Feral Cats

But you were hacked, right? Knew it was only a matter of time...

I wholeheartedly agree with this statement!

No that was me! I was just not letting some one tell me that killing them at birth is better, then letting them live and being shot! (and maybe not killed right away!)

And this is preferable to shooting? I don't understand. I have this vision of people poking away at a cat several times, trying to find a vein in a feral cat.......and then maybe the cat doesn't die after all?

I think the real ones that don't have a heart are the owners who dump their cats (or don't get them fixed so they don't wander) in the first place. As if the neighours are going to be thrilled and adopt those cats right up. The cats are more likely to be killed or die a slow death of starvation and exposure.

LOL
Is that for real? I hope you have some pics to share of this, I would love to see them!

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"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap."

Oh wait a minute! I have a cat that isn't fixed. LOL But it's only a matter of time, the vet is doing him when he comes around next time. Actually, I wasn't expecting my cat to start spraying already, he's very young still. I've loaded up on Critter Ridder to dump under my porch until C-day (the C is for castration, LOL).

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"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap."

http://www.sierrasafarizoo.com/animals/liger.htm

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Sarah,

If there are no dogs Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers

Ummm, yeah...I'm sure the cat would hold still for that. Besides, if they're in a trap there's very little room for the shot to not be fatal.

I saw something about those on Good Morning America today. They said they cost $800-$4000.00.

It is all about velocity, 1000 fps is plenty for a well placed .17 caliber shot. I would never try it with a red ryder!

I seen it on CTV. today. The cost was much more! she said the stating price was 800 - 5,000! wow! she said in 2 more breeding you will have a cat that looks 100% like a tiger

What I do for the feral cats who show up here is tame them. This takes an extreme amount of patience, so maybe it's not an option for a good 90% of people who want them gone right away. A good meal for each one twice a day, a kind voice, and gentle motions will tame them. I've never had one yet that I couldn't get to take to me, hubbie, and the kids. We've had some who would run every time you so much as whispered around them. Once they are tame, you can find a home for them pretty easy. I post on my local freecycle, great mouser for your barn, and never have trouble finding homes for them. If I have one show up sick, I will trap it and leave it at a shelter. You do have to do this before or after hours or they will charge you money. My opinion of that is not to be metioned here, but I do what I have to do. Occasionally, I have paid the $15 when I had it to give. I figure I'm at least giving the poor cat a chance this way. Maybe the shelter can at least put them out of their misery without harming them. It has to be better than starving to death or getting a disease and being sickly. I don't know how anyone can shoot or drown or poison an animal, but that's their choice. I couldn't do it. Maybe you have a friend somewhere who likes to shoot animals, but since you have the trap, maybe you could just take them on up to a shelter. At least with the shelter, they won't risk a chance at missing with a gun or something. The exhaust pipe idea actually sounds like something that could work. It would just make them go to sleep. I may borrow that idea next time we have one come up sick or hurt. Just be careful not to get too much in your lungs in the process. For spraying, I agree the clove oil does great. I've done that here, works wonders. If you have ferel kittens, they are definately worth dropping at a shelter. They are young enough to be rehabilited and will be spayed/nuetered while they are there. They can eventually be wonderful pets for someone.

+1 for the .22lr.

I prefer a special "sub-sonic" load. Keeps the noise down -- from 100 ft away it sounds like an air rifle, and you can't even hear it from the neighbors' houses -- and it's got lower velocity and, as such, less issues with penetrating the woodline and punching a hole in the neighbor's barn.

I'll leave 'em be if their out in the field or woods, but the first time I see 'em snooping around the house/garage/barn/sheds/and-whatnot, they're a marked target and don't have long to live.

We have a cat, and he usually does a pretty good job fending them off and keeping his territory free of trespassers, but occasionally, one has to get a 40 grain chunk-o-lead to the skull.

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Kill them shoot them and feed them
to the hogs and be quite about it.

You could eat them yourself.
They say they taste like chicken.

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WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?! Yuck throw them in a hole or a pit. Don't eat them!