what do you do with a neighbors cat.

[Guitartists]

I think it's funny that these same debates have not popped up on posts about ridding hen houses of mice. Or the post about Anacondas that have escaped into wild areas of the US. I don't see people signing petitions to prevent the sale of kill traps or poisons for rodents, mosquitoes, fleas, moles, etc.

I truly believe the only reason people get so worked up about cats is because they identify with them as a cute, cuddly beloved family pet.

Beekissed, I agree.

I think that the particular inhabitants of an area should be allowed to deal with their feral cat colonies however they see fit. If one community wants to catch, fix, release and another wants to SSS...... so be it. It's certainly not a debate that is going to end here on the forum.

I just wish there was a better way to get nieghbors to respect MY property when it comes to THEIR cats! I GUARANTEE if my pitbull was running around their yard killing their birds at their feeders, chasing their cats or even being nice to their children... I would have animal control at my door and more than likely my dog would be destroyed if it continued. As far as I know, it is perfectly legal to shoot any uncollared feral cat here in Michigan since they declared them feral wildlife with a year round season. The only place you can't shoot them is in town because there is NO shooting allowed in town. Some people will deliberately hit them with cars, trap them, put out antifreeze for them etc. I don't agree with these methods, I would have them humanely euthanized and save them from these other fates. I feel that leaving them running at large is a huge disservice to the community and to the cat! There is no way to insure that once they are fixed and released that people will not be cruel to them.

As far as feeding them to keep them from killing stuff..... horse hockey! Cats kill because they enjoy it. Yes, they will kill more and larger animals if they are hungry.... but even the best fed cat stalks the bird.

 

[greenapple]

Beekissed wrote:

The people who want sensible, logical outcomes to animal problems aren't monsters or unfeeling, we are just practical about animals.

True.
Unless the people monitoring the feral colonies are trapping the same animals every year for veterinary care, the only thing that TNR really accomplishes is to stop the ability to reproduce and possibly protect the cat from rabies for a year or two. These poor cats are subject to catching heartworms, feline panleukopenia, feline leukemia, not to mention other medical problems that can slowly kill them.
Is it better to let these poor, cute and fuzzy cats live as an invasive species where they will die, not from old age, but from disease or injury? Or to have them humanely euthanized?
To me TNR is like trying to use a band aid to fix a compound fracture.​

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Well for one thing, it's mighty hard to spay a mouse.

Or the post about Anacondas that have escaped into wild areas of the US.

Anacondas don't form feral colonies, and they don't reproduce quickly.

Quote:
Actually, at least one published study of TNR programs has found that TNR-ed feral cat colonies have roughly the same incidence of disease and roughly the same lifespan as owned cats do.

I see a group of people here who are responding emotionally rather than rationally -- and it ain't the proponents of TNR, either.

Is there a moderator who could lock this thread? The discussion has gotten waaaaaay off track from the original post.​

 

[eggzettera]

Wow, what a great debate. Everybody using reason & rationales to explain their point of view.

I gotta admit I was on the fence with this one but whoever likened a cat to a dog, got me. I also have more tolerance for the native populations of predators then I do for cats & dogs killing & not consuming.

I have had birds, dogs & cats – personally I am a cat or bird person it was always a SO’s dog. I do think dogs need to have “work” or they get bored, but cats kept in the house their entire lives & birds kept in cages during theirs still have a good quality of life in my opinion.

Please do not tell me that I am not listening just cause I have a different opinion, like I said I was on the fence. What got me off the fence was someone’s logic suited my belief patterns.

Edit: Amazondoc you were posting @ the same time I was......if you want the thread locked you shoud pm a mod, just trying to be helpful. Just typing that they may not see it for a bit. Sorry you feel that way, have a great day anyway!

 

[Moonwalker]

The key is EDUCATION!

I think it all comes down to taking responsiblity for your animals, be they pet or production. This includes spaying or neutering pets. Unfortunately, the are SO many pet owners that want little JR. to experience the miracle of birth, so they let the cat/gog have a litter,(they can watch Animal Planet) the ones that can't afford it, (shouldn't have gotten the pet in the first place) don't care (see previous comment) think they can make money selling the babies (should probably not be allowed to breed themselves) the men who won't allow their family pets to be "cut" because they cringe and cover their crotch at the thought (see ALL above comments)or one of my favorites "It's unnatural and cruel to neuter" and so on, and so on.
Which leaves everybody else, whether they even LIKE animals or not, holding the bag for cleanup.

