Feral Cats

[RainDog]

 I think this is the correct gate to post this in. Excuse me if it's not.

 Just wanted to ask for some advice from y'all. Since my rottweiler died my property, including the wooded area behind the houses I have, have become a playground for a group of feral cats. They're always prowling around back there somewhere. They scare off all the wildlife. No birds at the birdfeeders anymore. No squirrels robbing the birdfeeders anymore. No nothing. Barren 'cept for the cats. Even the darned TURTLES have split town.

 I'm really loathe to use poison on 'em or something like that, as that just seems like an awful way to die. I don't think they're endangering me or mine in such a way as to make that necessary.

 Neither do I want to shoot them. I mean, they're cats. I don't like them, but I don't hate 'em either. Even if I was willing to it would open me up to all kinds of animal abuse charges and issues, and who wants to go there? Sure don't want to get into the position of proving my cause in a court of law or something awful like that.

 Any ideas short of getting another dog? I've got a few reasons I don't want to do that, so that's not really an available option. I'm open to any other suggestions, though.

 Thanks,
 Parks

[Gene_SC]

Maybe call the SPCA?

Gene

[hodgjy]

Go to the humane society or animal control and get some live traps.  You'll capture the cats, and you can turn them over to the human society or animal control where they will be humanely euthanized.

[RainDog]

Yeah, that seems like the thing to do, but in this town the animal control folks are really ineffectual. They'll drive over to take a look, but unless the creature in question is willing to hop into the back of their truck, that's about all they're willing to do.

 Had a repeating incident with a dog that was comin' over and threatening my son. Couldn't figure out who the owner was, so I called the dogcatcher. He showed up a few times, was no help. Said there was nothing he could really do. Suggested that I call the police when if the dog ended up attacking my kid.

 Finally the dog got sick of me runnin' him off with a baseball bat and stopped showing up.

 This just a situation I'm gonna have to accept? Maybe there's some kind of chemical cat-repellent that won't affect other animals. I'll google it and see.

 Edit: Now that I've read Jay's reply I see what you were meaning. Cages hadn't occurred to me. Thanks

[RainDog]

Y'know, Jay, I didn't even think of that. They'd have to take the cats off my hands if I showed up at their door with 'em in cages. Think I'll make my own, might come in handy later on for something. I kinda doubt the animal control folks would lend 'em to me anyway.

 Thanks, problem solved. I can be kinda thick sometimes.

 Parks

[hodgjy]

P.S.  The traps should be free to borrow, and at most, you might have to put a small deposit down.  My neighbor did this with some ferals that moved in.

[hodgjy]

Post some pics of your homemade contraptions.  Would be nice to see them.

[hodgjy]

Another idea is to go to a local college, if you have one, and ask to borrow some of their animal traps.  The anatomy classes always needs cat corpses for dissection.  True fact.

[RainDog]

 Man, you've got a wealth of good suggestions today. NSU is actually directly across the street, and they'd most likely be willing to help out, seeing as how their library is named after my grandfather, and my father and mother both taught there.

 I'm the black sheep, unfortunately. Rejected Academia to go swimmin'.

 Thanks again,
 Parks

[TexasShooter72]

I bought a Crosman Pulse(AK-47) airsoft for this exact reason!  It fires BB's in full-auto as well as semi-auto and is quite effective in getting cats and dogs to split-dodge without hurting them!  A neighbor moved in around the corner and brought 23 outside cats with them...     they moved in 2 blocks away but everybody's been having trouble with em'.  One sprayed my girlfriends windshield and after that- IT WAS WAR!!!!

Now I chase em' off with BB machine-gun fire!  Werks GREAT!

Matt

[tjk]

Traps and a few trips to the "humane" society or animal control would be the preferred method IMO,...but they weren't around back in the olden days,...and most folks with common sense took care of these situations in their own 'private' manner. Just be careful if you should resort to lethal warfare with these amimals. With todays technology, it's a shame people don't do the right thing and have these animals spayed or neutered to begin with. But too many cats can host feline sickness to epidemic proportions if their populations are not controlled, and who knows, may carry sickness that can be spread to humans,...like rabies, etc. Air-soft BB's can scare them off,....temporarily, but sooner or later they will return,...in even higher numbers. Just my thoughts though. Good Luck, tjk

[RainDog]

Matt,

 That sure sounds like a lot more fun than cages!

 I'd have to be awful careful not to be seen, though. A full grown man runnin' around shooting a plastic gun and laughing hysterically would get carted off to the looney-bin right quick.

 Careful what you suggest to me. I might just go and do it!

 Seeya,
 Parks

hey Parks,
i wonder if coyote or even wolf urine would keep them away?
that might keep everything else away too.
just a thought, i have alot of urine for trapping if you think this would help.

[RainDog]

Craig,

 I dunno. Thanks for the offer, and I may end up trying something like that, but it seems like the live cages thing would probably be my best bet as a first attempt. These cats will walk right into a trap. They're not really clever enough to really deserve the name "feral".

 Maybe they're just mentally handicapped and deserve my pity. NAH, THEY'RE OUT OF HERE!

 Thanks, and seeya,
 Parks

cats that run wild like that usually devastate the wild life in the area.
i recomend your pellet gun and your shovel to resolve the issue.
thats what i would do.
becareful who you call for help some groups will spay or nueter them and then release them back to the wild, that won't help at all.