Concerned about remote control trap

[dahlia]

Hello,
I recently purchased the remote control from Tomahawk for my trap. I think it will be very useful. I have been training one of the cats I need to catch to go in the trap (I can't actually trap her because my vet isn't open this weekend and I want to take her right there). She has been going part way in but not all the way. Today she went all the way in but her tail was still hanging out of the trap while she ate the food off the plate in the back. I am worried about shutting the trap on her tail. Has anyone had an issue with using the remote?

 

[Jcatbird]

Antonio65 Is the one person I know who has the most experience with remote control trapping and he is a great TNR cat lover. He is amazing! I’ll see if I can find one of his threads.
This is an older thread but post to him or maybe he will find your question. He’s very good at trapping. Remote Control - Modifying A Trap Cage

 

[Antonio65]

Hi D dahlia ,
Thanks for taking care of the ferals in your area and for TNR'ing them.

By what you say, it seems your trap is too short for a cat, I mean, its length entrance to end is too little to allow a cat fully in.
I have a Havahart trap that I modified with a handmade device which triggers the trap shut when I press a button on a remote control, as you can see in the demo clip in the thread that Jcatbird linked for you.

You don't mention your trap, most of the traps do not shut completely closed, but they allow some room between the door and the floor, a small fraction of an inch, but it should be enough to avoid injuries to the tails.

My Havahart trap is about 32 inches long, which is right for a medium to large cat that fits perfectly head to tail.
I place the bait at the very end of the trap so that the tail is safely in when the cat is going to eat.
We should also observe that when the cat is in the trap and eating, it could have its tail curled around one side of the body, not straight to the door.
Please, notice also that as soon as the trigger is released, the noise is enough to startle the cat and make it turn and move away from the entrance.

The only time when I experienced a bad trapping was when a cat walked into the trap along with one her two kittens.
At that time the trap was still self operated, no remote, and was left unattended. The cat triggered the door to shut when the kitten was halfway in, and the trap closed on his back. I was terrified, but the kitten was unharmed, thanks God.

With the remote I have been able to trap two cats at the same time on at least three occasions. Fantastic!

Feel free to ask me for more info and details.

 

[Antonio65]

Antonio65 Is the one person I know who has the most experience with remote control trapping and he is a great TNR cat lover. He is amazing! I’ll see if I can find one of his threads.
This is an older thread but post to him or maybe he will find your question. He’s very good at trapping.

You wrote too many kind words about me, honestly
Thank you very much!

 

[Jcatbird]

You wrote too many kind words about me, honestly
Thank you very much!

Not enough kind words, if you want my opinion. All said was from my knowledge of you and spoken from the heart. I thought of you the instant I read this thread.

 

[moxiewild]

I have the Tomahawk remote control and use it frequently for box traps, as well as my Tomahawk drop trap. (I’m actually on a trap mission right now with the trigger in hand!)

What trap are you using? And how long is it?

This is something I actually always fret about with any trap - so much so, that I’ve added “bumpers” or “spacers” to almost all of my traps (usually) out of foam pipe insulation or pool noodles for tail clearance.

For my regular, spring loaded box traps, i just add them to the outside corners, just enough to keep the door open 1” once it closes to leave space for any tails. The gap is not enough for cats to push through - or, at least, none of the 50 or so cats I’ve trapped since doing this have been able to!

A “tail spacing” is something I really wish manufacturers would consider, especially for traps shorter than 32” or so!

Another option is a hanging bait cage. Tomahawk has some, but you can also usually use any old “treat cage/puzzle” meant for birds and other small animals, or make a DIY version if you’re creative enough!

The goal is to get the bait as high up as possible. Most cats will take a position that brings their tail in more when going after hanging bait like this (although it doesn’t always work in traps 32” or less in length).

The only other thing you can do is just be patient. Don’t pull the trigger until the cat is all the way in - which may mean you won’t get her today. But eventually you will!

However, if this continually keeps happening, then the trap simply isn’t long enough for this particular cat.

You can either buy a longer trap (or borrow - lots of city/county animal control places usually rent traps out to locals for free or a fully refundable deposit! So do a lot of local feed stores! And of course it’s always worth asking your spay/neuter clinic or vet!), modify your own to accommodate the tail, or continue to wait patiently (even for a trap that is too short, eventually you’ll catch her with her tail tucked in better!).

Thank you for caring for your community cats! You’ve got her already going to the back of the trap, and that’s more than half the battle! You’re almost there!

I know it can be nerve racking, but you got this!

 

[dahlia]

Thank you both for responding to me. My trap is the "FixNation" trap from Tomahawk. I think it is 32 inches but I will have to measure it to be sure. I like the tail extender idea. I may try that. If not, I will just be patient and will make sure the bait is as far back as I can get it. If nothing else, I do know someone I can borrow a bigger trap from if necessary. I just want to make sure I don't hurt her.

 

[moxiewild]

Thank you both for responding to me. My trap is the "FixNation" trap from Tomahawk. I think it is 32 inches but I will have to measure it to be sure. I like the tail extender idea. I may try that. If not, I will just be patient and will make sure the bait is as far back as I can get it. If nothing else, I do know someone I can borrow a bigger trap from if necessary. I just want to make sure I don't hurt her.

Your concern is valid, don’t worry!

While most cats will move their tail out of the way, the fact is, if they do get injured, it’s not always easy to tell.

The vet isn’t going to be handling the cat while it’s awake, and the vet and you evaluating kitty while awake but in a trap, just doesn’t offer much opportunity to check for a tail injury, unless its obviously bleeding (which plenty of tail injuries do not!).

We have a feral enclosure where I work, so the cats continue to be evaluated long after trapping. We keep them secluded for the length of time you normally would for a pet cat being spayed/neutered, and they’re evaluated by our vet/vet staff daily.

The amount of tail injuries we catch is WAY more than I have ever had when privately TNRing or have ever heard of from other caretakers.

So I think it happens a lot more often than we think, we just don’t have many opportunities to notice it (especially with true ferals).