10 Easy Ways to Catch a Stray Kitten Without a Trap
Kittens are one of the most adorable pets you could have. Humans have been adopting cats for thousands of years and kittens are special because they are easily adoptable, playful and more loving than full grown cats. Using a trap is a well known strategy to catch a stray kitten but there are hits and misses in this method because setting up a trap would need skill and some luck and traps do not always come handy. Below are 10 easy ways to catch a stray kitten without using a trap.
1.Use a laser pointer
Laser pointer is a very effective way to lure the kitten to come towards you and laser pointers are cheap to get. Any online store would sell them and you can even buy them at a local store. The mechanism of the laser pointer is to make the kitten get enticed to the laser beam which is pointing towards the ground. Cats are natural predators and they love teasing smaller animals such as rats, mice and critters and naturally kittens are extremely playful. The kitten's playful attitude coupled with its predatory instinct is the perfect combination to lure it by using a laser pointer. Never point the laser towards the kitten's eyes and you too should make sure to not look straight at the laser or point it towards your eyes because your retina could cause short term visual loss or blurriness. If you have kids, make sure to observe them when they are using a laser pointer.
1.Use a laser pointer
Laser pointer is a very effective way to lure the kitten to come towards you and laser pointers are cheap to get. Any online store would sell them and you can even buy them at a local store. The mechanism of the laser pointer is to make the kitten get enticed to the laser beam which is pointing towards the ground. Cats are natural predators and they love teasing smaller animals such as rats, mice and critters and naturally kittens are extremely playful. The kitten's playful attitude coupled with its predatory instinct is the perfect combination to lure it by using a laser pointer. Never point the laser towards the kitten's eyes and you too should make sure to not look straight at the laser or point it towards your eyes because your retina could cause short term visual loss or blurriness. If you have kids, make sure to observe them when they are using a laser pointer.
2. Put drops of milk on the floor
Kittens who are over four weeks old would be able to see clearly and their sense of smell is starting to develop. Cats have a very strong sense of smell and love dairy products and milk is one of their favorites. Kittens are generally lactose intolerant and although drinking milk isn't life threatening for them, it could sometimes cause diarrhea or severe vomiting. Drop milk droplets on the floor where you have located the kitten and wait patiently until the kitten starts licking and leave a trail of milk to towards your way to catch the kitten.
3. Put some yogurt
Yogurt is a dairy product and kittens love anything that contains dairy milks. Take the yogurt from the fridge and leave it util the cool has fully gone away. Feeding the kitten with cool yogurt is not advised has the kitten could get sick or can catch a cold related illness. Take a small amount of yogurt and pour it in a small dish or even on the ground where you have noticed the kitten loitering. In no time, the kitten will start coming for more and you can lure it.
Kittens who are over four weeks old would be able to see clearly and their sense of smell is starting to develop. Cats have a very strong sense of smell and love dairy products and milk is one of their favorites. Kittens are generally lactose intolerant and although drinking milk isn't life threatening for them, it could sometimes cause diarrhea or severe vomiting. Drop milk droplets on the floor where you have located the kitten and wait patiently until the kitten starts licking and leave a trail of milk to towards your way to catch the kitten.
3. Put some yogurt
Yogurt is a dairy product and kittens love anything that contains dairy milks. Take the yogurt from the fridge and leave it util the cool has fully gone away. Feeding the kitten with cool yogurt is not advised has the kitten could get sick or can catch a cold related illness. Take a small amount of yogurt and pour it in a small dish or even on the ground where you have noticed the kitten loitering. In no time, the kitten will start coming for more and you can lure it.
4. Place a ball
Kitten and young cats love to play with toys which tend to move because their predatory instinct kicks out once they see such toys. If you cannot find a moving toy, you can simple take a small ball and either tie a thread of insert a hole in it and tie it with thread that does not easily breaks. Use the thread to throw the ball and start playing with the cats and this would help the kitten interact with you and come close to you.
5. Use toys to play with the kitten
Cats love playing with toys and kittens are full or energy and are very adventurous. Small stuff toys, or toys resembling small animals such as mice or cockroaches are perfect to lure a kitten. When the kitten is relaxed, put the toy in front of him and stay there until he starts playing with it and while he is paying, stroke his head and then carry him so that he would bond with you.
6. Go near the kitten and place some food
Kittens are playful and at the same time are very scared of strangers. If you have found a place where a stray kitten is living, make sure to take some food such as raw meat or mild to make sure that the kitten can trust you and that you will not do any harm to him. At first the kitten will hiss and run away when it sees you but once you start feeding it, it will slowly start gaining confidence that you are friendly with him. Make sure to not feed a very young kitten with any meat or solids as their teeth are too fragile to cur it to meat and solids.
