In the alleys, vacant lots, and gardens of our neighbourhoods, stray cats have become a familiar presence—sometimes invisible, often ignored, but very real. They live on the margins, in often precarious conditions, exposed to the elements, disease, injury, and hunger. Their numbers are growing rapidly, at the rate of uncontrolled reproduction. Faced with this reality, an ethical, proven and increasingly practised solution is emerging: trapping stray cats and then neutering them.
This simple but profoundly useful gesture is an act of compassion towards animals, but also of responsibility towards our communities. It not only reduces animal suffering, but also limits nuisances and prevents an explosion in the feral cat population.
Why trapping is necessary
Trapping is not a fad of animal rights activists. It is a necessity firmly rooted in reality.
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Uncontrolled proliferation
An unsterilised female cat can have between two and three litters per year, with an average of four to six kittens per litter. If nothing is done, a single female and her descendants can produce hundreds of cats in just a few years. Very quickly, a neighbourhood can find itself with a feline overpopulation that is difficult to manage.
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Health issues (public)
Stray cats can carry diseases such as toxoplasmosis, ringworm, intestinal parasites, and scabies. Feline leukaemia or FIV (cat AIDS) further exacerbate their suffering.
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Threat to biodiversity
Cats are formidable hunters, and in some environments, their impact is significant. They can decimate local populations of birds, lizards, and small mammals. In urban and suburban areas in particular, their unregulated presence upsets the balance of the local ecosystem.
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Animal suffering
Contrary to the romantic image of the ‘free cat’, stray cats often suffer. They lack care, live in the rain and cold, and can be injured in fights or run over by cars. Trapping helps to break this cycle of misery.
TNR: trap, neuter, release
TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is a method used around the world to manage stray cat colonies in a humane and effective manner.
Cats are captured using specially designed trap cages. Once trapped, they are taken to a vet to be sterilised.
The advantages of TNR
- Prevents reproduction, thereby gradually reducing the population.
- Reduces nuisance behaviour: mating calls, fighting, urine marking.
- Improves the overall health of colonies.
- Avoids mass euthanasia, which is ineffective and morally questionable.
- Allows for long-term monitoring and the establishment of controlled feeding points.
The involvement of shelters and volunteers
TNR often relies on committed citizens, local associations and sometimes municipal assistance. Associations can lend trap cages, coordinate veterinary appointments and offer subsidies for care.
How to trap a stray cat: steps
Trapping a stray cat cannot be improvised.
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Preparation
- Locate the cat: Observe its habits, the times it goes out, the places where it eats or rests.
- Contact a shelter: Many organisations lend trap cages free of charge or for a deposit.
- Plan ahead: Do not feed the cat for 24 hours before trapping so that it is motivated to enter the cage.
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Trapping
- Choose a quiet location.
- Use irresistible food: sardines in oil, tuna, cooked chicken without spices, or cat food.
- Set up the cage and move away: Watch from a distance so as not to scare the animal. The cat must enter the cage completely before the mechanism is triggered. The trap cage mechanism.
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Transport and care
- Once captured, immediately cover the cage with a sheet or blanket to calm the animal. Take it to the vet quickly.
- After sterilisation, it is advisable to keep the cat in a quiet place for 24 hours so that it can recover properly. Males are often released more quickly.
What to do after trapping?
Feral or sociable cat?
Some stray cats are completely feral, having never known humans.
These are released after sterilisation in their territory. Those that are sociable can be offered for adoption through an association or shelter.
Release under the right conditions
- Ideally, the cat should have access to a basic shelter (hut, insulated box) and a food source.
- Some volunteers set up monitored and maintained cat colonies.
- Once neutered, the cat will lead a more stable and less conflictual life.
- Stable colonies are healthier, less noisy, and better tolerated by residents.
Conclusion
Trapping a stray cat is not just about catching it in a cage. It is about giving it a chance to live a more dignified life, to no longer suffer, and to no longer produce litters doomed to misery. It also contributes to the balance of our urban environment, the peace of our neighbourhoods, and respect for life in all its forms.
When done properly, trapping is a respectful, sustainable and humane solution. It does not necessarily require a lot of resources, but a little time, heart and coordination with local stakeholders. If everyone takes a small step—by trapping a cat, donating to an association, or simply raising awareness among those around them—then stray cats will no longer be invisible. They will be protected, monitored, and respected.
Need more information? Write to ‘La Voie Animale’: contact@lavoieanimale.com
