Legal to shoot feral cats attacking chickens?

[Dlyhole]

I live in the Tampa Bay area where we have a huge feral cat problem (thanks to deadbeat cat owners) and I have had to deal with strays coming and attempting to kill my chicks in the pen a few times now. I have already lost two and have made my coup more secure, but the cats like to hang around and just wait for a chance to try and grab one through cracks in the sides or through the chicken wire.

My question obviously, can I shoot these nuisences without some sort of legal backlash? They are certainly strays, no collars, very skinny and will not approach a person.

 

[mollybuck]

um, well we have a huge feral cat problem here. there is a farm down the road and people are always just dropping them off. IMO any cat walking around without a collar is a target. they have just about wiped out the rabbits around here and do a number on the birds. even the farmer who owns the barn, he doesnt live there, but he has also been trying to reduce the number of them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Probably not legally. You have the issue of shooting a weapon where you are. I’m out in the country where that is not a problem, but I don’t know exactly what the laws are where you are. Then you have the moral issue if you live in a residential area. I’ve seen the damage a ricochet can cause when an experienced hunter friend took his son’s kneecap out with a ricochet. Some people are fine shooting a gun in a residential area where kids are playing but I just don’t do that.

Each legal jurisdiction has its own laws regarding animal cruelty. And they have different laws regarding what you can do to protect your animals and property. Someone near here in Oklahoma was recently let out on $15,000 bond. He shot two hunting dogs that wandered onto his property. If they had been threatening him or his animals, he would have been legal, but he just shot them. It can be important to document what is going on, say photos or such, especially of dead chickens or the cats trying to get the chickens. Each legal jurisdiction is going to be different.

What I suggest is try to get hold of your local animal control and talk to them. They may be totally absolutely worthless or they may be able and willing to help. They should at least know what the laws are. Some people on this forum have gotten live traps from their local animal control and they can drop those feral animals off when they catch them. But unfortunately others are not any real help.

Good luck! It’s not always easy. That’s one reason I’m lucky to be in the country. I can deal with these problems without worrying about what the neighbors might see or report.

 

[ol-jswartz]

If you have lots of problem cats the answer may be to reinforce your pen, chances are if you eliminate one problem another feral cat would take its place. I have a pen covered on all sides (Including the top) with 1" chicken wire, plus a small electric fence charger (the small ones sized for dogs) hot wire at about 4" high and one at 10" high and one about 20" high the insulators stick out and hold the hot wire 4" or so away from the chicken wire and my chickens. When I built the pen I was worried about stray dogs or coyotes ripping thru the chicken wire or digging under. It's worked perfectly I haven't had any problems at all. Jim