Enticing Feral Cats to Hunt Locally

[notaz3]

No it is NOT okay to release fixed feral cats...it is the stupidest idea ever...the bleeding heart morons that prevent the eradication of feral cats should be jailed...
Spaying or neutering cats does not prevent them from killing the billions (yes that is BILLIONS) if native song birds and wildlife every year...


get a clue...!

feral cats killing wildlife - Google Search

If we are worried about the damage to the environment I think the first thing we should start eradicating would be people.

I'm not against dispatching any animal that is causing problems to native wildlife; however, many of non-native birds, excessive mice/rat population have been controlled with cats.

 

[jyoutz]

Gophers destroy the land, and in my experience the only effective way to control them is rodenticide. Not a popular idea, but I have seen no other effective option.

 

[MossRoad]

If we are worried about the damage to the environment I think the first thing we should start eradicating would be people.

I'm not against dispatching any animal that is causing problems to native wildlife; however, many of non-native birds, excessive mice/rat population have been controlled with cats.

Can you provide any examples of that? I've never known cats to control non-native bird populations. On the other hand, non-native cats have wiped out several species of ground dwelling birds around the globe, especially on islands. There are numerous videos of cats sitting around while mice and rats run around.

Hank the cat worn out by mouse plague

READING LEVEL: ORANGE

www.kidsnews.com.au

 

[notaz3]

Can you provide any examples of that? I've never known cats to control non-native bird populations. On the other hand, non-native cats have wiped out several species of ground dwelling birds around the globe, especially on islands. There are numerous videos of cats sitting around while mice and rats run around.

Hank the cat worn out by mouse plague

READING LEVEL: ORANGE

www.kidsnews.com.au

Okay, I get it, you don't like feral cats.

Depending on location and condition of cat I have two ways of dealing with them;
1. 22LR (or 223 if a little farther)
2. Trap, fix, and release
Seen many a mice, sparrows, and pigeons become cat food.

Since you seem to like adding links for reading...

Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats? The Case for TNR

What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)? Trap-Neuter-Return is the humane & effective approach to stray and feral cats, also known as community cats. It stabilizes cat populations by stopping reproduction. Learn more about TNR & how it improves the lives of community cats.<br />

www.alleycat.org

 

[Gem99ultra]

Good reply notaz3. The referenced article does show both sides of whether to dispose of feral cats, or not. I've experienced my brother being severally bitten by a "socialized" feral cat. Not a pretty sight. I'm not convinced that one can ever completely socialize a feral cat.

On the other hand, I've seen our Maine Coon socialized cat catch an in-flight humming bird. Also, a not pretty sight, especially since I adore the beautiful little birds. But quite a feat for a 22 pound cat...

We now have a 'rescue' cat that does pretty much what cats do, i.e. lay around, look pretty, and act high& mighty over the rest of the world. She's pretty good for keeping the pet food suppliers in business. Other than that, hmmm - I have nothing more to say.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not for disposing any, or most, animals just for the satisfaction of controlling population. I've personally experienced disposing of cats, at my father's command, back during WWII when food and all other civilian supplies were non-existent. I still refuse to relay that experience with others as well as allowing my memory to recall it, even after harboring it for over 70 years. Very ugly and sad memory!

To dispose or not to dispose... A very difficult question, more than I care to address.

 

[Raul-02]

we see feral cats off in the distance,

I'd use a scoped 22 250 to deal with both the cats and gophers.
Feral cats are a god awful catastrophe for native birds and other small wildlife. They don't hunt gophers and groundhogs.

I had killdeer and bobwhites on my property and then some brainless idiot neighbor lady started feeding feral cats.
Took me forever to kill them all, They wiped out the birds.

 

[MossRoad]

Okay, I get it, you don't like feral cats.

Depending on location and condition of cat I have two ways of dealing with them;
1. 22LR (or 223 if a little farther)
2. Trap, fix, and release
Seen many a mice, sparrows, and pigeons become cat food.

Since you seem to like adding links for reading...

Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats? The Case for TNR

What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)? Trap-Neuter-Return is the humane & effective approach to stray and feral cats, also known as community cats. It stabilizes cat populations by stopping reproduction. Learn more about TNR & how it improves the lives of community cats.<br />

www.alleycat.org

The case for TNR is to legitimize cat hoarders, in my opinion. I've been around long enough to know what damage outdoor cats can do.

 

[jaxs]

I use to raise rat terriers (decker's) back in the day, I had a female named pokey, she killed 74 mice & rats in 2 days. (I counted em)
She would run along the side of my tractor as I was mowing, she would see the mice jump up because the tractor shook the ground and she would bite them and throw them off to the side for the mower. The next day the birds were everywhere eating mice and a few yotes too, which made good target practice.

Nowadays I have 2 small females left and they just hunt lizards all day long.

That's one way killing multiple mice and risk killing the dog.

 

[YanmarFever]

Jax, have you ever owned a Rat Terrier, because it is nearly impossible to run one over with a tractor at 3 mph.
Rat Terriers are masters of agility and not to mention refined hunters of anything that moves.
I mowed that field for the 27 years I owned it and all the terriers hunted while I mowed, heck they even ran under the tractor hundreds of times and never had a close call.
These are some net pictures from other rat terriers.

 

[jaxs]

I've owned rat terriers and never considered them impossible to kill while running around under tractors with mowers behind them. Countless operators,bystanders and animals have been injured or killed by tractors and brush hogs despite many having ability to reason and take precautions. Experienced operators universally agree it's unwise to allow anyone or anything near a running brush hog if for nothing else, projectiles being thrown. Anyone who has operated brush hogs many hours have seen tires punctured,holes torn through metal buildings and such by flying objects. Rat terriers aren't invincible to those or chasing a mouse into the blades.