Nail the bottom, sides, top, and end in position to form the box. 

 Fasten the fulcrum at right angles across the bottom board, 15 inches 

 from the front end. Nail the drop-door guides to front of trap to 

 form grooves for the drop door, as illustrated in Figure 1, A. Screw 

 one screw eye into the top side of the treadle half an inch from the 

 right side and 17^ inches from the front end. Screw the second 

 screw eye into the under side of the top board one-half inch from the 

 right side and 1 inch from the front end. Fasten one end of the 

 trigger wire to the screw eye on the treadle by bending to form a 

 loop through the eye. Set the treadle in place so that its groove fits 

 over the fulcrum. Pass the loose end of the trigger wire through the 

 upper screw eye and bend the end back sharply at a length that will 

 allow it to project just enough to hold up the door when the trap 

 is set and to release it when the rear end of the treadle is pushed 

 down. (Fig. 1, B.) The trap should be given two coats of good 

 paint inside and out, to prevent warping when used outdoors. 



Fresh fish is undoubtedly the most attractive food bait for cats. 

 A fish or fish head, should be hung on a nail or hook provided for the 

 purpose at the back end of the interior of the trap. When fish is not 

 available, fresh meat of any kind, cooked or raw, may be used. 

 A half ounce of dried catnip tied up in a cloth or preferably catnip 

 oil, if available, also makes excellent bait and will sometimes attract 

 a well-fed cat into a trap when food bait has failed. 



The trap should be set in or near places that stray cats might 

 be expected to visit in search of food. Open garbage cans at the 

 rear of dwellings, as well as those that occasionally overflow, are 

 visited regularly and furnish good trapping prospects. 



The trapped animal should be inspected by looking through the 

 screened opening in the rear end of the trap. If a neighbor's pet 

 cat or other valuable animal has entered the trap, it can be released. 

 The simplest and most humane method of disposing of the trapped 

 cat is to gas it by inserting into the trap a tablespoonful of calcium 

 cyanide or a wad of cotton saturated with 1 ounce of carbon disul- 

 phide or chloroform. A heavy blanket thrown over the trap will 

 assist in keeping the gas confined. 



CAUTION. — Carbon disulphide is highly explosive and inflam- 

 mable, and calcium cyanide and its fumes are extremely toxic. Both 

 these chemicals should be handled with great care. 



If the cat is not asphyxiated in the trap, it may be taken out of 

 the trap by fastening a burlap bag over the front end and raising 

 the trap door. As some cats are apt to come out in a hurry, the 

 bag should be securely tied or hooked over nails driven around the 

 exit. With the cat tied in the bag, it is a simple matter to gas or 

 drown it in an ash can or other similar container having a tight-fit- 

 ting lid. Many city governments, and also local organizations, such as 

 animal rescue leagues or humane societies, are prepared to collect and 

 dispose of unwanted animals upon request. This service where 

 available greatly simplifies the disposal of trapped stray cats. 



This leaflet is a contribution from the 



Bureau of Biological Survey, Paul G. Redington, Chief 



Division of Predatory-Animal and Rodent Control, Stanley P. Young, in Charge 



U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1929 



For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. - - - Price 5 cents 



