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[–] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Like you said, cats aren't dumb. There's something called trap happy - when an animal comes to associate the trap with good things and willingly triggers it multiple times in response.

Just like in the wild, this is probably due to getting a free zero-effort meal out of it. It probably also helps that a domestic cat already associates human smells with food and safety, whereas a feral cat will be wary and prone to extreme panic when caught.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I've had this experience with non target species before, specifically with skunks. I must have trapped two dozen skunks over the years, I had to elevate my traps due to that. I have yet to experience that with a cat, but it makes sense and I believe you.

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