If you are in a more isolated area, trapping and disposing of feral (or wild)colonies, of whatever species, will basically get rid of the problem. However, if you don't live on an island, and there are others of the same species nearby, getting rid of the colony will cause the nearby ones to spread out and to increase breeding to take advantage of the new space and food resources and spawn new colonies. It can also invite in other species that were deterred by the original one. (eg: get rid of the feral cats, the rat/mouse population is almost 100% sure to increase) How many times has our Govt. made the mistake of introducing a new species, or erradicating a "pest" (be it plant or animal) and it backfired (for example, can you say KUDZU?!)

I think the solutions should be tailored to fit the individual area and carefully thought out from all angles before implementation.
The farmer around here hate groundhogs/woodchucks becasue they eat crops, undermine buildings, make holes that livestock break legs in, tunnels big enough to flip the tractor when you plow( I know, I have one in my garden patch)they chew up boards on buildings etc, etc.
BUT>> if that chuck DIDN'T dig those holes, my yard would be a swamp several months of the year, because his tunnels drain the water out through his entrance near the creek. Thus, no standing water in the yard, no disease carrying mosquitoes, and I can actually plant without it getting flooded out. Just a few benefits. Just one example.
Think about a problem from ALL angles before you do anything about it, even if the side is one you don't like!
I can't gallop my horse around the yard near the creek for fear she will hit a hole and break a leg. But I do have an area where I have stomped around on and found free of tunnels and CAN. And we walk in the other areas.

 

[Moonwalker]

Oh yeah, and most people will turn a cat loose because
A) they will come back
B) they are sneaky and not as noticable as a dog
C) they don't tend to go bark at the neighbors and get noticed

Basically:
Because they can get away with it.
I think cats loose on a farm or large property are wonderful.
If raised this way, they tend to learn to respect things like chickens and leave them alone. But a pet house cat allowed to run loose will stalk and kill just about anything smaller than they are. It's nature and they have not learned the boundaries.
I do live in farm country, and if I did not have a road and neighbors with cat hating dogs, I would let my cats roam. But since I do have both, my 5 cats are house cats, but have access through a flap to an outside run. My parent live in Las Vegas and have the same, albiet smaller type of setup.

 

[Miltonchix]

To the contrary!! The Florida Everglades are being overrun with FERAL snakes! Boa's, Anaconda's etc. Back to the irresponsible pet owner line. These idiots buy these snakes feed them til they're too big to deal with and then they get dumped somewhere just like dogs and cats. The State of Florida has had to hire "experts" to deal with the problem of FERAL SNAKES!

 

[eggzettera]

I yam what I yam.......

An invasive is an invasive. Sounds logical to me...

 

[greenapple]

Why do cats deserve a higher status over any other feral pet, or even nuisance native wildlife?

Well for one thing, it's mighty hard to spay a mouse.

Wouldn't be much harder than spaying a tea cup yorkie or a bunny, just highly impractical.

Anacondas don't form feral colonies, and they don't reproduce quickly.

But what about Monitor Lizards and Iguanas? While they (all reptiles) might not form feral colonies, they will and do take over areas.

Actually, at least one published study of TNR programs has found that TNR-ed feral cat colonies have roughly the same incidence of disease and roughly the same lifespan as owned cats do.

Did that study come from a properly managed TNR colony as describer by the SPCA? Most colonies that I know of are not properly maintained. An outside cat has a shorter lifespan than that of an inside cat. Lack of medical attention will shorten it even further.

As far as being of topic. Here are all the possible choices to deal with the neighbors cat that I can think of.
1. Talk to the neighbor.
2. Involve Animal Control, trap the cat and take it to them so the owner has to pay the fine. Repeat as often as necessary.
3. Trap the cat and put "stink bait" or "skunk oil" on it and return to neighbor.
4. Spray cat with water and/or vinegar every time you see it.
5. Kill it.

I used to support TNR, still do as long as the colony is properly maintained and not causing a problem for threatened or endangered native wildlife, but most aren't properly maintained. Even the SPCA supports euthanasia for feral cats where colonies cannot be properly maintained. http://www.aspca.org/site/PageNavigator/pp_feralcat

I also support euthanasia.

Until our society as a whole comes to believe that pets are not something you can throw out to fend for itself because you are tired of taking care of it, don't want to take it with you when you move, won't have it spayed/neutered and don't want to find homes for or take care of the offspring, then this debate will go on forever.​

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Oh, absolutely. What I said was that they don't form feral COLONIES. Therefore, they can not be managed in the same way as feral cat colonies can.

Quote:
Sure. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there are times where eradication is more feasible. No argument there.

Quote:
Absolutely RIGHT!! Take responsibility for your animals -- whether they are cats or chickens. If you have chickens in a high predator area, then KEEP THEM IN SECURE ENCLOSURES. And remember -- new solutions aren't always bad solutions. Progress can be a GOOD thing, even if it isn't "the way my daddy did it".

Now I've got to go. Have fun, y'all!