Did you say cat trapping?

Cat trapping is a rather sensitive subject, since this feline is the favourite animal of the French. Nevertheless, a cat in the wild can cause a lot of damage, especially to birds. The idea of a cat trap is therefore quite logical in a vision of preserving biodiversity.

The need to act

As you have probably already noticed, cats enjoy stalking and killing. Has it ever happened that it brings you a dead bird in the house? This animal endangers biodiversity by killing and injuring many small, defenceless animals.

As the number of stray cats increases each year, so do the number of birds killed... Today, nearly 92 species of birds are classified as threatened.

The impact of stray cats on biodiversity no longer needs to be proven, but getting them to understand is more difficult. Indeed, this animal is a symbol, many households have one (at least) and it is normal that it can be difficult to accept to capture this pretty feline. 

But here is the difference, trapping is mainly focused on stray cats, not domesticated ones, as they are in contact with nature all the time and therefore more likely to hunt birds. Moreover, this animal is a natural predator, sometimes it does not kill for food, but only for the pleasure of the hunt.

What is a "stray" cat?

When an individual in a state of divagation cannot be identified (with the help of a collar for example) and is more than 200 metres from the houses. Please note that your cat can also be considered a stray if it is found more than 1000 metres from its home or if it is on the public highway (or on someone else's property) and its owner is not known. It is therefore perfectly possible to use a cat trap and then hand the animal over to the competent authorities when these elements are respected.

Protecting wildlife

According to the Ligue protectrice des oiseaux, in 2017, "11% of animals taken in by LPO rescue centres were injured by cats". Still according to the LPO, 75 million animals are killed per year in France.

Hare cats, i.e. cats that have returned to the wild, cause the most damage, with 1,000 prey animals killed per year (per cat). Followed by stray cats with 270, then domestic cats with 30. 

We strongly advise you to consult the article "how to trap cats" on the hunter's journal.

The Hénon recovery box

This trap box does not kill or injure. It works with a simple mechanism, the animal enters the box, walks on the pallet and engages the closing mechanism of the door.

It also has a sliding trap door at the back, allowing you to safely release the cat. This cat trap is therefore safe for both you and the animal. In the event of an accidental catch (such as a hedgehog), it is very easy to release the animal.

It is important to specify that in case of capture, the stray cat must be handed over to the town hall and not directly to the SPA. Indeed, according to article L211-27 of the Rural Code, cats left by private individuals cannot be directly taken in charge by the pound.