shooting an animal guilt.

most times coyotes really clean up feral populations shame is after they get done with the cats they will eat lap dogs as well I get rid of quiet a few fox for homeowners and when they tell me they are missing small dogs I know it is yotes not fox :(
Coyotes are horrible creatures. They eat through everything in the area, get hungry and get vicious. I used to have a very live and let live attitude towards them, until one started loping across the field at me as I was leaving the coop.

Same with feral cats. I was always appalled that The Man would be so quick to dispatch a "kitty", until I started finding bits and pieces of birds and rabbits (wild) around our yard.

They're both nuisance animals, and after cleaning up several predator messes, I've gotten on the shoot on sight bandwagon.
 
Are you going to fix your run/coop so that predators can't reach in and grab your chickens? Another predator will come along soon enough. If you don't like killing predators, fix it so you don't have to.
 
Your feelings are totally natural and understandable. My dad was a wildlife area manager, so I grew up hearing about how different animals, especially predators, affect an ecosystem. Feral cats, while very much like your house kitties in appearance, are extremely damaging to natural environments! They're efficient and effective killing machines with few predators and there are entirely too many of them (way too many irresponsible pet owners out there in general).

I grew up fishing and hunting and still feel a twinge of guilt when I have to kill (just about) anything; fish, deer, rabbits, etc. I don't feel bad about taking out raccoons, coyotes, or feral cats, however. It seems like these predators are all out of balance with their environment due to the ability to scavenge from humans. I don't advocate trapping and relocation and there's a reason wm doesn't it this with most animals - it's a cruel practice.

Are you sure the cat was the killer, though? Head pulled through the cage and eaten sounds more like a raccoon's MO. I agree with Joan too - sounds like your poor bird alerted you to a coop weakness that needs fixing.
 
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I love every animal wild, tame, livestock or pet. I do everything I can as a homeowner and caretaker to confine and protect them.. BUT I will not let another persons continued careless attitude affect my property. If it is attacking, killing or eating my livestock I WILL stop it. That's my right and my responsibility as a caretaker. We all see things a little different, but we have to be responsible for what we own and keep to feed our family. I raise my animals to feed my family, that's my right.
 
Seems to be a common theme for this "newbie". See other post by idreamofsilkies.
Sterilizing feral cats isn't exactly brilliance at work either.



The point to sterilizing feral cats and releasing them back to area of capture is that that cat has created a territory to keep other feral cats out. This practice is obviously less frustrating to those who don't keep feathered potential meals.

Humans do more damage to the environment then feral cats. When does the sterilization catch and release program begin for us?

And I am not a feral cat advocate.
 
I feed a feral cat that I trapped and had neutered and vaccinated 3 years ago. I only feed the cat when she comes to the back door. I don't leave cat food out. She hasn't bothered my chickens yet (I've had 3 bantam chickens for 1 year).
 
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I believe it's when we stop having emotions when killing animals that's the problem. I'm a hunter and have been for over 30 years< every time i harvest a animal i am overwhelmed with emotion . First it's excitement then sadness . and am so grateful that i was given the opportunity to take such a beautifully animal and still to this day get a tear in my eye.my meat budget at the grocery store is almost nil and get to eat nutritious meat not full of antibiotics and other growth hormones .On another note i have shot many coyotes and other predators with no ware near the level of emotions and have also had to take care of sick pets mine and other peoples , yes it saddens me i don't kill for the thrill and the day i do is the day i give up hunting and become a vegan. some times you just have to take care of things in what ever way you feel appropriate. I'm glad you care .
 
I'm sorry that I was misunderstood. I feel op had every right to do that. I wish people would get their pets fixed if they plan on letting them live outdoors. I just wanted to let op know that I was sorry that she had to do that because someone was too irresponsible to steralize their animal.

As for my other post I got very angry, sorry to all. To drown something is to give it one of the worst deaths imaginable. I could shoot an animal that was after my chickens, But I could never trap something in a cage and hold it under water. I personally feel that it takes an incredibly cruel person to do that, and I'm sorry that I got so vocal with my opinion. I truly am.

If there were more people that did trap and neuter programs, yes feral populations would go down. Unfortunately most people don't have the time to participate, or they feel that there is no reason to steralize animals.

So, tl;dr sorry that what I said upset some people, I wasn't trying to hurt op anymore, and I understand. I had a pit bull come after my Pomeranian once, and I was fully ready to kill it.
 

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