The 8 Best Animal Traps
Updated by · How we research
Eight live cage traps for raccoons, cats, squirrels, rabbits and rats, compared by size, door design and build. The Havahart Large 1-Door leads for most yards. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Most failed live trapping comes down to size. A raccoon won't fit a cage built for rabbits, and a light-duty cat trap won't hold a determined raccoon. This list covers humane cage traps that catch an animal unhurt, for homeowners dealing with raccoons, groundhogs, stray cats, squirrels or rats, plus the rules to check before you release anything.
Editor's Notes
October 27, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Havahart Large 1-Door is back, and at the top. It left this list in 2020 over reports of escapes and wear, but it's still the best-documented cage for raccoons, groundhogs and cats, and independent buying guides for cats and raccoons now rank it first. Havahart's own answers to owners trace most escapes to a bent trigger rod, which takes a few seconds to check before setting the trap.
Seven of the ten earlier picks had to go. The Duke Coil 1 and Duke 0480 listings no longer exist, and the AB Traps Pro, AllRoad Outdoor and Hux Eye Clear aren't available. The Hux Eye was a mouse trap anyway. We couldn't find a current price for the Havahart 1045 or the Havahart 0745, so they're off the list for now.
The Tru Catch 30LTD stays for cats, the Kensizer Humane stays for rats, and the HomGarden Catch Release stays as the low-cost cage. New are the Havahart Medium 1-Door, the Havahart Easy-Set Small, the Rugged Ranch Squirrelinator for squirrels in numbers, and the Duke 1112.
The order rests mostly on matching each cage to the animal it was built for, using Havahart's size chart and Tru Catch's spec sheet, because a wrong-size trap is the usual reason a catch fails or an animal gets hurt. We left out the many look-alike folding cages; one cheap folding cage is enough.
Earlier notes
May 7, 2020, by Sam Kraft:
Reports of sharp edges inside the Trapro Collapsible led to its removal, as it can pose a danger to the critter trapped inside it (thus defeating the purpose of a humane trap). We also eliminated the Ranger Products Humane, Amagabeli Garden & Home Live, and Havahart 1079 Woodstream due to a variety of issues, including poor durability and the tendency to let animals escape.
We brought the listing for the Hux Eye Clear up to date, indicating that the latest version of the trap features additional air holes — which were added to address complaints that the air holes in the previous version were not sufficient. While the AB Traps Pro is a basic model with a single door, it’s also available in an extended, double-door design that will cost a bit extra.
Knowing that most of the items on the list are catch-and-release cage models, we decided to add some diversity to the rankings with the Duke 0480 (a powerful body-gripping trap that instantly kills the animal) and the Duke Coil 1, a foot-hold restraining trap. Both are quite powerful and require caution during setup to avoid injuries.
Pro tip we picked up during our research: if you’re having trouble using your trap to catch shrewd, old rats, try leaving treats in the cage for a few days without setting the trigger. Once the rodent becomes comfortable snatching the free snacks and lets its guard down, set the rat trap and reap the rewards.
Special Honors
H.B. Sherman Traps Since 1955, H.B. Sherman has been supplying government departments, commercial organizations and even the U.S. military with traps that can efficiently capture a variety of animals in a humane, environmentally friendly way. Folding traps, non-folding traps, and individual parts are available for purchase. shermantraps.com
Nixalite Live Capture In addition to a wide range of traps for capturing small rodents (like rats and gophers) and bigger animals (like groundhogs and skunks), Nixalite offers several models designed for safely catching and releasing snakes. One of the traps even prevents skunks from lifting their tails and spraying while in captivity. nixalite.com
Tomahawk Live Trap Tomahawk Live Trap sells cage traps in many sizes, transfer cages and a feral cat drop trap, a frame that comes down over a cat too wary to walk into a cage. Its traps are a common choice for professional trappers and rescue groups. livetrap.com
Alley Cat Allies Alley Cat Allies is a national nonprofit that publishes free guides to trapping community cats humanely, from setting and covering a trap to trap-neuter-return programs and local laws. alleycat.org
Match The Trap To The Animal
Some traps tune the trip plate so light animals such as birds don't set it off, which matters if a trap sits out overnight.
Size decides almost everything. Havahart's trap size guide sorts its cages by animal: the extra-small ones for rats, chipmunks and weasels, small and medium ones for squirrels, rabbits and skunks, and large and extra-large ones for cats, groundhogs, opossums, raccoons and armadillos. A cat trap usually runs about 30 to 36 inches long, according to a live-trap buying guide from Thomas Acres, and Havahart itself suggests the extra-large size for very big raccoons.
