If a cat behaves erratically, breathes heavily, drools excessively, or generally acts lethargic and unusual, call animal control. Do not attempt to approach cats exhibiting signs of disease. [1] X Research source There are some diseases that cats carry that are zoonotic—or transferred to humans from animals and vice versa. A very frightening, and virtually untreatable disease is rabies transmitted by saliva through bites or cuts in the skin. [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Another danger is the dangerous infections that can set in from cat bites. Professionals who work at animal control have the necessary equipment and protection to safely capture sick stray cats. Not every cat needs to be caught. Don’t try to catch well-fed looking cats with collars. Call your neighbors and inquire about whether or not anyone’s missing a stray, instead.
Local vets and animal shelters will lend you live traps for catching strays. You don’t have to buy one, though it might be a good tool to have on hand if you live in a rural area and commonly encounter strays and other animals in need of relocation. If you absolutely can’t find or use a trap, use a cat carrier or a box to bait with food and trap the cat inside. Check with your vet before using a carrier to catch a cat some vets won’t accept cats that are brought to them in anything except a live trap. A live trap is safer and more effective, but this can do in a pinch. [3] X Research source
Strays should be kept in out-of-the-way areas of your house that you can keep quiet so the cat will calm down and feel safe. Basements, spare bedrooms, and other temperature controlled areas that you can keep dark will help to calm cats and keep them feeling safe. If you’re taking the cat to the vet in less than 12 hours, don’t worry about feeding the animal. It’ll be fine and it’ll be much safer to avoid opening the cage and risking having to wrangle the cat again. Provide some clean water and let the cat stay in the live trap.
After making an appointment to have the cat treated at the vet, withhold food for a day or two leading up to the appointment, before you set your trap for the cat. [5] X Research source Use regular dry cat food from the store, or canned cat food to feed the cats. In a pinch, a small amount of tuna or other canned fish will also attract cats if you’d rather not buy cat food. [6] X Research source Don’t feed cats milk. Contrary to popular belief, cats have difficulty processing dairy, and you can end up with a mess on your hands by feeding cats milk. Feed strays solid cat food.
Each trap will be operated slightly differently, but all are fairly basic. For the most part, you only need to open the trap door and secure it in place with the wire release bar. When the door closes, the animal will be trapped inside. Cover the trap with a towel or cloth without obscuring the entrance, to help obscure the trap and make it look less conspicuous. Some hard to catch cats prefer to be able to see through the back of the trap. If you are having trouble catching a cat try removing the cover or leaving the back exposed. Don’t use a bowl to keep the food in. The cat might thrash around once caught and could hurt itself on any objects stuck inside the cage.
Leave the cat in the trap. Don’t let the cat out of the trap or try to transfer it to a cat carrier, or you’re just going to have to start the whole process over again. After being caught and moved around, cats will want to hide in a small, cramped space, anyway, making the cage the ideal location for them at this time. The cat will be fine!
If releasing the cat to a new area a caregiver needs to be available to help the cat become acclimated to its new environment, which can take several weeks. In general, this policy is promoted by the ASPCA as a way of helping to control the cat population. If the cat seemed to be getting on well in the environment, release it and put food, water and shelter out regularly. Cats that are released to areas they are not familiar with are unlikely to survive unless they have a caretaker because they do not have a source of food, water, or shelter. Other cats already in the area may also attack them in territory disputes.
Feral cats are almost never adopted from shelters, as they have a high euthanasia rate of more than 90%. If the cat is unadoptable it is better to release to the area where it was caught. Many rescues will pay the cost of a stray cat’s veterinary bills for you. Save your receipts. If you can, offer to foster the cat until a home is found. Some organizations have more cats than they have foster homes. Just don’t take offense if they prefer to foster with someone who has experience with cats.
Ask around informally to see if any of your friends or relatives might be interested in looking after the cat. Start by asking trusted friends and acquaintances. This way the cat gets a good home, and you can visit it sometimes. Advertise the cat locally. Put the cat on Petfinder. com. Make sure the profile is honest about the cat’s situation. You can also put an ad online or in the local classifieds.
