How to Capture a Mom Cat with Kittens

If you have all the kittens available, you can use them to trap a feral mother cat. You must be sure that all kittens are together and that mom has not moved any. If she has, you might be stranding other kittens when you capture her.

1. Line a small carrier with a towel. Under the towel place a couple water or pop bottles with super-hot tap water. This will keep small kittens warm while you wait out the mom.
2. Bait a trap with very, very stinky wet food.
3. Butt the carrier with kittens up against the closed end of the trap as if they are train cars.
4. Cover the whole “train” with a sheet only allowing mom to see the kittens from the opening of the trap.
5. Be quiet and let her try to rescue her kittens.

This can go bad if mom gets spooked and kittens are left without a mother. Then you can plan on bottle feeding the babies. The hope is to get mom and babies safe and cared for in a cage till kittens are weaned and mom can be spayed and released.

If mom doesn’t take the “bait,” then you run the risk of her moving them after being really pissed off. Don’t do this unless you are willing to bottle feed.

If kittens are eating on their own, this is a great technique for getting mom. If you don’t get her, you can get her later. You have at least two months before she gives birth again. Don’t waste time, but get kittens safe and get her later. If you must, use the kittens as bait for several days in a row, only leaving them outside (under your watchful yet far away eye) for an hour or two at a time. Feed if necessary.

Also, please don’t do this unless you have a place ready for mom and kittens.