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Trapping
Fostering Feral Cats Safely
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The Feral Cat Setup
The Feral Cat Setup provides a way to house an unsocialized cat safely for longer than usual. Normally cats are cared for in their traps during a TNR project, but if a cat is ill or injured, he may need to be confined for longer than a trap would be suitable. Other uses include holding a mom nursing kittens or a cat awaiting relocation. It can also be used to transition an outdoor cat into an indoor home.
A step-by-step guide for moving a feral cat in and out of the Setup is provided below. Materials you'll need include:
- Pop-up cage, minimum size 36L x 24W x 20H
- Feral cat den
- Small litter pan (approximately 14L x 10W x 3.5H)
- Food and water dishes
- Broomstick handle or equivalent
- Newspaper or other absorbent material
- Cotton sheet
Preparation
Line the bottom of the cage with newspaper. Place the litterbox towards the front of the cage and also the food and water dishes. Some caretakers prefer to put the food and water towards the back right (facing the cage) so there's a bit of distance from the litter pan. Leave space in the back left for the den.
Step 1 - insert the den
The cat should be in the den before you begin - don't try to put the cat in the cage otherwise or you'll be risking escape or injury. The cat can be transferred out of a trap and into the den, or, if you're picking up the cat from a vet clinic, have them put the cat inside for you. Place the den containing the cat inside the prepared cage.
Step 2 - close the cage door
If the den has a spring clip lock on the porthole side door, move it into an unlocked position, but don't open the porthole. Close the cage door and lock it.
Step 3 - open the porthole
Using the broomstick, reach through the bars of the locked cage and tip the porthole side door of the den up into an open position.
Step 4 - cat's out of the den
After the porthole side door is up and open, the cat can move freely in and out of the den, and take advantage of the food, water and litter box.
Step 5 - feeding & cleaning
To clean up the cage and put in fresh food and water, first shoo the cat into the den. Most ferals will go right in as soon as you approach. Others may need a little encouragement - a tap on the cage, a spritz of water or the like. Once the cat is in the den, reach through the bars of the cage with the broomstick and tip the porthole side door down into a closed position.
Step 6 - remove the den
Once the porthole door is down, open the front door of the cage. If the den has a side door lock, move it into the locked position. Then remove the den (with cat inside) from the cage and proceed with feeding and cleaning. Once you're done, repeat steps 1 through 3 to put the cat back in the cage.
Keep the cage covered
When confined, feral cats feel more secure in covered, dark spaces. So when you're not feeding or cleaning, keep the cage covered with a cotton sheet (avoid using a nylon or non-cotton sheet that doesn't breathe). It's also best when possible to put the cage in a quiet, low trafficked spot. For air flow, if the cat appears comfortable, you can pull back the sheet from a corner of the cage.