[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-270680-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-270680-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","trapping-of-feral-cats-using-cage-traps-cat002-standard-operating-procedure-pestsmart","TRAPPING OF FERAL CATS USING CAGE TRAPS (CAT002) STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (PestSmart)","","Charles Darwin University Animal Ethics Committee standard operating procedure for trapping feral cats using cage traps (CAT002) defines governance, welfare protections, and operational conditions for field investigators. It outlines approval and review dates, emphasizes legal compliance under relevant animal protection legislation, and provides background on ecological impacts and rationale for targeting problem individuals. The SOP covers planning for heat stress, frequent monitoring, timing of checks, sunrise release protocols for nocturnal by-catch, trap selection, euthanasia verification steps, and measures to minimize injury, suffering, and non-target deaths.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/trapping-of-feral-cats-using-cage-traps-cat002-standard-operating-procedure-pestsmart/270680/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/trapping-of-feral-cats-using-cage-traps-cat002-standard-operating-procedure-pestsmart/270680.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Clementine","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-23","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",11,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why does the SOP restrict cage trapping mainly to urban or residential areas?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The SOP notes cage trapping is generally ineffective for large areas but can be useful where domestic cats are present, where populations have already been reduced, and individual cats need to be targeted.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What monitoring schedule requirements apply during the day?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Daytime trapping requires a detailed frequent monitoring schedule; a single late-afternoon check is insufficient.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How should nocturnal by-catch be handled when traps are left open overnight?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Traps left open overnight must be checked within two hours of sunrise, and nocturnal by-catch should be safely held and released appropriately (for example, released at dusk) rather than released immediately during daylight hours.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},270680,1789456313,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":55,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":144},1374391974564,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/14000253aa45c000a9e?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779874745381141002","Charles Darwin University Animal Ethics Committee  \nStandard Operating Procedure:  \nTRAPPING OF FERAL CATS USING CAGE TRAPS (CAT002) STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (PestSmart)  \n\n| Version No: | Version 1 |\n| --- | --- |\n| Date of Approval by the CDU AEC: | 16/7/2025 |\n| Date for Review by the CDU AEC: | 16/7/2028 |\n\nNOTE: The CDU AEC approves the following SOP with the below  \namendments/conditions:  \n• Trapping conditions in the Northern Territory differ significantly from southern states and investigator protocols must account for the risk of heat stress.  \n• Traps used during the day require the project application to include a detailed frequent monitoring schedule. A single check in the late afternoon is not sufficient.  \n• Traps left open overnight must be checked within two hours of sunrise. Investigators must have a plan for the safe holding and appropriate release of nocturnal by-catch (for example, release at dusk) rather than immediate release during daylight hours.  \n• All trapping activities must be conducted in accordance with the Animal Protection Act 2018 (NT) .  \nBACKGROUND  \nFeral cats prey upon a wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. In some areas of Australia, especially many of the offshore islands, feral cats represent a significant threat to vulnerable and endangered native fauna. They may also have an indirect adverse impact on wildlife and livestock through the transmission of diseases such as toxoplasmosis and sarcosporidiosis. A variety of control methods have been used including shooting, trapping, poison baiting and exclusion fencing. Although cage trapping is considered an ineffective tool for large areas, it may be useful in urban/residential areas where domestic cats are present, or where populations have already been reduced and individual cats need to be targeted.  \nIn urban/residential areas, cage traps are preferred over leg hold traps as fewer injuries are sustained, non-target animals can be released unharmed and trapped feral cats can be transported away from the area for euthanasia. Soft net traps may also useful for capturing individual problem animals in similar situations – refer to GEN003 Trapping using soft net traps. Padded-jaw, leg-hold traps should only be used at sites where the animal can be killed by shooting whilst still held in the trap. Leg-hold traps maybe more effective than cage traps for hard-to-catch cats that have had minimal exposure to humans. Refer to CAT003 Trapping of feral cats using padded-jaw traps.  \nThis standard operating procedure (SOP) is a guide only; it does not replace or override the legislation that applies in the relevant state or territory jurisdiction. The SOP should only be used subject to the applicable legal requirements (including OH&S) operating in the relevant jurisdiction.  \nAPPLICATION  \n• Trapping is time-consuming and labour intensive and is therefore an inefficient method for large-scale feral cat control in Australia. It can be effective in controlling problem individuals in urban and semi-urban areas.  \n• Cats are naturally cautious animals and can be reluctant to enter the enclosed space of a cage trap. Also, if food sources are readily available they may not be hungry enough to approach a baited trap.  \n• Trapping in non-urban areas should be restricted to late autumn and early winter when food availability is generally low and the likelihood of non-target species capture is reduced.  \n• Traps have the potential to cause significant suffering and distress so should only be used when there is no suitable alternative.  \n• Selection of appropriate traps and trap sites will maximise chance of capture and minimise the distress caused to target and non-target animals.  \n• Every effort must be made to avoid target and non-target deaths from factors such as exposure or shock.  \n• Before euthanasing a trapped cat it must first be established that it is a feral cat, rather than a domestic pet or stray cat. Look for a c","cbCaif3scHSfiuuG","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaif3scHSfiuuG","pdf",1514013,"English","# Background\n# Application\n# Animal Welfare Considerations\n## Impact on target animals","[{\"question\":\"Why does the SOP restrict cage trapping mainly to urban or residential areas?\",\"answer\":\"The SOP notes cage trapping is generally ineffective for large areas but can be useful where domestic cats are present, where populations have already been reduced, and individual cats need to be targeted.\"},{\"question\":\"What monitoring schedule requirements apply during the day?\",\"answer\":\"Daytime trapping requires a detailed frequent monitoring schedule; a single late-afternoon check is insufficient.\"},{\"question\":\"How should nocturnal by-catch be handled when traps are left open overnight?\",\"answer\":\"Traps left open overnight must be checked within two hours of sunrise, and nocturnal by-catch should be safely held and released appropriately (for example, released at dusk) rather than released immediately during daylight hours.\"}]","TRAPPING OF FERAL CATS USING CAGE TRAPS (CAT002) STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (PestSmart) | PDF",28]