The use of humane traps is a method frequently used to reunite lost pets with their families. Many cats, especially escaped indoor-only cats, will not approach people (even those they know and love) once they are lost and scared. Skittish dogs may also need to be captured in cage or enclosure traps.
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Trapping Lost Cats
If you need to trap a lost or stray cat, first check out the resources available on this site:
- Trapping Checklist for Lost Cats
- Best Humane Cat Traps
- Trapping articles on the Lost Pet Research Blog
Cats in the Bag: provides instructions on different methods of capturing lost cats including the Kitty Buffet, Simply Sitting, and the House Trap as well as humane traps.
Feral cat rescue groups (those that conduct Trap-Neuter-Return) also provide some useful information on trapping cats.
- Alley Cat Allies: includes step-by-step photo guide to setting a TruCatch and Tomahawk trap.
- FixNation
- Neighborhood Cats
Catching Hard-to-Trap or Trap-Shy Cats
Some cats are particularly difficult to trap, and you may need to resort to using a drop trap or other tricks of the trade. A drop trap is basically a large box with a pull-stick that must be manually activated such as a rope being pulled. Many cats that are reluctant to go inside a standard humane cat trap will quickly walk under a drop trap.
- Alley Cat Allies provides tips for successful trapping of trap-shy cats. They also have instructions for building and using a drop trap, and they sell their own collapsible drop trap.
- Tomahawk now offers a drop trap available on Amazon.com. Available in both a 36" drop trap and a 48" drop trap.
- If you decide to build your own drop trap, there are numerous different designs available at the Drop Trap Design Bank.
Trapping Lost Dogs
If you need to trap a lost or stray dog, first check out the resources available on this site:
- Trapping Checklist for Lost Dogs
- Best Humane Dog Traps
- Trapping articles on the Lost Pet Research Blog
For the best information available on humanely trapping a skittish lost or stray dog using box or cage traps, check out the Feral Dog Blog. This blog is hosted by Dr. Mark Johnson, the founder of Global Wildlife Resources, and it includes access to a free training library.
Catching Hard-to-Trap or Trap-Shy Dogs
If you have a dog that refuses to enter a humane cage trap, you may need to use an enclosure or kennel trap. These traps are usually custom made, so you will either need to build one yourself or work with a pet detective or volunteer lost dog group.
- If you want to find someone to help you trap your dog, check out The Guide to Finding a Pet Detective or Search Dog.
- If you want to build your own trap, The Retrievers, a non-profit group in Minnesota, provides instructions on their site on how to build a "Missy Trap" - a specific design of enclosure trap. They also provide instructions on how to build a "Raytripper" electronic live trap triggering system.