Stray Cats - Can I, should I shoot them?
- Thread starter Russ
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556A2
Member
Cats can be little tough suckers to put down. This past summer I had to put down a cat that was dying (either got snake-bit or ate something posionious). I was using a 10/22 and I shot it right in the back of the head, the cat took off in all directions, it took the rest of the magazine to finish it off, and that is including 4 more head shots. I think the ammo was the Remington 500 pack if I'm not mistaken. Thats why I recommend using something a little more than .22lr, espcially knowing a cat could be diseased with rabies.
bogie
Member
.22 Ratdog - 50 grain Speer TNT moving at around 3600 fps. You might find some pieces.
Excellent point I forgot to make. If you believe the animal is rabid, USE ENOUGH GUN. Preferable is a shotgun at close range. If your neighbors complain, explain that it was a shotgun with birdshot, posing minimal danger to them of overpenetration, and that there was a neighborhood emergency, which threatened their family.
(When someone calls the P.D. that I work for and describes an obviously rabid animal in their front yard, we explain that an officer is en route, and ask if they've got a shotgun in the house that they know how to use safely. If they answer in the affirmative, we ask if they'd mind shooting it, but QUICK! Time is an issue.)
When you put down a possibly rabid animal, bury it DEEP. If this is not possible, burn it. If this is still not possible, triple-bag it with sealed bags (drop in garbage bag, spin 7 times, bend a gooseneck, tie off gooseneck. Repeat.), and put in a dumpster, preferably in a hard container that other animals can't get into. Obviously, you don't want to touch the animal; the corpse can transmit disease long after it's dead. Do NOT just pitch the corpse over the back fence. This does not solve any problem, and actually creates new dangers akin to leaving a landmine out.
(When someone calls the P.D. that I work for and describes an obviously rabid animal in their front yard, we explain that an officer is en route, and ask if they've got a shotgun in the house that they know how to use safely. If they answer in the affirmative, we ask if they'd mind shooting it, but QUICK! Time is an issue.)
When you put down a possibly rabid animal, bury it DEEP. If this is not possible, burn it. If this is still not possible, triple-bag it with sealed bags (drop in garbage bag, spin 7 times, bend a gooseneck, tie off gooseneck. Repeat.), and put in a dumpster, preferably in a hard container that other animals can't get into. Obviously, you don't want to touch the animal; the corpse can transmit disease long after it's dead. Do NOT just pitch the corpse over the back fence. This does not solve any problem, and actually creates new dangers akin to leaving a landmine out.
Pilgrim
Member
Dealing with strays and feral animals is a touchy subject, even in rural areas. It never ceases to amaze me how people can say they love their animals, then allow them to run wild where they are often hit by automobiles or otherwise become injured and die.
I live in a rural area and for the past twenty or so years we bred, raised, and exhibited purebred dachshunds and whippets. We complied with all the animal control regulations, built a kennel, kept the kennel licensed, and submitted to annual inspections of the kennel and our dogs by county animal control officers. Our dogs were never allowed out except in a fenced yard or on a leash.
My neighbor on the other hand, takes in every stray dog that gets dumped in her front yard. They are not licensed. By the number of dogs she feeds she should have a kennel license, but she doesn't. I can't remember the number of times her "pets" have been hit by automobiles and trucks. There has been at least one complaint by other neighbors that her darlings bit a bicyclist. When animal control responds to the complaints, she gives up the offending dog, and then takes in more.
I'm not in the kennel business anymore, and only have two whippets. I had three back in January, but after the neighbor's strays kept coming to the yard and starting fence fights, I lost my favorite twelve year old whippet. She was a victim of fighting rage that turned inward and one of the other whippets inflicted mortal wounds. The neighbor's dog was still at the fence as I scooped her up for a mad dash to the veterinarian's for emergency surgery.
I called my neighbor and asked her to keep her dogs at home. My neighbor said the offending dogs weren't hers. I told her then that I would "take care" of any strays that come into my yard. She said that would be fine.
Three days later her dogs came to my yard again and started another fence fight. I called her and again asked her to keep her dogs at home. She said they weren't her dogs. Again she said it would be ok if I "took care" of the stray dogs.
The next day one of her dogs came through the yard. I shot it dead. She called the sheriff. She conveniently forgot my warnings. She conveniently forgot she said she didn't have any problems if I dealt with the problem.
The deputy who came out tried to play tough guy with me. He demanded to know why I shot the dog. It was interesting that my neighbor was able to positively identify me from 300 yards away and positively identify the dog was hers from the same distance. To the best of my knowledge - it was dark - the deputy didn't even examine the dog or have the neighbor identify the carcass.
