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Another SERIOUS animal problem

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2005-03-09          107648

With all the recent talk about the coyote problem here on the forum I thought some of you would be interested in another animal problem someone is finally facing here in Wisconsin. That is the feral cat problem. Basically they want to officially make feral cats an unprotected species, comparable to weasels, Norway rats and possum. That would allow people to dispose of them as they see fit when they are running wild. One UW-Madison researcher estimated from a study of stomach contents of trapped feral cats that as many as 200 MILLION songbirds are killed by cats in WI every year. Is it any wonder why ground nesting birds such as grouse and pheasant cannot naturally reproduce effectively? They are probably the only animal here in the wild that regularly kills for fun. There are as many as 80 feral cats per square mile in SW Wis! Not only are they not natural, now they are a wild invasive species.

Of course there are idiots in Madison who want us all to pay for catching, neutering, and spaying them so that they can be “returned to rural "colonies" where they can roam, but are fed and cared for by volunteers.” (See web link below.) Most people don’t realize the scope of the problem because unless they are screwing outside your window at night, cats silently go unnoticed.
Dave

Edit: I'm talking about cats screwing, not people. :)



Link:   Wisconsin State Journal

 
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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2005-03-09          107656

Cats can get to be a big problem. Back on the farm, I've had about 30+ adult cats at times. I try to keep a small family of them for mouse control and renter's kids. I've now got about 10-15 wild ones that you cannot get nearer than about 15 yards. Most of them are females and they can have up to about 5 per litter. That's allot of cats! They clean out the cat dish as soon as you walk away from feeding and hide under the barn and other out buildings. I've tried live trapping them but they are too smart for that. Being out in the country, I have to use my own methods.

The other week I was conducting experiments comparing a .357mag. S & W pistol with 8 3/8 barrel with hollowpoints vs: .17HMR H&R single shot, target barrel at 15 yards with the left eyeball as the point of impact. The .17 does a faster and lots cleaner job although both as humane as anything done by a shelter.

Some would say it is cruel. What should I do, stop feeding them so they starve (not humane in my opinion) or make them move on to another neighbor that has to deal with it? ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2005-03-09          107671

Yoop,

I would call it being a humane yet good shot! ;O) ....

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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2005-03-09          107680

My instincts took over on teh way home and I hit the brakes for one in the road. Damn thing didn't even look. I should have hit it. Now I know why I see flat cats on the road. ....

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paulss
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 60 Lavaca County, TX
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2005-03-09          107685

You mean there's a place where they don't shoot feral cats?

I've always found a .22 or 12 gauge high-brass 6's to be extremely effective "neutering" tools. ....

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cthonestguy
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 267 northeast
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2005-03-09          107693

You have to give them about a 50 yard head start and then whack them. The hornet is very effective. Did you get one with a .374 Holand and Holand Belted Magnum? This is my Africian Safari gun. Does the trick very nice. Heck, on a white tail deer there is no need to field dress if you hit it right.

Sounds like you need more chinese restaraunts out there! ....

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funchy
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 128 north eastern corner of Maryland
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2005-03-09          107697

It is considered animal cruelty to shoot cats (at least in my area). The biggest problem is telling the wild feral cats from the free roaming cats people say they "own" (even if "own" doesn't mean vaccinated, spaying, or responsible for). You shoot a pet cat you WILL be put up for felony cruelty charges if caught.... so be sure these are truly homeless ferals and not your neigbor's.

I agree, there are far too many of them and they're as big a problem as anything. I have one of these nice nextdoor neighbors who lets his cats breed and wander the neighborhood. I love cats, but I don't love these unvaccinated, unneutered monsters who crap on anything they please, shred bark of newly planted trees, and turn my birdfeeder into a catfeeder.

The hard part isn't getting rid of totally homeless feral cats, it's coping with the feral cats your neighbor "owns" because then they're legally considered "pets". And without a leash-law for cats, there's nothing I can do legally to make him be responsible for his animals. Naturally, I did politely explain the problem to said neighbor and ask for his help. He got mad at me saying his "barn cats" were doing me a favor keeping down mice. (Maybe the SERIOUS animal problem should be the humans?!)

