Trap Safety and Monitoring
- Using a real-time remote surveillance camera or motion alarm is often the safest and most effective method of trap monitoring.
- If you need to check the trap in person, do so every 2-4 hours and never longer than 6 hours (in moderate weather).
- Don't disturb the trap too often. You may be scaring your cat away if you keep going outside to check the trap.
- The best trapping times are dusk or between 12am - 4am.
IMPORTANT Safety Information!
If you set a humane trap and do not monitor it properly, you risk possible injury or death to your cat or other animals (including other peoples’ pets). Potential risks include hypothermia, heat stroke, injury from a wild animal or loose dog, and theft/rescue by a person. To reduce this risk, it is recommended that you conduct constant surveillance of the trap either in person or via remote surveillance such as a trap alarm, video monitor or cellular/wireless wildlife camera. If this is not possible, then you should frequently check the trap at least every four to six hours. In extreme heat or cold, you should check the trap more frequently and provide adequate water and/or shelter. Trapping CAN be safely done. Just don’t be one of those irresponsible people that sets a trap and only checks it once or twice a day.
As mentioned before, proper monitoring of the trap is very important! Trapping is one of the most effective methods for catching a lost indoor cat, but if done improperly it can result in the injury or even death or your cat, someone else’s cat or wildlife.
Remote Monitoring is Often Most Effective
Using a real-time remote surveillance camera or motion alarm is often the safest and most effective method of monitoring a trap. Options include a cellular or wireless wildlife or security camera or a motion alarm. If trapping immediately around your home, you may also be able to use a baby monitor or wiFi camera.
For more information on surveillance options, see Surveillance and Motion Alarms.
In-Person Monitoring Options
There is a lot of disagreement among pet detectives and trappers on how often to check traps. Some will not even attempt to trap unless the trap is under constant surveillance. Certainly there are more risks and lower success without constant monitoring. However, sometimes remote surveillance is not an option.
Frequent Trap Checks
If you don’t have a way to remote monitor the trap, then be sure to check the trap every 2-4 hours (in good weather). In rainy, cold or hot weather, you will want to check the trap more frequently. During times when you are not able to check the trap, either close the trap or lock it open (see Pre-Baiting) so no animals can be caught. If the trap is in a location where it might be disturbed by people, then remove the trap when you are not monitoring it.
If you need to go outside or otherwise disturb the area to check the trap, then don’t do it too often or you might keep scaring your cat away. I have witnessed numerous instances where a camera captured a worried owner repeatedly checking the trap every 30-60 minutes and the cat never appears. Then, shortly after they go to sleep and stop disturbing the area, their cat shows up. If trapping around your home, try not to disturb the trap too often between 12am and 4am since this is when lost indoor cats are most likely to be trapped.
On the other hand, you definitely don’t want to wait too long between trap checks. Never leave a trap set and only check it once or twice a day. Most animals panic when trapped and will attempt to escape. Minor injuries are common during these escape attempts and injuries are likely worse the longer the animal is trapped. Raccoons will make a big mess and completely destroy your trap set-up if trapped for even an hour.
As long as another animal is in the trap, this obviously prevents your cat from being trapped and their attempts to escape can temporarily scare other animals away. That said, don’t get too upset if your cat sees another cat stuck in the trap and leaves. Many cats are caught in traps that have already caught other cats and/or wildlife.
Constant In-Person Monitoring
If you can't see the trap from in your house, you can try watching the trap from inside your car. As long as you stay quiet, most cats don't notice people sitting in cars. Sitting outside is generally not recommended since your cat will likely hear you and may not come out.
The most successful trapping times are dusk or the middle of the night (12am - 4am). If you don't have night vision glasses or surveillance, then you may need to put on some outside lighting. If you attach a piece of reflective tape to the trap door, you can more easily tell if it is closed.
This method works best if you start with a feeding station and surveillance or pre-baiting of the trap. This way you can verify that your cat is around AND even going into the trap, before you make the effort of staying up for hours to try trapping.