The deputy would have been funny if he weren't so pathetically ignorant about the Fourth and Fifth Amendment. He demanded I answer his questions even though they were designed to elicit an incriminating response. He said he could arrest me in my own home without a warrant because what I did was a felony. When he couldn't get me to tremble and beg forgiveness, he said I had better go apologize to my neighbor. I asked him if that was an order. He told me it was a strong suggestion. The implied threat was obvious in his tone of voice.
The visits from the neighbor's dogs continued. I called animal control. The animal control officer who came out took my complaint and pictures of my neighbor's dogs running loose. One dog was even on my front porch. The officer suggested that the next time I shoot just say that the dog attacked me.
The animal control officer went and had a word with the neighbor. Now I'm the jerk because I called animal control. Just the action the deputy sheriff said I had better follow.
When the neighbor sees that my car is gone she will turn her dogs loose. While I was away for a week I had my granddaughter stay with my whippets. My granddaughter told me the neighbor turned her dogs loose. They even came up on the front porch and got my whippets all excited. Granddaughter's mother called animal control and they didn't respond. They told mother that by the time they get here the dogs will probably be gone.
I have a wounded rabbit call. The neighbor's dogs seem interested.
Bruce
I live in a rural area and for the past twenty or so years we bred, raised, and exhibited purebred dachshunds and whippets. We complied with all the animal control regulations, built a kennel, kept the kennel licensed, and submitted to annual inspections of the kennel and our dogs by county animal control officers. Our dogs were never allowed out except in a fenced yard or on a leash.
My neighbor on the other hand, takes in every stray dog that gets dumped in her front yard. They are not licensed. By the number of dogs she feeds she should have a kennel license, but she doesn't. I can't remember the number of times her "pets" have been hit by automobiles and trucks. There has been at least one complaint by other neighbors that her darlings bit a bicyclist. When animal control responds to the complaints, she gives up the offending dog, and then takes in more.
I'm not in the kennel business anymore, and only have two whippets. I had three back in January, but after the neighbor's strays kept coming to the yard and starting fence fights, I lost my favorite twelve year old whippet. She was a victim of fighting rage that turned inward and one of the other whippets inflicted mortal wounds. The neighbor's dog was still at the fence as I scooped her up for a mad dash to the veterinarian's for emergency surgery.
I called my neighbor and asked her to keep her dogs at home. My neighbor said the offending dogs weren't hers. I told her then that I would "take care" of any strays that come into my yard. She said that would be fine.
Three days later her dogs came to my yard again and started another fence fight. I called her and again asked her to keep her dogs at home. She said they weren't her dogs. Again she said it would be ok if I "took care" of the stray dogs.
The next day one of her dogs came through the yard. I shot it dead. She called the sheriff. She conveniently forgot my warnings. She conveniently forgot she said she didn't have any problems if I dealt with the problem.
The deputy who came out tried to play tough guy with me. He demanded to know why I shot the dog. It was interesting that my neighbor was able to positively identify me from 300 yards away and positively identify the dog was hers from the same distance. To the best of my knowledge - it was dark - the deputy didn't even examine the dog or have the neighbor identify the carcass.
The deputy would have been funny if he weren't so pathetically ignorant about the Fourth and Fifth Amendment. He demanded I answer his questions even though they were designed to elicit an incriminating response. He said he could arrest me in my own home without a warrant because what I did was a felony. When he couldn't get me to tremble and beg forgiveness, he said I had better go apologize to my neighbor. I asked him if that was an order. He told me it was a strong suggestion. The implied threat was obvious in his tone of voice.
The visits from the neighbor's dogs continued. I called animal control. The animal control officer who came out took my complaint and pictures of my neighbor's dogs running loose. One dog was even on my front porch. The officer suggested that the next time I shoot just say that the dog attacked me.
The animal control officer went and had a word with the neighbor. Now I'm the jerk because I called animal control. Just the action the deputy sheriff said I had better follow.
When the neighbor sees that my car is gone she will turn her dogs loose. While I was away for a week I had my granddaughter stay with my whippets. My granddaughter told me the neighbor turned her dogs loose. They even came up on the front porch and got my whippets all excited. Granddaughter's mother called animal control and they didn't respond. They told mother that by the time they get here the dogs will probably be gone.
I have a wounded rabbit call. The neighbor's dogs seem interested.
Bruce
MolonLabe416
Member
Destroying a feral animal is ethical, particularly if it is hurting your stock or pets. Even if the feral cats were not directly injuring your pets via fighting, they carry many communicable diseases that can seriously dibilitate or kill your cats. They are also hell on beneficial small mammals and birds.
I've found the best shot to take on any feral animal is a head shot, followed by a heart/lung shot.
It's distateful, but necessarry.
I've found the best shot to take on any feral animal is a head shot, followed by a heart/lung shot.
It's distateful, but necessarry.