Read the maker's limits, too. Tru Catch rates its 30LTD as light duty, fine for cats, skunks and rabbits but not for raccoons, which can bend thinner mesh. Small rat cages are built for rats and mice only, and a heavier animal can force its way out.
Look at the trigger last. Some traps tune the trip plate so light animals such as birds don't set it off, which matters if a trap sits out overnight. A trigger rod mounted outside the cage is harder for a caught animal to bend. Rolled or smoothed inside edges protect an animal that throws itself at the wire.
Types Of Animal Traps, By Name
Most homeowners need a one-door cage trap: the animal walks to the back for the bait, steps on a plate, and the door drops behind it. A two-door cage opens at both ends, so a wary animal can see straight through; Today's Homeowner rates a two-door Havahart highly for groundhogs. Folding cages collapse flat for storage and cost less, but they rely on hooks at the corners that need checking.
A multi-catch trap uses one-way doors so it keeps catching squirrels or rats after the first one. A drop trap is a frame you prop up and pull down over a cat that has learned to avoid cage traps; Tomahawk Live Trap sells one built for feral cats. Exclusion doors are one-way flaps fitted over a den under a porch or shed, letting an animal leave but not return.
Snap traps, body-grip traps and foothold traps are kill or restraint traps. They're regulated for hunting and fur trapping in most states, and they aren't covered here.
Baiting, Checking And Releasing Safely
Set the trap on level ground along a path the animal already uses, and put the bait past the trip plate so the animal has to step on it. Bait isn't sold with traps. Fragrant produce works for groundhogs and strong canned fish for cats, and a groundhog can take several days to go in, according to Today's Homeowner. Wiring the door open for a few days with bait inside can get a cautious animal used to it.
Check a set trap often, and never leave one out in heat, cold or rain. Cover a trap as soon as a cat is inside; the dark calms it. Wear thick gloves and long sleeves, keep your fingers out of the mesh, and carry the trap by the handle, away from your body. Raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats can carry rabies. In spring and early summer, a trapped mother may have young nearby.
Moving wildlife is often against the law. California's wildlife agency says plainly that wildlife cannot be trapped and released elsewhere, and other states have their own rules. Call your state wildlife agency before you trap. A cat you catch may be someone's pet, so a shelter or vet can scan it for a microchip; Alley Cat Allies explains trap-neuter-return for community cats.
How we researched this
We compared 18 live cage traps from Havahart, Tru Catch, Duke, Rugged Ranch and import brands, read the makers' spec pages and Havahart's size and bait guides for the eight picks, read independent buying guides for cat, raccoon and groundhog traps, looked at owner reports of escapes and broken latches, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. None had a trap recall.
Sources (9)
- Havahart: Large 1-Door Animal Trap 1079
- Havahart: animal trap size guide
- Tru Catch: 30LTD light duty trap
- Thomas Acres: best humane live traps
- Today's Homeowner: best groundhog traps
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Living with Wildlife
- Tomahawk Live Trap
- Alley Cat Allies
- CPSC: SaferProducts.gov
Frequently asked questions
What size trap do I need for a raccoon or a cat?
A large cage, about 30 to 36 inches long. Havahart suggests its extra-large size for very big raccoons. A medium cage is for rabbits and skunks, and a small one is for squirrels and chipmunks.
What are the main types of animal traps?
Live traps include one-door and two-door cage traps, folding cages, multi-catch squirrel traps and drop traps for wary cats. Snap, body-grip and foothold traps are kill or restraint traps, which this page doesn't cover.
What bait should I use?
Fragrant fruit and vegetables such as apples work for groundhogs and rabbits, canned fish or cat food for cats and raccoons, and peanut butter or nuts for squirrels. Traps don't come with bait.
Can I release the animal somewhere else?
It depends on your state, and often the answer is no. California, for one, doesn't allow trapped wildlife to be released elsewhere. Call your state wildlife agency before you set a trap.
How long does it take to catch a groundhog?
It can take several days. Leaving the trap wired open with bait for a few days first helps a wary animal get used to it.
Should I cover the trap?
Yes, once a cat or other animal is caught. A cover calms it and cuts down on injuries from hitting the wire. Keep it covered while you carry it.
