How to catch a cat?

 

If you are part of a feline protection association it is normal that, at one time or another, you will find a stray cat in poor health that needs to be caught and taken to the vet. In these cases, it is essential to help the cat, however, it can be difficult to catch him because his past experiences can lead him to be suspicious of human beings.

In this article from The Pretty Pets, we will explain how to catch a cat so that you will know how to collect it with a minimum of stress for him.

When to catch a cat?

Before explaining how to catch a cat, you need to know what circumstances should lead you to do it. You should know that in some cities there are cat colonies called "controlled" cat colonies, which means that they are groups of cats supervised by volunteers from different associations or by city halls. These are cats that are spayed, neutered, fed and cared for if they suffer from an illness or injury. You should never catch a cat from a controlled colony. If you realize that a cat is sick, unless it is an emergency that requires you to act as quickly as possible, you must seek out the person in charge of the colony to prevent it.

Also, you must take into account the fact that, especially in the country, some guardians allow their cat to go for a walk outside. This is why it is important that you inquire before catching a cat, except, as we said, if the cat is in a life or death situation. If not, it could very well have a home.

As soon as you are sure that the cat you want to catch does not have a guardian, if your goal is to help him or her, you can intervene. Finally, if for one reason or another, a cat is bothering you, contact the authorities or animal protection associations.

What it takes to catch a cat

Some stray cats are in such bad shape that they can be caught easily. In these cases, you will just need a carrier and a towel to wrap and move it safely. Kittens are also easier to catch.

However, in the case of cats that are not used to human presence or those that have suffered abuse and panic at the mere sight of a human, catching them to spay or adopt them will be much more difficult .

Here is the material you will need to catch a cat :

Transport box

Wet food box

Gloves

Net

Sedatives

Trap cage

Keep in mind that, in addition to preparing several capture plans, it is important that you are few in number because too much excitement will scare away the cat you want to help. You will need to talk quietly and without making sudden movements.

How to catch a cat with food?

It is generally quite easy to catch a cat. Many of them, unfortunately, are hungry and hunger is more powerful than fear. To catch a cat with food you can simply put food (wet or really delicious food) in the bottom of the carrier (leaving the door open). It is absolutely necessary that the food you place as bait be eaten on the spot, otherwise you risk the possibility that the cat will pick it up and leave to eat it in a safer place.

The cat must enter completely in the transport box and, once inside, you must close the door. You must be close enough to get to the transport crate before the cat goes out and you must be ready to firmly support the door, as it is more than likely that the cat will try to escape. We also recommend that you put on your gloves when handling stray animals, because a cat that wants to escape will scratch and bite anything that passes in front of it to achieve its goal. Any pair of gloves won't do the trick, they must be thick enough so that the teeth won't go through them. Of course, if the cat hurts you, you will have to disinfect yourself and, if the wound is deep, you will have to go to the doctor.

You can attach a cord to the door to close it as you approach, but you will have to be careful because it is more than likely that as soon as the cat hears it, it will try to run away and it will do so if you haven't had time to close the door. This technique requires great dexterity and patience. If there is no emergency, you can take the time to make yourself accepted by the stray cat by bringing him food every day.

How to catch a cat with a net?

The process of catching a cat can be done in a gradual manner, that is to say that you will start with more or less invasive measures. The gentlest would be for the cat to enter the carrier to eat and you wouldn't need anything more, but that's not always the case ... For complicated cases, it is possible to use a net. In this case, we refer to a net attached to a stick, which will allow you not to get that close. You have to make sure that its size fits well with the cat's size.

You can put food on to attract it and use the net while it eats. It is more than likely that it will struggle hard to free itself, but you will have to be patient and then immobilize it in the net and then put it in the carrier. For this technique it is best if you both wear protective gloves.

How to catch a cat with pills?

If nothing works, there is always the possibility to put the cat to sleep. To do so, you will go to a veterinary clinic so that they can prescribe a sleeping pill adapted to the size and weight of the cat in question. The idea is that the cat will ingest the sleeping pill while eating the delicious dish you left him, if everything is going well, he will fall asleep after only a few minutes and you will only have to put him in the transport crate. It is better to put it vertically, because you will control it better than horizontally. There are many problems with this technique:

That the cat does not eat the pills

That the dose is too light and that it does not have any effect.

Let him go to sleep in a place inaccessible to you. Moreover, it is dangerous for him to fall asleep anywhere.

To conclude about this technique, it has its chances of success, but one must count on the probability that it may fail.

How to catch a cat with a trap cage?

When nothing works, there is always the possibility of using what are called trap cages. These are structures of varying sizes that are placed in sheltered areas. They have a door closing mechanism as soon as the cat enters, so that it gets trapped.

The main problem is that this technique is not selective, and you will catch the first cat that enters it. In addition, the cage must be checked frequently to make sure that no animal spends too much time in it. It is also a technique that requires your patience. The cat can also be taken to the veterinarian in the same cage.

If you are not confident in your ability to catch a sick cat or a cat that needs to be spayed or neutered, call a professional. The most important thing is to guarantee the animal's well-being and safety.