There are two stray cats roaming the area and it has now decided to size up my animals. My q. is: could they slip thru chainlink holes? You know, the type used for dog runs? I have Call ducks and rabbits and want them kept safe. I keep scaring them off as they are coming in broad daylight, but....is there anything I can do in the meantime before I trap and take them to the Humane society? Our HS isn't open today. I AM SO PEEVED!
I don't think they can slip though but the can climb chain link. I would get the trap as soon as possible. Hopefully they will be able to rehome them but if not it's better than them wondering around being hungry, killing your animals or someone elses animals for food.
I don't think a cat can get through the actual chainlink mesh, but I have outdoor cats that wiggle through the corners where there are gates. Imp ETA- Yes paddock is right, I've seen them step by step climb a 5 ft chainlink fence.
Sometimes dog poo or their fur will deter them. I doubt they will kill your birds,but they are annoying enough to want to trap and remove. Hungry cats are easy to trap. One feral cat I had to cover the trap.Made it like a cozy house with food and catnip inside. Him, I was crazy back then and worked on taming for 6 months.He was a sweetie once tamed,lol.
Definitely don't underestimate them. They can and do take down rabbits and poultry, and even if they don't successfully kill your animals, cat bites and scratches can get severely infected very easily. I have been a wildlife rehabilitator for eight years and most of our fatalities are cat-caught patients, not due to actual physical injury, but due to the subsequent systemic infections that those tiny little puncture wounds result in. If they don't come in and get on antibiotics immediately following the attack, they were pretty much dead before they walked through the door. Make no mistake: a few minutes of kitty "playing" with one's rabbits or birds can definitely cause death. Trap and remove for sure!
