Feel kinda crappy.....had to shoot a cat

[amazondoc]

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Nope. This is a predator/pest forum, not a "where should my charitable contributions be directed" forum. I'm trying to not get too far off topic.

 

[amazondoc]

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But that bullet DOESN'T solve your problem. It gets rid of ONE cat -- not the problem of feral cats.

If you're not talking about feeding the feral cat your releasing, then your not solving the
the problem in my eyes.You're making more of one by releasing it into the wild where it will have an impact on the native population whereas the cat is a non native species.

Nope. I'm not releasing new cats into the environment. I'm altering animals that are *already* in the environment, and preventing them from producing MORE cats in that environment.

Apply your same concept to rats,would you TNR them?

If there was a reasonable method of doing so, maybe. But there are SOOOOO many rats already, and they reproduce SOOOO quickly, that it's very unlikely to be practicable.​

 

[amazondoc]

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Yet we very rarely do that. Cheaper is not always better.

It is cheaper and safer to lock up dangerous criminals (sex offenders, n such) than to rehab him and let him go.

Actually, it's cheaper to let him go. Keeping criminals incarcerated is VERY expensive.

Anyway -- the overall question is whether TNR is cost effective **in the long run**, not whether a bullet or spay is cheaper in the short term. I don't have enough data to answer that question with any certainty, and neither do you or anyone else here. We are stuck with the incomplete data that we *do* have, and we all have to make the best decisions we can with that incomplete information. A person isn't necessarily a "mean" or "uncaring" person because they decide to shoot that feral cat -- and a person isn't necessarily a "crazy cat person" if they decide to neuter it instead. There are good reasons behind *either* decision.​

 

[Boyd]

Sorry, wasn't meaning to make it that personal. I re-read what I wrote. Anyways, with the way the $$ situation is, and as many animals that get dumped by me, it would cost me more to spay/neuter all the critters than it would to put my kids through college

If they can make it on their own (cats) and don't attack my critters, then ya, I keep them around. They go after one of my girls............

 

[mxpres]

some people can not accept the responsibility of owning a pet,they think the thing to do is take the animal,whatever it may be,,out somewhere and set it out to survive the best it can,the animal is scared,hungry,and wondering,,what did I do?what did I do that was so wrong that my master ,that I loved so dearly ,would do me this way,I have a cat,an abandoned kitty ,at the it came to us it was maybe 3 weeks old,,starved,wet ,cold ,and terrified,its mother had been ran over by a car and killed,,the kitten stayed in a side ditch all day and night,during a thunderstorm,the first meal it had was warm milk with mush .I had to feed it by letting it lick the mush from my finger tip,we had all the shots,,everything it needed,it grew into a beutiful,loving black and white cat,she meets me every evening by sitting on the back of my recliner and reaching up and rubbing noses with me,an animal,,whatever it may be,,has a heart overflowing with love to give someone,if someone would only ask for it,its a sad situation that animals,as well as people have to be cheated out of a unconditional love,by someone that refuses to accept the duties that go with keeping a pet,some of you may laugh at this post,some won,t,as long as we have animals and people that don,t want to care for them,we will be forced to protect our animals from these (throwaways)we have no choice,,sad as it may be

 

[robyncorrine]

Wow. Touchy for sure
I love cats. We have four.
But an animal on MY PROPERTY messing with the animals that live there will be shot on sight by the hubby.
Sorry.

 

[Davaroo]

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Kinda how it is, aint it?

 

[amazondoc]

Sorry, I missed this one earlier --

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Huh? Who said anything about panicking? Who said anything about sustainability? Please, if you're going to contribute to the discussion, at least respond to things that people actually said -- okay?

What I actually said was that rats reproduce too quickly for TNR to be likely to work well, even if there were an easy way to spay/neuter them. As you yourself noted, rats reproduce much more rapidly than cats.

 

[unionwirewoman]

WOW ! I haven't had a chance to be on here much , and find out that I really stirred the pot .

First off , I'd like to say , I own 4 cats as of now that were feral ( saved by my vet and I paid for EVERYTHING) . I shot the cat for my mother , who lives 20 miles out of town . I have too many cats as it is to adopt another , and with hubby and I being out of work for six months , him getting his surgery in 2 weeks , I couldn't afford to take on the responsibility of yet another mouth to feed . I agree that saving animals , rescueing , and other efforts should be made when feasible . This cat had been doing this for OVER a month . This part of the country that I live in is behind the times , and is in the bottom category as far as average income , and population .

amazondoc....I applaud you for your views..unfortunately there are always going to be people who are irresponsible . I hated shooting that cat , but it had to be done....I can't go to work just to pay for vet bills . Those people who choose to be irresponsible will always be that , and even if we saved the one , there are hundreds within 40 miles who get dropped off each year . If you do the math....there is no way to end this cycle . I'd rather see one die with a perfect shot , no suffering , than to end up homeless , cold starving....or in a shelter where ( in our area 80% ) are put down .

Second.....I used the 270 because it was the only gun besides the 20 gauge that was handy . I've never used the 20 guage (both guns are my moms ) I recently gave her the 270 ( my old rifle ) and knew it was dead on . The cat was about 70 yards away coming towards the house and I wanted to make sure I killed it without wounding it . I agree....way overkill ! I'd usually use my 22 , but like I said I was up at my moms .


Hope everyone here understands that in order for life to occur , life also has to be taken . Not every life can be spared , even though , in a perfect world .....it would .

 

[redhen]

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