MeekandMild
Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2002
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- 1,877
My 2 cents worth:
1) The military field manual is right on the money as to reasons to reduce the feral cat population. However it does not discuss the problem of how much these animals devastate the nesting bird population. Anyone who cares about songbirds, especially semi-endangered ones like the bluebird needs to add the deaths of 200 to 500 birds per cat per year into the equation.
2) In the liberal infested cloaca of the Gulf Coast the best method I have found is a coon-sized live catch trap. If any liberal friends ask what I'm going to do with the cat I tell them I'm taking it to the pound unless they want to take it home with them. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.
3) I don't have anything to do with 'cat rescue' ever since a sweet little old lady gave a caged ferel cat to my wife a few years ago. It nearly chewed me and one of my children to hamburger then escaped. Also see number 1.
4) Outside city limits on my own property in a state where the practice is legal I am a great fan of the .17 HMR Varmint Express. This little bugger will give good stopping power with any reasonably placed shot at any reasonable range. Adequate backstops are important even thought the bullets just tend to splatter. For back of a better term call this euthanasia.
5. Feral cat blood is why God caused the creation of black plastic garbage bags. He also created vultures, which need all the help they can get.
1) The military field manual is right on the money as to reasons to reduce the feral cat population. However it does not discuss the problem of how much these animals devastate the nesting bird population. Anyone who cares about songbirds, especially semi-endangered ones like the bluebird needs to add the deaths of 200 to 500 birds per cat per year into the equation.
2) In the liberal infested cloaca of the Gulf Coast the best method I have found is a coon-sized live catch trap. If any liberal friends ask what I'm going to do with the cat I tell them I'm taking it to the pound unless they want to take it home with them. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.
3) I don't have anything to do with 'cat rescue' ever since a sweet little old lady gave a caged ferel cat to my wife a few years ago. It nearly chewed me and one of my children to hamburger then escaped. Also see number 1.
4) Outside city limits on my own property in a state where the practice is legal I am a great fan of the .17 HMR Varmint Express. This little bugger will give good stopping power with any reasonably placed shot at any reasonable range. Adequate backstops are important even thought the bullets just tend to splatter. For back of a better term call this euthanasia.
5. Feral cat blood is why God caused the creation of black plastic garbage bags. He also created vultures, which need all the help they can get.
If it was a felony, I wouldn't think this clown would have any discretion in arresting you.
However, since you're in California, it probably was - negative infringment on the collective aura, or some such. Karmic justice coming your way.
I do so love the Gestapo techniques they employ out there to subjugate the populace.
feral cat-absolutely. I'd use the shotgun or .223 with fragmenting bullets. For close range maybe mini-mags. Stingers if you can get them to shoot straight but they don't out of my gun.
Pet cat-Don't kill peoples pets. If someone killed this one cat of mine I would be very angry.
He won't wear a collar. But I doubt he roams the mile to the neibors'.
For close range maybe mini-mags. Stingers if you can get them to shoot straight but they don't out of my gun.Pet cat-Don't kill peoples pets. If someone killed this one cat of mine I would be very angry.
He won't wear a collar. But I doubt he roams the mile to the neibors'.
280PLUS
Member
ther IS one thing that smells worse than a dead cat...
2 dead cats...
2 dead cats...
Ol' Badger
Member
Pilgrim
Member
California Penal Code says that animal cruelty can be charged as a felony. However, for it to be successfully prosecuted there has to be some demonstration of wanton cruelty. The guy who threw the Bichon into the traffic at San Francisco Airport a couple of years ago rose to that level of cruelty. The people who run overcrowded puppy mills where dogs wallow in their feces rise to that level.
Whether it is a felony or not, or whether it will be successfully prosecuted or not, arresting someone in their home without a warrant absent consent or exigent (emergency) circumstances is a loser. That was established in People v. Ramey (Cal. Supreme Court, 1976) and Payton v. New York (U.S. Supreme Court, 1980) It is a violation of one's civil rights. Any evidence gained as a result of such a warrantless entry is inadmissible in court.
I have participated in two felony arrests where the suspect was cited and released on his promise to appear. It can be done.
Bruce
Now that's foul...
"dont mean to hijack a thread or nothing, but my supervisor 'snipes' his next door neighbors pitbulls with bb's from his bedroom window, its pretty funny. "
I don't know what kind of sick humor you have to find that funny. Beleive me, If I EVER found out someone was sickly entertaining them selves by "sniping" my dog with a BB on MY PROPERTY. I'd tell my wife to immediately contact my lawyer and I'd take that BB gun and break it up his freakin' rectum.
Shooting MY dog is JUST as bad as shooting one of my kids or loved one's. I pray KARMA finds this guy quickly. That is absolutely terrible. What a punk.
