06/18/2026
A common Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) question: What if there's other wildlife around on trapping day?
Ideally, you'll avoid trapping anything but cats. This is often easier if you trap during the day, as most wildlife is nocturnal. Birds, on the other hand, are active during daytime hours. If birds are your problem animal, trap after dusk when they’ve settled down and gone to sleep.
Another tactic is to distract wildlife by setting out food that they like a lot but cats aren’t interested in a short distance from the traps. A few suggestions:
🍞 Raccoons like apples, marshmallows, corn and bread.
🍌 Opossums like acorns, tomatoes, apples and bananas.
🍎 Skunks like nuts, bananas, apples and bread.
🌽 Chickens love cracked corn.
If you do accidentally trap a wild animal, don't panic. Here are some tips on how to handle different situations.
What to do if you trap a raccoon 🦝
While they’re typically gentle, keep in mind that raccoons can carry rabies and have very sharp claws, so stay out of scratching range and use bite- or scratch-proof gloves if you can.
One person can draw the attention of the raccoon at the front end of the trap while another person quickly opens the rear door. Then wait for him to exit.
If you can do it safely, insert a trap divider from above to create some separation between the rear door and the raccoon.
Tru-Catch gravity traps can be gently rolled over to open the doors, but keep your foot a healthy distance away from the raccoon! If you can, use a broomstick or similar object to push the trap upside-down.
What to do if you trap a skunk 🦨
If the skunk stomps her front feet, run! This is a warning that she’s about to spray. Other warning signs include growling, spitting or twisting her body so her front and back ends are both facing you at the same time.
Approach a trapped skunk from behind. They have poor vision and can only see about ten feet in front of them.
Throw a heavy blanket over the trap from several feet away to prevent being hit by any spray.
Once covered, slowly and quietly approach the trap to open the rear door, then back away.
What to do if you trap an opossum 🐾
Opossums are very gentle, non-aggressive animals. Still, avoid exposing yourself to possible scratches or bites.
Their vision is weak in bright daylight, so during the day, it’s usually easy to open the rear door without drawing their attention. At night, be more careful.
If you release them in the daytime, let them go next to a tree or in a wooded area so they can easily climb to safety without searching around.
Avoid placing traps near possible opossum dens like wood piles, brush or pallets.
If you’re working at night and there’s an outlet nearby, you can try hanging Christmas lights in the trapping area to keep opossums away. They won’t like the lights.
