There are many incentives to catch a feral kitten. The survival rates of a feral kitten are 80% lower than that of a domesticated cat. This is due to the lack of nutrition as well as the presence of more dangers in the wild. On average, a feral kitten will live to the age of 3 years, whereas a domesticated cat will live on average to 16. Today’s article will focus on how to catch feral kittens.
The younger you catch a feral kitten, the better. The longer a feral kitten stays in the wild, the harder it will be to teach them to become a domesticated cat. Additionally, each day a feral kitten stays out in the wild is another day they are probably experiencing malnutrition.
How to catch feral kittens
The best and safest way to catch feral kittens is with a trap. If you don’t have a trap, you can use blankets and towels.
Feral cat traps
Cat traps are the most common way to cat feral kittens. You can choose from a wide range of different traps that have different mechanisms of catching the cat. Just make sure that the trap is safe for cats. A great safe cat trap is the Steel Humane Release Trap.
It will most likely take a couple days to lure a feral kitten into a trap, so you have to be patient. There are some techniques you can do to help increase your chances of catching the feral cat. One easy way is to camouflage the trap with some natural brush, such as leaves or tree branches.
This will help the trap look more natural, and the feral kitten is more likely to enter it. You can also try using wet food in the trap, which has a much stronger smell that will attract the cat from a far distance away. Check out this article to see the Best Food to Trap Feral Cats.
Blankets and towels
It is still possible to catch a feral kitten without a trap. The key is to start putting out food for the feral kitten on a regular basis. Feral kittens are smart, and they will be very suspicious the first couple times you put out food. They likely won’t come get the food until you are out of site.
The longer and more often you leave the food, the more the kitten will trust you. Once the kitten starts eating in front of you, try to stand closer and closer to the food. Eventually you should try to give the feral kitten treats and set them right next to you. Once you build the kittens trust, it is time to catch it.
You should wear a thick jacket and gloves to protect your skin from scratches and bites. You should then use a towel to grab the kitten from the back. Once you have lifted up the kitten, gently put him/her into a kennel or bucket.
It is important to note that you don’t always have to grab the feral cat to catch it. You can also just keep luring it in with food. If the cat is young, there is a good chance they might start trusting you. Once you build their trust, they’ll start sticking around for good.
What age can you catch feral kittens?
While there is not an exact age, most vets and experts agree that a feral cat is too old to catch after they turn 1 years old. After this period, experts say that the cat will no longer be able to be domesticated.
What to do after you catch a feral kitten
After you catch a feral kitten, you should take them to a large room where there is no exits. We recommend somewhere like the garage. Give the kitten its space, and also set out plenty of food and water. You should show the feral kitten as much love and care as possible, without scaring or frightening them. Also make sure that for the first couple days, you keep the feral kitten completely isolated from other pets if you have them.
Expectations for raising a feral kitten
Catching a feral kitten is only a small portion of the work that lies ahead. Raising a feral kitten can be extremely hard, and it requires a lot of patience. You have to be able to accept the fact that you might not be able to pet your feral kitten for the first couple of months while it becomes acclimated to you and your home.
You should take small steps, as you don’t want to scare you feral cat into running away. Over time, your feral cat will begin to build more trust in you, and they will begin to relax more and accept you.
It is also essential that you take the feral kitten to the vet as soon as possibly. You should get the feral kitten all the proper vaccinations, and we strongly recommend spaying or neutering the cat.