I wonder how wrong it would be for me to catch them and drop them off at a shelter... three states away where he'd never find them. I can't kill them. It's not their fault their owner is an $%#$ ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2005-03-10          107714

funchy, not to worry. If shooting them is a problem.......try setting out a nice buffet dinner of tunafish and potasium cyanide. Just be sure to physically watch the buffet to ensure no unintended animals get it. You can always set out a Havaheart trap and catch them live and then have them put to sleep if you want to fork out about $35 per cat. ....

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2005-03-10          107715

Initially it WAS a Human problem. It's not as if cats came here by hiding in the holds of ships like Norway Rats did. People let them wander at will. A mature tom will just leave your house, returning after months or possibly not at all.

Maybe Hornady will team with Winchester to make special shortmagnum CAT ammo. Could be a big seller.
Dave ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2005-03-10          107719

It's getting common here to see about as many "road kill" cats as raccons and skunks anymore. We still seem to have people who think taking an unwanted dog or cat out in the country and dumping them is OK. Another rural problem that seems to be getting worse is the dumping of junk in the rural ditches. Just this past summer within a 5 mile radius I have saw junk lumber, car parts, washing machines, bed springs, refrigerators, and garbage bags full God only knows what. I haven't, but neighbors have found meth making garbage inside of field drives too. Frank. ....

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2005-03-10          107721

I have a hybrid series of barn cats at my farm. It is a fairly busy rural road and the cats cross to hunt in a deep ditch and 80 acre woods across the street.

They look both ways before crossing. My neighbors have complemented me on how well trained they are because you can see them turn their heads in both directions before proceeding. I've often thought about changing their feeding location to the middle of the road. ....

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2005-03-10          107729

Just wanted to warn you guys to be careful. On Foxnews.com this morning it reported a cat shot its owner in Marquette, MI. Seems he(the cat owner) was cooking and had a loaded 9mm handgun next to him on the counter. The cat stepped on it, causing it to drop to the ground and it fired wounding him.

Wander what brand of 9mm he had. You should be able to drop the weapon without it discharging. Suspect Paul Harvey needs to tell us the rest of the story!! ....

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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2005-03-10          107737

I haven't had a cat problem since my dog cornered the neighbors cat and almost sent it to the happy hunting ground. I kept the dog from killing. Even with a pea sized brain, the cat learned and hasn't been back.

Good dog! Here's a biscuit. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2005-03-10          107739

They say you can't teach cats to do tricks, they're wrong.

If you release a Jack Russell at a cat you can teach it to run right across the top of a pond in about 0.75 of a second. They remember those lessons pretty well too.

I was in the yard and a barn cat from across the street wandered out of the bush, I made a half-hearted attempt at imitating my pooch's bark. The cat went from 0 to 60 in a pretty amazing burst of speed, the stupid thing never even turned around to look at what was making the noise.

I presume a little embarrassment is far more preferable than the "Terrier Death Shake".

The part that scares me about the little bugger is he runs from door to door trying to get out when the coyotes start to howl. I guess they are close enough to foxes for him.

I know of people who have packs of Jack Russells who routinely hunt as an organized pack and easily kill coyotes and foxes, or anything else dumb enough to get caught.

Best of luck. ....

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2005-03-10          107740

Murf, you've gotta love that terrier attitude. Clancy, our West Highland has that same terrier attitude and fearlessness. We were visiting on her deck as a black bear of about 300 lbs wandered into my sisters yard. While her big golden retriever cowered in the corner our 13 lb little white ball of fury lit off after the bear. It happened so fast that all we could do was watch him nipping at the legs of that bear as it ran off at full speed. The contrasting colors made it special too. It was completely automatic and there was no stopping him. It's made for a great story for our get togethers.
Dave ....

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glocknut30
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 18 Raleigh, NC
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2005-03-10          107741

CAT: The OTHER-OTHER white meat :) ....

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2005-03-25          108741

My brother in law uses a bow and arrow, works well in confined spaces too. I have one here now that has survived two winters, the rest in the fields are all the neighbor cats. I leave it alone, it is a survivor and kills the mice around here but tends to spray the doors on occasion as it battles for territory with my cat.

I have more of a problem with the skunk and raccoon. ....

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kyvette
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 194 Central Kentucky
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2005-03-30          109069

Some friends of ours had a cat get in their house while they were on vacation. The cat caused $10K worth of damage. It was in every room in the house and was still alive after a week. Their son came to check on things and found the cat and the damage.

If a cat could kill moles then I might consider one, otherwise, I have no use for cats. ....

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