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How to Catch a Wild Kitten That Runs From You

Female cats can become pregnant as many as three times a year, producing litters of kittens. Wild kittens, which are also known as feral kittens, may be distrustful of humans and suspicious of them. A kitten who has never been handled may resist your attempts to take it to a shelter or into your home. Whether you want to adopt a feral kitten or turn it into a shelter or a spay and release program, you need to catch it. That can prove tricky.

Things You'll Need

Newspaper
Scissors
Canned mackerel
Can opener
Spoon
Cat trap
Towel

Instructions

- 1
  Wait until the kitten is between 4 and 5 weeks old unless you can trap the mother as well. Kittens need to drink their mother's milk until they are about that age.
- 2
  Cut a square of newspaper that is 3 inches wide.
- 3
  Open a can of mackerel. Mackerel is a fish with a strong scent, which is attractive to the kitten.
- 4
  Soak the square of newspaper with the mackerel juice.
- 5
  Place the soaked newspaper on the ground where you want to place the cat trap.
- 6
  Spoon a small amount of mackerel onto the newspaper.
- 7
  Place the cat trap on top of the mackerel, allowing the mackerel to push up through the trap's wire bottom. The mackerel should be situated to the rear of the cage, so the kitten has to enter completely to get to the food.
- 8
  Cover the trip plate in the cat trap with a piece of newspaper.
- 9
  Set the trap according to the directions that came with it.
- 10
  Cover the trap with a large towel or a large piece of fabric, leaving the opening clear.
- 11
  Sit down to wait at a place where you can see the trap but where you are far enough away that you won't scare off the kitten.
- 12
  Repeat for several nights in a row until you catch the kitten.

Animals & Science