Your Thoughts on Feral Cats

[2LaneCruzer]

I have always regarded feral cats as pests; killing young quail, raiding my bluebird houses and giving my dog histeronics. When I lived in a farming community, it was common place to dispatch them given the opportunity. I have seen them catch squirrels in my back yard, which is ok with me, and this morning I saw one sitting patiently by a gopher hole, ostensibly waiting for a chance for a meal. I know they keep the rodents down, and I would love for them to catch and eat every gopher and mole in the county, but I can't otherwise see the plusses outweighing the minuses (do they really catch gophers?).

The farmer I used to work for always kept semi-wild cats around, but when they multiplied beyond a certain point, we had ...a... shall we say... cat roundup to reduce their numbers. My Granddad always had cats on the farm that showed up at milking time, but otherwise fended for themselves. My neighbors feed these feral cats, and she even remarked that she trapped them and took them to the vet and had them neutered. I fail to see the efficacy in this; but I guess she thinks it helps. Does anyone think feral cats should be encouraged or shot on sight? I can't shoot them because the city has made me a part of it now, but I suppose I could trap them and send them to animal control.

 

[bcp]

Something around here is catching moles, killing them, and leaving them. There is one feral cat that comes through on his rounds every morning.

We have had a large increase in birds since I started making brush piles instead of chipping.

Bruce

 

[murphy1244]

Sure could use one for the chipmunks.

 

[jerrybob]

We have an animal group locally that will spay/neuter a feral cat for free as long as you catch them and come pick them up for release. Good cause.....at least it stops their reproduction. Wish we we could do the same to a few people I know.:laughing:

 

[Bwana64]

Good for reducing one's .22 ammo stockpile.

 

[brin]

Does anyone think feral cats should be encouraged or shot on sight?

From experience trying to tame feral cats from kittens...Shoot them on sight...they cannot be domesticated and will not have proper vaccinations...so you could easily get rabies from them and they do kill other wildlife...some good , some bad...but the males, if they start spraying your decks, buildings, equipment etc. will stink you out of house and home...Now the feral cats I am talking about had bob tales...small like a regular cat but with a stub of a tail.

 

[k0ua]

I have always regarded feral cats as pests; killing young quail, raiding my bluebird houses and giving my dog histeronics. When I lived in a farming community, it was common place to dispatch them given the opportunity. I have seen them catch squirrels in my back yard, which is ok with me, and this morning I saw one sitting patiently by a gopher hole, ostensibly waiting for a chance for a meal. I know they keep the rodents down, and I would love for them to catch and eat every gopher and mole in the county, but I can't otherwise see the plusses outweighing the minuses (do they really catch gophers?).

The farmer I used to work for always kept semi-wild cats around, but when they multiplied beyond a certain point, we had ...a... shall we say... cat roundup to reduce their numbers. My Granddad always had cats on the farm that showed up at milking time, but otherwise fended for themselves. My neighbors feed these feral cats, and she even remarked that she trapped them and took them to the vet and had them neutered. I fail to see the efficacy in this; but I guess she thinks it helps. Does anyone think feral cats should be encouraged or shot on sight? I can't shoot them because the city has made me a part of it now, but I suppose I could trap them and send them to animal control.

I see you points, but let me tell you about "Stanley" My wife took him in about 2 years ago, and he has turned out the be the 'coolest" and best cat we have. He is still an outside cat during the day but comes in at night.( we have coyotes, and they love to eat cats) He is my wife's favorite for a lot of reasons. So they can make good pets. Like every thing else in life, there are pluses and minus to almost any animal. If they get too thick and cause trouble, do what you gotta do, but if they are just around catching vermin.. then I let them be. And once in a while the right one comes along that makes a good family pet.

James K0UA

 

[Katahdin]

I guess I'll just come out and say I've always been a cat guy all my life. I frown upon killing them unless its absolutely necessary. I'll probably never be friendly towards anyone who shoots them for sport or fun. Nothing personal, just sayin.

Those feelings aside, my wife and I have both trapped feral cats to have them neutered and taken in other neutered feral cats so they would help with the mice and mole population. We do pay to neuter them, but its inexpensive, like 20 bucks or so thanks to feral cat groups and vets in the area that subsidize the cost. They can live in the barn and we feed them 2 squares a day in winter and 1 meal in the summer. I've never noticed them hunting birds, just ground game which is plentiful. We've also trapped a feral kitten and domesticated it. Here's some pics. The small feral kitten is also the one curled up next to the pit bull in front of the wood stove. The caged cat is the kitten's mama and has been neutered, is still feral, and lives in our barn.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I see you points, but let me tell you about "Stanley" My wife took him in about 2 years ago, and he has turned out the be the 'coolest" and best cat we have. He is still an outside cat during the day but comes in at night.( we have coyotes, and they love to eat cats) He is my wife's favorite for a lot of reasons. So they can make good pets. Like every thing else in life, there are pluses and minus to almost any animal. If they get too thick and cause trouble, do what you gotta do, but if they are just around catching vermin.. then I let them be. And once in a while the right one comes along that makes a good family pet.

James K0UA

Yeah, it would be my luck if I did away with or trapped and relocated a cat, it would be some little girl's beloved playmate. I guess we live too close in for that. By and large, my big complaint is that they sometimes get into my bluebird houses, and when the babies first leave the nest is the last I see of them, other than the pile of feathers. They do raid my compost, but that's not really a problem; rabies is a consideration, but not a concern.

 

[vabiker23518]

Brin, have to respond. We have a female bobtail cat that I took from the mother in the warehouse I work when she was 2 weeks old. Shes now 7 yearsold...has been a house cat from day one. We've never had any of the problems you have had, so hopefully its not universal...and I gotta say, she cries when the wife leaves the house and sleeps on our bed nearly every night! I will admit, she doesn't always cover her "mess" in the litter box and it does STINK! At least she uses the box!