Feral Cats

sniper · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 10:34 am Post subject: Feral Cats

On another forum, a question was posted regarding predator calling tapes for feral cats.

What do you guys think? Does such exist? Would a regular predator call work for cats, too?

And now, the biggie: HOW do you tell a feral cat from good ol' Tabby, if Tabs doesn't wear a collar?

That's ALL we need, to have some mental giant from the media swooning over the MURDER of 6 year old Samantha's kitty!

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

If its out and roaming its fair game... IMO. Here in my state its a no-brainer, pets have to be leashed. Granted if someone is out jogging I dont expect them to keep "fluffy" leashed while they run, as long as the animal stays under control.

But critters out on their own are fair game. Just dont shoot one where anyone else will ever know it. Shoot, shovel, shutup Smile

-DallanC

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

I don't no about calling them but tuna will sure bring um in Cool

. I had a problem with Feral cats when I first moved here. I trapped 14 in four days useing tuna. They can't resist it Wink

Joe

Bushmaster · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

Funny you should ask about Feral cats/kittens/opossums...I have been trapping these very animals for my company as they have, or should I say, were taking over a small forest next to our shop and crapping where the mechanics had to work on the asphalt. I have trapped 44 cats/kittens and 20 'possums. A cage and a small can of cat food...I am not trapping any more cats/kittens as I have them all. But I am still trapping 'possums...My boss gave me permission to shoot them, but I figured that the Navy might frown on me having a .22 rifle on base...By The Way...I'm trapping "Tabby" too...To bad...Keep your damned cat in the house or in control...

Vince · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:06 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

Ah, feral cats, a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I have mentioned elsewhere in the forums my felings about these nature destroyers so I won't get up on my soapbox now. Suffice to say that the thwack of a high speed projectile striking a feral cat is very satisfying. A cat may or may not be feral in the bush, but by being there it is acting feral and no doubt soon will be! To quote the mighty sage Dallan...SSS!

Bushy, they say that a couple of aspirins or paracetemol tabs in a bowl of milk puts them down pretty quick. A mates father tried something a little "different", although he has the most warped sense of humour I have ever seen. He started feeding the cats on a blanket outside his workshop. He put a little water on the blanket each day until the cats were used to it being very wet when being fed. Then one day he "added" the final item.......a power lead carrying 240 volts.....click...poof.....dead cats. Got them all in one go. This is the same guy who on finding some funny looking 5 leafed plants growing in pots in the bush behind his workshop sprayed them with a chemical called Bitrex. Doesn't hurt you, but it is the foulest tasting stuff you have ever encountered, and it takes days to get the taste out of your mouth. LOL Like I said....a seriously warped sense of humour, but a damn fine man, rest his soul.

Cheers, Vince

Bushmaster · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

Yes and I could use anti-freeze too, but I have to follow the law of the USSRofC. To maintain a humane manor of capture so they can, if possible, be rehabilitated and found homes...I have suggested that if the Naval Base pest control would furnish me with a large enough cage I could bait it using a feral cat and capture the "cat bit++" who feeds these cats and send her to the animal shelter to be euthinized... Ooh. Now that would be the day to celibrate....I've asked permission to bring in my daughter's BB gun so I could pot her with it...Ooh. What a pleasure that would be... Party

1895ss · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

Feral cats......... The memories. Growing up on a farm, we always had a couple dozen cats around for mouse control..... ya right the lazy bas*****. Anyway I thought it my duty to protect the felines in the yard. So when any stray cats, usually toms, would come around, I thought it my duty to get rid of them. I would hunt them down with the old single shot 22 my Dad gave me when I was 8 or 9 yrs old. I think I learned a lot of my hunting skills early in life because of it. Those cats had many a hiding place but non ever got away from me. I learned that they can also be hard to kill if not hit right the first time. Smile

Bushmaster · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

You are right...One should have a couple of barn cats. And I have two that take care of the barn and the yard. One male and one female, but both fixed/spayed. Any strays that come along get potted using my wife's old Marlin mod 81 .22 rifle...

1895ss · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

You done good Bushmaster.... you done good. Smile

Do you still catch very many a week or are you starting to thin them out?

Bushmaster · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

My count for the year 2005 is 45 cats/kittens and 20 opossums. I'm attempting to keep them under control and am succeeding in this endeaver. I am trapping around 1 or 2 cats and 2 or 3 opossums a week. As I said if I could trap or otherwise stop that "cat bit++" who feeds them in the woods next to the shop I could end this whole thing and go back to managing my men and that would be that...Seems that there is no teeth in the Navy regulation forbidding the feeding of wild and feral animals on Navy Base Ventura, Cal...The regulation is in place, but no one put a pentlty clause in it. My view is easy. I'm a contractor and so is she...Tell her that if she doesn't stop feeding she can't come on base. If she can't come on base then her employer will have to let her go...Either way I win.

Hey Great and Wonderous Moderator...Am I on topic??? Very Happy

1895ss · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

We have had some cases here in the city where older people were living in houses with 50 or more cats and several dogs. These people have either past away or moved into homes and the animals destroyed. It sure has cut down on the amount of stray animals around, especially cats. I don't know why peolpe think they need to feed every stray animal that comes around..........!

By the way most of those houses were older and were torn down and hauled to the land fill.

Bushmaster · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:16 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

You should be very weary of feral cats or any wild animal for that matter. Feral cats have not been given their shots and can carry a marade of diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Shoot-em. Bury-em. Don't say anything...And handle with gloves and care...

1895ss · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

I totally agree with you Bushmaster, who knows what kind of deseases they maybe carrying.....

coyotehunter_1 · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:20 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

The problem here is unwanted cats and dogs that people abandon. Animals are often set out in rural areas to fend for themselves or starve. They quickly become a problem to wildlife, livestock and property owners. Like Bushmaster said ferals can carry all kinds of diseases. Rabies is a concern expecially here in the south, a unvaccinated animal can become a public health hazard. The county has a animal control officer and animal shelter, if you catch the stray he will pick it up. Most of the time the ferals can't be caught or handled easily. The only option is to put them down.

Bushmaster · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Feral Cats

Now how did that happen...Coyotehunter_1. That reply above was in responce of your above post. Yet it got ahead of you for some reason...Must be a cyberspace thing...