In order to bait a feral cat trap it is important to know what materials will be most effective. There are many different reasons to trap a cat, but the information below is focused on the baits that will work for many common styles and brands of traps designed for small felines. While cages can vary greatly, many of the traps can be set with the same baits.http://www.livetrap.com/cgi/search.cgi?user_id=id&database=dbase1.exm&template=products.shtml&2_option=1&2=Feral+Cat+Handler

It is common among professional feline trappers to use food that has a strong odor for bait. Canned mackerel is recommended by the Humane Society of San Diego, California for being inexpensive and highly effective.http://www.feralcat.com/trapinst.html#A1.1 A technique for baiting can be to dip newspaper in mackerel juice before an individual plans to set the trap. Other baits that have proven to work well are chicken, catnip, and different types of fish. If a live trap is being used the bait should be placed on the dampened paper underneath the trap. This will allow the trap to be picked up without the rest of the bait. A bowl or other containers should never be placed in a trap to avoid injury to the animal if it should panic.http://www.feralcat.com/trapinst.html#A1.2

A study on Matakohe Island showed that catnip plant oil was the most effective form of baiting a feral cat. Not only did catnip attract the most cats, but it held the animals attention for longer than the other variables. Other baits that were less effective but still studied were male and female cat urine, fish oil, and water.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1024&context=vpc15

If the trapper does not wish to keep the cat alive, there are certain chemicals that can be applied the the baits mention before. The chemicals L-alanine and "1080" were tested on meats that have been known to attract cats. Of the 48 cats that were attracted to the bait, 38 took the bait as normal. The ten that didn't eat the bait were presumed to either not be hungry or uncomfortable with human presence. The test suggested that a 2mg dose of 1080 will kill most cats up to 5kg.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1024&context=vpc15

Other toxic baits that have proven to be effective are warfarin and gliftor. Cyanide was tested but was rejected by the cats. Warfarin had successful results, but tended to be inconsistent. Also the large dose amount makes it less convenient than 1080.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1024&context=vpc15