Cat bathroom

I was wondering if it would be worth setting a trap in an area if I only see one set of cat droppings? They look fairly new but I thought they usually went in the same area alot. Just wanted some opinions thanks.

What does that one set of cat droppings tell you? You said you thought go in the same area a lot. Well, look at the home range of an adult bobcat. It might be 1, 2, 5, 10 square miles or more, depending on habitat, prey, time of year, gender of the cat, age of the cat, etc. But if you say its 5 square miles, and the cat has to go potty twice a day, the cat would spend all its time running back and forth to its various toilets to do its business. The fact is, they go where ever they happen to be. That's why you sometimes find a pile out on a bare hillside or under the lone tree in a vast expanse of sage. They just go when the urge strikes them.

Now, there are areas where cats seem to "save up" and deposit their droppings. Look at prominent trees in the mouth of a canyon, or on a divide saddle, along a tree line, along ditches and hedgerows, under big south facing ledges with sandy bottoms. These areas are not necessarily visited more often by cats . . . its just that when a cat DOES HAPPEN to be in the neighborhood, he or she will usually make a point to swing by and visit the local toilet. But even when they do visit, they don't always leave droppings. Sometimes they leave nothing; sometimes they scoop little dirt piles with no droppings on them; and sometimes they will back up and squirt pee on the existing droppings. It just depends on the particular cat.

What if you saw one set of fresh cat tracks in that area . . . would you set there? The fact that you saw a fresh dropping indicates that a cat has recently been there. Unless you've got other areas where you KNOW a cat is going to visit, then I'd set a trap there because the traps in the back of my pickup have yet to catch a cat, and a trap in the ground at a location where a cat has recently been in the area at least has a chance at making a catch.

Well said Cameron. Not sure i even have anything to add to that one!!!!

Cameron, The words you wrote should be bronzed for everyone to see. I always set on sign, be it tracks or toilet or a kill. The words you wrote reguarding traps in the back of the pickup, are words that my father always told me. Traps in the pickup or on the wall of the trapping shed won't catch a thing, they have got to be in the ground.

Thanks for the info. Im new to this and havent even tried to catch cats until this year. I only have 4 traps currently so Im trying to put them in the "best" areas that I can find. So far Ive caught 6 red fox, 1 grey fox, 2 bobcats. Thanks again for the info.

say Wildman, seeing as how the Peoples Republic of Colorado
hobbles us with live traps only, how are you catching reds?

Mickzabro. Ive been setting up the cages to catch bobcats. I put gland lure and bait paste from briarpatch inside the cages clear at the back. I also sometimes use the liver, heart, lungs and put them in a hole under the pan (under the cage). I hang a feather on a string in front of the cage 6-8 foot high. I completely cover my cages with pine branches, willow, yucca, or whatever is there. I only let them smell the lure, bait by going into the front of the cage. They cant get within 2 foot of the rest of the cage. Its my first year but Ive caught the reds and greys and bobcat using the same setup. If you can see where they are walking try to get within 10-15 foot of their trail or closer if possible. I dont think Im doing anything special but I have a fair number of fox around my area. Good Luck. Ive also used dry dog food.

Back in 1988, a friend of mine and I decided to partner up and trap. We found in mountain passes or old road cuts where on one side or the other cats would use that area for a toilet. There would be a minimum of 12 to as many as 30 piles of cat scat, and that isn't counting the mounds that was probably where they left urine. This friend of mine and I got to calling them "Super Toilets". I believe we only found two of them, but they did pay off well. If you are lucky enough to find such and area, set it with at least 3 traps or more (myself, I'd set at least 6 traps). I'm now living in a different kind of area, arid and rocky with lots of rimrock. I have yet to find a "Super Toilet", but I haven't given up. These type of toilets will pay big dividends to those who find them.

well done wildman,I`ve never taken a red in a cage. I trap south park
and fox are as rare as honest politicians, might have something to do
with Colorado`s coyote protection policy. I call in and shoot one or two
most years, gee ain`t they loaded with fleas! the coyotes and cats always have a fair amount, but in my area a red fox is the Ritz-Carlton for fleas!
about half of them are rubbed so bad as to be worthless.
Sounds to me like you got a pretty good handle on the cage biz.
good luck, hope you have to make more stretchers.
Mick

Thanks for the info on the cat toilets. Havent found the motherload yet but Ill keep looking. mikzabro, you might want to try some bacon (cooked) and then put some grease under the pan. I imagine your having better luck on cats that me. That area used to be good for it. Yes we have a lot of fleas but the coyotes seem to have them the worst here. I dont know if I have a handle on cage trapping but Im learning lots and having fun doing it. Wildman