I've never had a problem with my method. I walk up slowly and drape it over. The handles on every live trap I've seen are mounted on a sheet metal plate big enough that the critter can't get to your hand. I don't shake the skunks up and they've always remained calm.

Raccoons are another story. There's no animal that can match the pissed-off attitude of a raccoon. They try to kill you right through the cage. Jumping, biting, hissing, clawing, and growling; they make you appreciate the strength of welded steel wire. They're also the scariest to release. It's not happened yet, but I'm always scared they'll double back and jump on my throat like the Monty Python bunny.

Sorry for going off topic. OP, don't get me wrong, I actually like cats. I've got a great cat named Bob. Feral cats are another story. In the 80's, there was a state park in Texas that had a program to restock pheasants. It failed, and mainly because of feral cats. If you do live trap the feral cats, you'll have to take them somewhere. Don't take them a few miles down the road and make them someone else's problem. At a minimum, make sure they get spayed or neutered.