7.Always consider whether the Mother cats is with the kitten
Wanting to adopt a stray kitten is one thing and separating the kitten from it mother is another. It is totally wrong to take the kitten from its mother because we should put ourselves in that situation and see what it is like to take away a human child from its mother. Luring a kitten should be only done when the kitten has no mother and is desperately searching for food. Kittens which are separated from its mother tend to grow up with more behaviors which are uncontrollable. A mother cat will teach its kittens the skills needed to survive and will often discipline its naughty kitten. Just like a child needs ts parents, a very young kitten needs its mother for survival and separating it from its mother is cruel and can put the kitten at risk of getting illnesses and even dying as a result of a weakened immune system due to the lack of not getting enough mother's milk.
8. Never try to forcibly catch a kitten
Gentleness is very important when when adopting a stray kitten because trying to forcibly catch a kitten could result in traumatizing the kitten and eventually making it fretful towards you. Some people tend to chase the kitten in order to catch it and this should never be done because kittens could turn aggressive towards you and will never want to be friendly. Separating a young kitten from its mother could create problems in the way a kitten behaves towards humans and it causes more harm than good.
9. Be patient
Any cat owner would agree that patience is very important when living with cats. Being impatient sill only scare off the kitten and approaching the kitten with patience is very important. Stray kittens end up hungry and desperate when they lose their mother due to an accident, illness etc and the kitten will come asking for food by head butting and meowing. When approaching a kitten , make sure to give the kitten some time to come close towards you and when he is asking for help by stroking your legs, slowly carry him and pet him. Never try to chase or go behind the kitten as he would get scared. Instead, be tactful in approaching a kitten.
10. Use a box
Using a cardboard box or a box made of plastic or wood is perfect in trapping a kitten. Take the box and place the box exposing the opened are in front. Take a stack or a small branch from a tree and tilt the box and place the stick. Keep some food near the opening of the box and wait patiently till the kitten comes towards the box Once the kitten starts eating, push the stick making the box to fall and trapping the kitten.
Kitten and young cats love to play with toys which tend to move because their predatory instinct kicks out once they see such toys. If you cannot find a moving toy, you can simple take a small ball and either tie a thread of insert a hole in it and tie it with thread that does not easily breaks. Use the thread to throw the ball and start playing with the cats and this would help the kitten interact with you and come close to you.
5. Use toys to play with the kitten
Cats love playing with toys and kittens are full or energy and are very adventurous. Small stuff toys, or toys resembling small animals such as mice or cockroaches are perfect to lure a kitten. When the kitten is relaxed, put the toy in front of him and stay there until he starts playing with it and while he is paying, stroke his head and then carry him so that he would bond with you.
6. Go near the kitten and place some food
Kittens are playful and at the same time are very scared of strangers. If you have found a place where a stray kitten is living, make sure to take some food such as raw meat or mild to make sure that the kitten can trust you and that you will not do any harm to him. At first the kitten will hiss and run away when it sees you but once you start feeding it, it will slowly start gaining confidence that you are friendly with him. Make sure to not feed a very young kitten with any meat or solids as their teeth are too fragile to cur it to meat and solids.
7.Always consider whether the Mother cats is with the kitten
Wanting to adopt a stray kitten is one thing and separating the kitten from it mother is another. It is totally wrong to take the kitten from its mother because we should put ourselves in that situation and see what it is like to take away a human child from its mother. Luring a kitten should be only done when the kitten has no mother and is desperately searching for food. Kittens which are separated from its mother tend to grow up with more behaviors which are uncontrollable. A mother cat will teach its kittens the skills needed to survive and will often discipline its naughty kitten. Just like a child needs ts parents, a very young kitten needs its mother for survival and separating it from its mother is cruel and can put the kitten at risk of getting illnesses and even dying as a result of a weakened immune system due to the lack of not getting enough mother's milk.
8. Never try to forcibly catch a kitten
Gentleness is very important when when adopting a stray kitten because trying to forcibly catch a kitten could result in traumatizing the kitten and eventually making it fretful towards you. Some people tend to chase the kitten in order to catch it and this should never be done because kittens could turn aggressive towards you and will never want to be friendly. Separating a young kitten from its mother could create problems in the way a kitten behaves towards humans and it causes more harm than good.
9. Be patient
Any cat owner would agree that patience is very important when living with cats. Being impatient sill only scare off the kitten and approaching the kitten with patience is very important. Stray kittens end up hungry and desperate when they lose their mother due to an accident, illness etc and the kitten will come asking for food by head butting and meowing. When approaching a kitten , make sure to give the kitten some time to come close towards you and when he is asking for help by stroking your legs, slowly carry him and pet him. Never try to chase or go behind the kitten as he would get scared. Instead, be tactful in approaching a kitten.
10. Use a box
Using a cardboard box or a box made of plastic or wood is perfect in trapping a kitten. Take the box and place the box exposing the opened are in front. Take a stack or a small branch from a tree and tilt the box and place the stick. Keep some food near the opening of the box and wait patiently till the kitten comes towards the box Once the kitten starts eating, push the stick making the box to fall and trapping the kitten.