Agreed I call tell you how to avoid catching them more than once .Feral cats reproduce several times a year . The number of diseases they carry some of which are possibly issues that can effect humans They kill millions of song birds and native mammals. And the trap spade neuter theory is a way for people to steal money from people that are susceptible to misinformation.

Have you tried using only stuff like marshmallows in them? I trapped a place that was absolutely infested with cats... think crazy cat lady.... using pull only DPs and marshmallows. Caught a slew of big old fat IL barn coons, but no cats.

And - What housecats?....I haven't seen any cats.

Your question is absurd! You let cats run loose and ask how to not catch them! You can be the problem and solution. Either let them wander and catch them, or don’t let them wander and don’t catch them.

In my nuisance trapping business I had a customer with a severe lawn damage problem. She fed her wandering cats bowls of food outside which initially attracted the raccoons. I told her in plain language to put the cats in the garage or house so I don’t catch them and waste her money and my time. She reluctantly agreeed. In my agreement I wrote in large letters to put all pets inside. On the evening of the day that I set cages, she called me and was furious because I had caught a cat. I went there, released the cat, gathered the traps, and gave her a partial refund.

A long time ago. The parish I lived in, had a leash law, a it also included cats!! One day, my girlfriend called me up crying! She said, she just ran over her neighbors cat, and they are at her door! So, I told her to tell them, they have a leash law here with cats included! And if there is any damage to my car they will be responsible!! The neighbor looked down the road and said, I don’t think that’s my cat, and left!! I know that’s not what you asked for. But, do what everyone else said, sweet bait and cages. And you might still catch them! Firewood, I would ad to this to that contract, if I catch your cat it will cost 50 dollars or I will have to bring it to animal control! That might make them lock them up while you are working!!

Gator - good advice to your daughter!

My contract already includes more than that. I added extra in huge writing and circled the relevant language. She also said a neighbor complained about cruelty to animals because her cat was in a cage trap. She only got a partial refund because of the cat fine/charge, one day trapping, an extra trip, and she tried scolding me. I am very independent and none of that gets dumped on me. I will not work for a difficult customer - they go on my forever waiting list.

Firewood, I don’t blame you! Life is too short to mess with people like that!

Outdoor cats don’t last long here. Not in quail country anyways. Ever noticed if you catch a feral cat its fur is thick, they are fat, and have claws about an inch long? Yet catch a feral dog and it’s so thin you can see every bone and they’re covered in ticks so bad that you can’t even make out the breed. You get higher praise on a feral cat than you do any other catch down here. They are just natural born killers.

You are probably not the only trapper in your area. KEEP THE CATS INDOORS!

In enough time the cats will be taken care of by red fox... the best bait in the world for red fox is cat!

Garry-

Don't you just love jobs like that?
They feed the birds and squirrels and want you to catch only the skunks.
LOL

The cats go out, and thats not gonna change. Bottom line is they kill mice and rats better than traps ever will. They kill the occasional bird, but I would too if I were a cat. I have a ton of birds and am not worried about that. If a fox gets one of them, thats no problem, its still better then keeping them imprisoned in the house all the time when they want to go hunting just like us.

I will just go with cages. I have had fox snap legs trying to get out of regular traps, and thats the only reason I worry about the cats. Even with special jaws I could see them getting pretty messed up. Cages will be fun to try

Patently false. Multiple studies have proven the common misconception that cats are effective at rodent control is false.

For one cats are equal opportunity killers without a predilection for rodents alone. Everything from bugs to reptiles to birds will be killed indiscriminately while the more secretive and nocturnal rodents, mainly the commensal ones, secrete themselves within structures, tunnels or other inaccessible places.

Studies also show that rodent numbers can and do actually grow in the presence of cats. Several possible reasons given are reduced food source competition from other species killed off by the cats, rodent reproductive strategy of large multiple litters, and where cats are fed from the cat food itself.

It has also been conjectured that the omnipresence of cats and rodents has lead to the misconception that cats control rodents when the reverse is true.

Didn't the old boys use skunks as barn mousers?

Now that would be an interesting thread!

Did your study say how much those cats were feed?

My study shows before I had cats in the barn I would move things and mice would run out from under them
Once cats moved into the barn I seldom see a mouse maybe once or twice a year.

But we don't over feed them either. If there is any food left when they are done eating they are geting feed to much and they get feed once a day. Unless it's bunching day or hunting season.

There are lots of factors that need to be looked at in these studies. Like who paid for them.

I mean you probably should not trap opossum there is a study that shows they eat ticks after all.

The possum tick study was flawed.

Exactly my point on studies. Your cat study is the exact opposite of my personal observation of mice in my barn.

The studies I have seen with Warrior's results were all made and used by HSUS and PETA, so I very, very, very highly doubt their veracity.

The reason why humans have used cats to control mice for over 10,000 years, is that they do control mice populations.

Cats are less effective at controlling rats, because of rats larger size. When cats and dogs are used together for rat control, they are proven to be effective.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5291527/

Keith

A "study" of before and after adc trapping mobile home parks is quite interesting.

Cats run away.....just saying.