Your Thoughts on Feral Cats

[PsRumors]

I have a friend that traps feral cats,has them fixed and then locks them in the bathroom. He will then go and sit with them until they come around and get interested in him. I think he is a crazy ole coot but to each their own.

As for us, as long as they don't want to fight with our cats I'll let them be but if they are fighters they end up at the pound.

 

[/pine]

Every feral (and outside pet) cat(s) killed saves the lives of thousands(x30+) of NATIVE songbirds and mammals every year...yet the bleeding hearts fail to recognize this...

A widely publicized study by Smithsonian scientists and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service earlier this year estimated that feral cats each year kill 1.4 billion to 3.7 billion birds and 6.9 billion to 20.7 billion mammals.

The truth is that while cats are beloved pets to millions of Americans, feral cats pose similar dangers to the environment as other invasive species introduced by humans. While cats are cuter than Burmese pythons, both are nonnatives that prey on native species, potentially disrupting a delicate ecological balance.

These so-called trap-neuter-return programs are flawed because they allow cats to continue hunting other species.

 

[DeeDubya]

I'd rather have a few cats, feral or otherwise than rats. I mean even the Egyptians had that one figured out.

 

[NoTrespassing]

I lost quite a few chickens to one. I finally live trapped it after spending a bunch of money on chicken wire and electric fence. After the cat was gone the chickens stopped dying. I've had domestic cats in the past and they didn't bother the chickens. I don't think all feral cats are chicken killers but that particular one was. In short, as long as I have chickens, I don't want feral cats on the property.

 

[dmccarty]

Last Friday I made two five gallon batches of beer. I put the buckets of wort on the front porch in the cold to help cool down the wort before putting in the yeast. I also was running a chiller that the wifey got after shoulder surgery to help her deal with the pain. You fill it with ice and water then attach it to your shoulder. I strap it on the bucket of wort to help cool it down. :thumbsup::laughing::laughing::laughing:

We have seen a cat a time or two around the place which is a bit worrisome because we are worried about it going after the chickens. The cat is not that big and I suspect the chickens could defend themselves but it is still worrisome. I was cleaning up in the kitchen and I saw the cat sneaking around the septic field. Usually he is in the back yard. He weaved this way and that in the weeds but eventually turned to the house. I am not sure if he smelled the cooling wort or heard the little chiller pump. The wort is flavored sugar water at this point so the smell might have gotten to him. I let Mr. Felix get close to the house before stepping out at which point the cat ran like heck.

Interesting I thought. First time this has happened and I have had plenty of wort cooling on the porch....

About an hour or so later, the wifey yells from the kitched. Great, she cut herself. :shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing: She was mumbling and not speaking clearly as I made my way to the kitchen. :confused3::laughing::laughing::laughing: A raccoon was almost on the front porch! :shocked::shocked: What attracted said coon? Noise or the smell of the wort?

What is really odd is that we have a couple of wet areas on and near the property but we have NEVER EVER seen a raccoon or sign of a raccoon in all the years of owning and living on our place.

The coon heard the wifey screaming and mumbling and it ran off. :laughing::laughing::laughing: Smart coon.

Coon goes after my beer to be and we will have a problem. Said problem might lead me to having a certain kinda Davey Crockett hat or maybe a jacket that was popular in the 20's or 30's in college.. Coon skin was used. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[DAD1220]

Well, I too have bad experience trying to tame a feral cat.

Outside of that, a varmint is a varmint and around a farm if it costs you time or money it has to go!

If you turn it into a hunting game, you'll get tired before they do!

Use catcm'em live traps and from there do what ya got to do. If there is someone that will take them live, good; shelter, vet, Thai restaurant,... If not, they take a long ride, literally or figuratively!

 

[TomSeller]

Actually the best cereal cats are the neutered ones that are good hunters and can't have kittens

 

[TomSeller]

real men don't hurt animals just to be hurting them.

Very true

 

[TomSeller]

I'd rather have a few cats, feral or otherwise than rats. I mean even the Egyptians had that one figured out.

You got that right, you either need a few cats or a few coyotes around.

 

[Biggreenavalanche]

CHOOT 'EM ... all of them!