Quote:
ALL the dead cats belonged to a deranged woman who could have cared less about them. THATS why I HAD to kill them. The ferals..............are ferals and made good fertilizer.
In the case of ferral cats - then I don't have a problem with killing them if necessary. In the end - that is what animal control would do with ferrals as well. I've taken a few in from time to time, but in the end - an established population can be devistating on not only your chickens, but the local wild birds as well.
It's the people who see an animal - and kill it because it happend to be on their property - in the wrong place at the wrong time - knowing full well that it's a pet somewhere. This goes for non pet animals as well. Just because it was there doesn't mean it's interest only in your chickens. Yes, I'm sure they peak an interest - but they are doing what they need to do to survive. And that is eat. As a chicken keeper, I understand that I need to take precautions against wild animals looking for a meal for them selves or their offspring.
Yes, it sucks to lose birds, but .... things happen sometimes. Myself - though I try to keep my dog either in the house or on a run - she does, and will continue to, occassionally get loose. I don't expect someone to shoot her because she managed to slip by the kids and get out.
As for cats ? Most people where I am let their cats be outdoor cats - but that doesn't mean the love them any less. My cats were always allowed outdoors. I would expect that if there was a problem with a neighbor, that they would confront me first rather than kill the animal for doing what comes naturally - hunting.
My cats lived quite a long time in coyote territory, too. Just FYI to a previous post. I have black bears that have come into the yard, bobcats living down the street - and coyotes all over. The cats learn quickly how to avoid them apparently, because we have many outdoor pet cats around. We hear them quite frequently and they have been seen in the fields up the street, in the woods behind our house and even one that had been hit by a car, but not killed - wandering around. It was injured quite badly, but there is no way I was going to get my hands on it, I don't have a rifle, and by the time animal control got there it'd be long gone.
Anyway ....
enough of my rambling.
