feral has a large range, centred on a newish neighbour about a quarter mile away who is a bit hoardery in her enthusiasm for animals and who has, perhaps inadvertently, encouraged a feral colony to set up in one of her outbuildings, and that I am at one edge of his range. This neighbour is busily doing her own TNR for the colony and is having some success trapping queens for neutering and rehoming kittens, but has also had no luck trapping the male feral.

So, what seems particularly challenging for my attempts is that 1) the feral male comes and goes very unpredictably, sometimes with no sign of him for more than a month, 2) there are at least three widely spaced approaches he could take to my farm if he were coming from the direction of the neighbour, and 3) he may not be very hungry as there are lots of rabbits and rodents all around.

I have twice tried putting the freshly baited trap out every night for a week (with my cats shut in for the night) with no sign of it attracting interest from anything. I'm about to try again, so any tips on trap placement or especially powerful baits or anything else at all will be very much appreciated.

Regarding trap placement, the three choices are 1) next to stream approaching through wooded area, 2) next to barn approaching through pasture probably along hedges, 3) up the farm track also approaching through pasture probably along hedges.

posted by Rhedyn to Pets & Animals (9 answers total)

Best answer: Wishing you the best of luck! Alley Cat Allies, though focused on TNR work in the US, may have resources/ help for you.
posted by wicked_sassy at 7:48 AM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I'm assuming you are using a box trap, which may just not work for this guy - he sounds pretty saavy, has a large range, and he may not enter enclosed space for food. Lots of ferals have enough awareness of box traps - whether they got trapped or saw another cat in one - and just would never go inside, even for smelly fish.

And if he's disappearing for a month at a time... I just think you need to know way more about his patterns and activities before you could reasonably catch him, b/c I think you're going to have to drop trap him and so you'll need to know when he might come around so you can encourage that schedule. Probably, you'll have to work really closely with your neighbor to figure out these patterns, and then set some times to drop trap him.

One other gentle suggestion - do you really need to fix this one? Could your cats accept getting bossed around by this toughie once in a while (I can't tell if they are getting injured or just intimidated) and you could focus your TNR efforts on female cats? No fertile female cats means no kittens.
posted by RajahKing at 8:37 AM on July 19, 2023 [2 favorites]

If it intrudes via the catflap you could place an open cage right up to the door, set the catch to be incoming only to prevent retreat and weight it to hold tight.
posted by jallypeeno at 8:53 AM on July 19, 2023

Here's a trick if the feral cat is reluctant to go into the trap (and I realize that a larger issue might be that he doesn't come around very often). You can tie the door open (so that it can't shut), and then place the bait a foot or two in front of the door, so the bait isn't even inside the trap. Then, over a period of days or weeks, you gradually move the bait further and further into the trap. Eventually, the cat gets used to going into the trap to eat. Then you untie the door and set the trap.
posted by alex1965 at 9:07 AM on July 19, 2023 [6 favorites]

Response by poster: Just to reply to RajahKing, unfortunately this guy is really out to hurt them and mine are getting injured, often on their back paws or base of tail as they try to get away. Nothing too serious yet but it's been several vet visits for antibiotics. Thanks to you and everyone else for the suggestions, they've already been very helpful!
posted by Rhedyn at 9:27 AM on July 19, 2023

This sounds super challenging. My idea is correspondingly extreme and unproven, but here it is.

I would try to figure out what area he likes to hang out the most. Probably that's near your new neighbor.

Next I'd come up with a very, very large trap/cage, maybe meant for a dog, that _can_ activate automatically -- but I would set it up to _not_ work as a trap for a while. Instead, you want to make an attractive den or hiding space. Cover it with something, and cover that with something waterproof.

If you really want to make a project of this, set the whole thing up on a rise of some kind so that he could hang out near or in front of the opening and see potential predators approaching.

Make sure it's clearly _not_ a trap. I'm really feeling sorry for this guy now, because he's going to feel like he has a safe home which will then become very scary, but:

once he's comfortable going into it, then you can 1) Make sure you're as scent-free as possible; 2) figure out when he's not going to be home; and 3) re-activate the trapping mechanism.



Trail cams should probably be involved with this too.
posted by amtho at 9:40 AM on July 19, 2023 [4 favorites]

Oh also: put some clean comfy bedding inside so it's _comfortable_. Wherever he's sleeping now, it's probably not as soft as your dog's old bed, or the two pillows you've been meaning to replace.

Or: inexpensive awesomeness I just discovered: 2-3 yards of fluffly fleece fabric from wherever you buy fabric.

Unless it's hot outside, in which case try to make sure it's not too warm inside.


And, since this guy is essentially a wild animal, again try to keep the human scent off.
posted by amtho at 10:59 AM on July 19, 2023

I had a kitten who escaped. She was eventually caught in a trap baited with a whole rotisserie chicken. Maybe something like that would work for you.
posted by The Half Language Plant at 11:59 AM on July 19, 2023 [6 favorites]

Best answer: Camera operated drop trap is how you get the hard ones.
posted by fiercekitten at 5:52 PM on July 19, 2023 [3 favorites]