Industrial - Bachelor
TailSafe Trap is a humane TNR cat trap design under the ForPaws brand. Specifically designed for TNR volunteers, it integrates remote monitoring, pressure sensing, and a soft brush door frame structure. The tail-protection door frame design and intelligent control system reduce fear and injury to cats during capture, improving the safety and efficiency of rescue efforts.
TNR stands for Trap, Neuter, and Return, a globally adopted strategy for stray cat population control and animal welfare. Volunteers humanely trap community cats, perform sterilization and vaccinations, then return them to their original locations. This prevents overpopulation, reduces disease transmission, and improves coexistence between humans and animals. TNR not only alleviates shelter burdens but also promotes public awareness of animal protection.
In practical implementation, the trapping phase remains the most challenging and stressful component of the TNR system. Traditional metal traps often produce loud noises when closing, easily startling cats and causing them to flee or sustain injuries. Additionally, the sensitivity of mechanical trigger mechanisms is inconsistent, leading to false activations or premature closures. Furthermore, volunteers frequently need to monitor the site for extended periods, which is both time-consuming and burdensome.
These issues not only impact capture success rates but also undermine the overall humanity and efficiency of the TNR process.
This study centers on Australia’s TNR system to examine the relationship between stray cat overpopulation and humane trapping tools. Through questionnaires, interviews, and product benchmarking analysis, the research aims to identify deficiencies in existing cat traps regarding humane treatment, safety, and operational convenience, thereby providing a basis for improved designs.
Animal welfare concerns: Both the public and volunteers agree that the loud noise produced when traditional metal cages close startles cats, causing stress reactions and even injuries.
Unreliable trigger mechanism: Approximately 40% of volunteers reported that cage doors frequently failed to trigger successfully or closed prematurely, impacting capture success rates.
Clear design improvement needs: Most volunteers desire cages with remote monitoring capabilities, silent closing mechanisms, and lighter structures.
A single unneutered pair of cats can produce up to 420,000 offspring in just seven years.
Bow Wow Meow, 2024
TailSafe Trap is a humane, smart cat-catching cage under the ForPaws brand, designed to make the TNR trapping process safer, quieter, and more efficient. Its lightweight structure combined with an intelligent control system enables volunteers to achieve a more humane trapping experience through remote operation.
After multiple rounds of prototype testing, the cage’s form and structure were continuously optimized to balance practicality and animal welfare.
A pressure sensor is installed in the rear section of the cage. When the cat fully enters and steps onto the sensor area, the system automatically triggers the door to close.
An integrated camera inside the cage allows real-time monitoring of the cat’s status via a mobile app. Volunteers can remotely control door operation, eliminating prolonged on-site monitoring and enhancing safety and operational flexibility.
The food tray is located inside the rear panel and can be pulled out directly from outside the cage. This eliminates the need to open the front door when replacing food or adding bait, enabling faster and more efficient setup.
The door is slightly smaller than the frame, with soft brushes embedded in the surrounding gap to act as a buffer. Even if tails or paws come close to the door edge, they won’t get pinched, enhancing safety and comfort.
TailSafe Trap App establishes a smart connection between volunteers and cat-catching traps. Upon opening the application, users can view real-time monitoring footage from the trap’s internal camera, keeping abreast of the cat’s activity status at all times. When the built-in camera detects a cat entering, the system sends a pop-up alert to the mobile device. Users can then remotely control the trap door to close securely by tapping the ‘Close Trap Door’ button.
Beyond remote monitoring and control, the application incorporates product information, brand storytelling, and a Contact Us module, delivering a comprehensive user experience and support system.
This exploded diagram illustrates the overall structural composition and assembly relationships of the TailSafe Trap, clearly demonstrating the connection methods and functional distribution of each component. The entire design comprises thirteen main parts, including the upper housing, lower housing, side ventilation mesh panels, rear access panel, pull-out food tray drawer, integrated camera module, and intelligent control unit.
All components adhere to three core design principles: lightweight construction, durability, and humane safety. The upper and lower shells are injection-moulded from PC/ABS, ensuring structural integrity and a smooth finish. The mesh panels on the sides and front door are crafted from high-strength, tear-resistant polyester fibre, providing ventilation while preventing escape. The rear panel incorporates a pre-moulded food tray slot, allowing the tray to be pulled out externally for convenient feeding.
The front door features a slightly recessed design, with soft nylon brush strips embedded within the frame gap to cushion closure and prevent pinching of the cat’s tail or paws. PA6-GF30 mesh strap anchor points and polyester carry handles on both sides enhance stability during transport and operation. The assembly logic is clear and coherent, embodying a balance between mechanical precision and animal welfare. This constitutes an intelligent cat-catching cage system integrating user-centred design with technological functionality.
Jingru Wang is an industrial design student at Queensland University of Technology. Her design practice focuses on animal welfare and humane capture systems. She excels at combining emotional care with functional innovation through user-centered research and prototyping, exploring sustainable and empathetic product design directions.