A Little Bait Goes a Long Way (2024)

To increase your chances of luring every cat, use bait with a strong smell, like tuna or sardines packed in oil. Place about 1 tablespoon of bait at the very back of the trap so that the cat has to step on the trigger plate while she’s trying to reach her snack. You can put the food directly on the newspaper trap liner, or in some kind of containerjust make sure there aren’t any sharp edges.

Put a tiny bit of food (about ½ teaspoon) at the front of the trap to get the cats interested, and then drizzle a trail of juice all the way to the back of the trap. Don’t use more food than thiscats need relatively empty tummies before surgery.

Try these baits that cats find irresistible:

• Jarred baby food (no onions!)
• Catnip
• Boil Valerian Root in water and douse the trap in the fragrant broth.
• Instead of canned tuna in oil, try mackerel, canned cat food, sardines, anchovies, or cooked chicken.

More on TNR preparation:

• Prepare Cats and the Community for Trapping Day
• 5 Steps to the Final Countdown to TNR