Hunting outdoor cats, yes or no?

dragonzim

Active Member
I dont see it ever happening, but cats can certainly be considered a non-native, invasive species when feral colonies get large enough. What happens when a feral colony wipes out native wildlife such as birds or small mammals? I know around here we have a shore bird called a Piping Plover that lives in the sand dunes along our barrier beaches. They are highly endangered and one of the reasons for that is that they are often eaten by cats.
 

reefraff

Active Member
It's already done in rural areas, just not on an organized basis. Not really sure why they would need to do it in someplace like Jersey that surely has animal shelters. I can only find the story on sites directed at cat people so I doubt there is any serious support behind one person's proposal.
 

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///forum/thread/380243/hunting-outdoor-cats-yes-or-no#post_3308875
It's already done in rural areas, just not on an organized basis. Not really sure why they would need to do it in someplace like Jersey that surely has animal shelters. I can only find the story on sites directed at cat people so I doubt there is any serious support behind one person's proposal.
The area of NJ that I live in is completely overrun with feral cats. The shelters are overwhelmed with too many cats and not enough space. If feral cats are dropped off at shelters, they are usually euthanized to leave space for adoptable cats. Many people are abandoning cats outside for many reasons including the economy and the economy is why adoptions are low.
 
I am an avid pet lover and agree that this proposal will not see the light of day.
 

meowzer

Moderator
WOW...I just read that a cat that lives outside ....read this your self...LOL
 
Domestic animals (such as cats and dogs) cannot properly fend for themselves for any significant length of time.[sup][9] Thus, the average life span of a feral cat that survives beyond kittenhood is about two years for independent cats and five years for cats in a cat colony. In contrast, a cat that lives indoors under proper human care has a life expectancy of 15–22 years.[sup][10][/sup] Almost all cats that are left to survive outdoors will succumb to starvation, thirst, disease, parasites or predation.[11][/sup]
 
 
 
I have a cat that lives outside...we found it as a teeny kitten, we took her inside, and one of my pugs attacked it...it has never been right since. I have tried to bring her in, but she literally jumps up the walls
.....SOOOO, she lives outside, BUT She is spayed, and has her shots...OH she is 10 years old....LOL...
 
just saying
 

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/380243/hunting-outdoor-cats-yes-or-no#post_3308892
The area of NJ that I live in is completely overrun with feral cats. The shelters are overwhelmed with too many cats and not enough space. If feral cats are dropped off at shelters, they are usually euthanized to leave space for adoptable cats. Many people are abandoning cats outside for many reasons including the economy and the economy is why adoptions are low.
 
I am an avid pet lover and agree that this proposal will not see the light of day.
Thats what I mean. Out in the sticks where there are no shelters you have no choice but to shoot them. A good clean shot is as good a way as any to dispatch an animal but it isn't very easy to get a clean shot in on a cat so taking them to the shelter where it will be done properly is the right thing to do.
 
 

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/380243/hunting-outdoor-cats-yes-or-no#post_3308895
WOW...I just read that a cat that lives outside ....read this your self...LOL
 
Domestic animals (such as cats and dogs) cannot properly fend for themselves for any significant length of time.[sup][9] Thus, the average life span of a feral cat that survives beyond kittenhood is about two years for independent cats and five years for cats in a cat colony. In contrast, a cat that lives indoors under proper human care has a life expectancy of 15–22 years.[sup][10][/sup] Almost all cats that are left to survive outdoors will succumb to starvation, thirst, disease, parasites or predation.[11][/sup]
 
 
 
I have a cat that lives outside...we found it as a teeny kitten, we took her inside, and one of my pugs attacked it...it has never been right since. I have tried to bring her in, but she literally jumps up the walls
.....SOOOO, she lives outside, BUT She is spayed, and has her shots...OH she is 10 years old....LOL...
 
just saying
 
But how long would the cat last in the wild eating nothing but what it can catch with no humans around to keep upper level predators away?
 
 

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///forum/thread/380243/hunting-outdoor-cats-yes-or-no#post_3308899
 
But how long would the cat last in the wild eating nothing but what it can catch with no humans around to keep upper level predators away?
 
I have no clue.....I just had never read that before about outside cats
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/thread/380243/hunting-outdoor-cats-yes-or-no#post_3308902
Plenty long enough to produce another 10 - 15 more feral cats.
 
That is why my outdoor cat is spayed

 
 

reefraff

Active Member
You gotta have "barn cats" but the ones that are just dumped and never fed are the ones that cause problem. I am not a "cat person" but have a soft spot for all animals. Where I grew up we'd get the occasional dumped cat show up and get adopted until something happened to it. I don't think we ever got but 1 cat on purpose, my mom's Siamese.
 

hunt

Active Member
wow, i hate cats, (soory meowzer) but i dont think i could shoot one. Every once in a while a black and white cat walks out into the field and scares the deer, it pisses me off but i would never shoot it.
My dad was in missouri (hunting) and he heard stories and met people who beagles got shot because they can scare deer and some people down there dont give a crap.
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
I actually see the feral cat problems that exist in every community across the USA, just as much an issue as wild exotic snakes dumped in the Everglades. Actually, my feeling is that the feral cat problem is a much bigger issue to human health. And, unlike dumped in the wild snakes, cats do not thrive in the wild.
 
Ferrel cats live, or I should say subsist, in the wild because humans assist them to do so. Many well meaning people and even community efforts and programs make efforts to spaying wild cats and even feeding them. While the spaying is good, its not really good enough. Its not right for these animals, that are totally domesticated, to fend for themselves outside. And there are many health risks to other native wild animals, but especially to humans.
 
I know I will be hated by many cat lovers, but I feel that feral cats, if they are not adoptable, should be humanly euthanized. And it should be a felony for dumping any pet animal in the wild.
 

bang guy

Moderator
I will shoot dogs running in a pack without collars. I won't even think twice about it. They are dangerous.
 

deejeff442

Active Member
i heard once a feral cat always a feral cat right?we out in the country and a** holes are always dumping dogs and cats off out here.there is no shelter .county area.not sure what happens to them.but right now driving home there is one dead cat and two dogs that didnt make it across the road.i remember some years back a dog was hit on the side of the road.since there is no animal control here the buzzards clean them up.this poor dog was there so long he was level with the road and the loser dot repainted the side stripes right over him.
 

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/380243/hunting-outdoor-cats-yes-or-no#post_3308928
I will shoot dogs running in a pack without collars. I won't even think twice about it. They are dangerous.
My stepdad encountered a pack of wild dogs when he lived in Oregon in the early 70's. He was backed up against the lake and swiping at them with his fishing rod. They finally took off. He said he wasn't going to report it because he thought the cops would think he was nuts but they were all to aware of the pack.
 

meowzer

Moderator
When we first moved to this place here in OK....there were 17 dogs out here....my husband would sit on the house, and pick them off....they were not PET dogs...they were wild starving animals, and I had small children...there were shepherds and chows and IDK what else....they were mean...and I felt very threatened by them
 
There is a BIG difference between FIDO and a KILLER DOG!!!!!
 

yearofthenick

Active Member
I only shoot cats if they harass my chickens. Aerosol BB's don't injure cats but they do scare them away. I think doing it that way is acceptable.... yes?
 
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