Possum traps and domestic cats

Community ranger, Kai, with Artemis who is showing off her special bird protector ruffle collar. 

We know from our recent survey that City Sanctuary residents love animals and want the best for our native species and our pet cats. 27% of the survey respondents own cats and we all want to keep pet cats safe while we are carrying out predator control. We can proudly say that after several years of trapping in highly residential settings we have never harmed a domestic cat. Many of the possum traps on the market are designed to target feral cats, but only if they are mounted, baited and set to target those animals. All our possum traps are installed and baited to keep pets safe.  
 
Top tips for how to keep your cat safe when possum trapping in your backyard: 
🐾    Ensure the trap is mounted at about 1.2 metres off the ground on a vertical tree or fence post with no perches underneath 
🐾    Do not bait the trap with meat or peanut butter  
🐾    Use curry powder blaze, most cats don’t like curry!  
🐾    Once the trap is mounted, get your cat and show it the trap; pop a bit of blaze on its nose – it will not appreciate that at all and will associate the curry blaze with the trap 
🐾    If you have a really curious feline friend; while safely holding your cat, dry fire/trigger the trap to give him or her a fright and your cat will learn that traps are not nice things to be around!  
🐾    If you are really concerned about the safety of your cat, then simply deactivate traps during the day, reset at night and keep your cat indoors overnight.