"dont mean to hijack a thread or nothing, but my supervisor 'snipes' his next door neighbors pitbulls with bb's from his bedroom window, its pretty funny. "
I don't know what kind of sick humor you have to find that funny. Beleive me, If I EVER found out someone was sickly entertaining them selves by "sniping" my dog with a BB on MY PROPERTY. I'd tell my wife to immediately contact my lawyer and I'd take that BB gun and break it up his freakin' rectum.
Shooting MY dog is JUST as bad as shooting one of my kids or loved one's. I pray KARMA finds this guy quickly. That is absolutely terrible. What a punk.
QuarterBoreGunner
Member
As a city boy born and bred I had a little trouble wrapping my brain around the concept of some one shooting cats.
But I read all the posts and can completely agree with the need/duty to put down feral cats- and having two of the little monsters myself I'd like to think I had the intestinal fortitude to put them down if they were suffering.
I just hope I never have to. Now I'm going to go home and give them a little cat nip, get the favorite laser toy out and repeat after me 'you are house cats- you stay in the house'.
But I read all the posts and can completely agree with the need/duty to put down feral cats- and having two of the little monsters myself I'd like to think I had the intestinal fortitude to put them down if they were suffering.
I just hope I never have to. Now I'm going to go home and give them a little cat nip, get the favorite laser toy out and repeat after me 'you are house cats- you stay in the house'.
Hmm... having only read about half the thread, my thoughts-
if you love your pet, keep it indoors, on on your property, they are destructive and will be delt with accordingly
good rnds- umm... 7MM is handy, 22-250 works, 12 ga close with OObuck. i wouldn't use a .22, wound the dang thing and its going to die real slow or crawl back to the careless owner who will be real pissed about fluffys untimely accident.
if you love your pet, keep it indoors, on on your property, they are destructive and will be delt with accordingly
good rnds- umm... 7MM is handy, 22-250 works, 12 ga close with OObuck. i wouldn't use a .22, wound the dang thing and its going to die real slow or crawl back to the careless owner who will be real pissed about fluffys untimely accident.
QuickDraw
Member
Thats the funniest thing I've heard all week!
QuickDraw
HadEmAll
Member
1. Have-a-Heart trap
2. tuna fish or dog food
3. .22 rifle
4. CB cap (edited to add between the running lights (painless))
5. Plastic garbage bag
6. Dumpster
7. Rebait trap
Let them scratch up the paint on your vehicles and fight all night in your front yard if you want, but I'm tired of it.
2. tuna fish or dog food
3. .22 rifle
4. CB cap (edited to add between the running lights (painless))
5. Plastic garbage bag
6. Dumpster
7. Rebait trap
Let them scratch up the paint on your vehicles and fight all night in your front yard if you want, but I'm tired of it.
coonan357
Member
when the neighbors litle fluffball went into heat last year it atracted all the toms from the neighboring forest preserve and the where howling and fighting on the back porches of the condos trying to get at princess , I dispatched 2 of them with a 158 grain .357 from the back window of the condo . none of the bedwetters called the PD , 2 days later one of the BW's actually said to me what The H*** took you so long... 
Mastrogiacomo
Member
I've had three cats -- all gone now and two to replace them. All have always been house cats. If you love your cats, do the right thing and keep them indoors. I've also had four stray cats that frequented our home and we loved them all. Never had problems like this so I don't have the heart to say kill them. I can't even kill the skunk and I hate that animal. I don't have it in me to hurt an animal but if you're at risk, please be humane. Personally, I'd trap them and send them to a shelter or another area.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
A credible effort in Wisconsin to determine the feral cat problem yielded these two conclusions: 1. One feral cat will kill up to 100 songbirds a year. 2. The feral cat population of Wisconsin could be as many as one million.
If you think that's excessive as to the number of cats, consider this: The local animal shelter folks did an extensive live-trap effort, all within at most two miles from my wife's rural home in south Georgia. All the traps were fairly close to county roads, not "way back in the boonies". They trapped 72 cats. They did not--repeat, did not!--get all the feral cats.
, Art
If you think that's excessive as to the number of cats, consider this: The local animal shelter folks did an extensive live-trap effort, all within at most two miles from my wife's rural home in south Georgia. All the traps were fairly close to county roads, not "way back in the boonies". They trapped 72 cats. They did not--repeat, did not!--get all the feral cats.
, Art
Mannlicher
Member
I have shot and killed hundreds of cats through the years. I just don't like them. Remington 521t, 6X Weaver, and CB Caps. Good for 40 yards or so.
MeekandMild
Member
- Joined
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- 1,877
I'm sorry Art, your bird kill numbers are lowball to the extreme. How will less than one bird per three days keep body and soul together even for the skinniest, rangiest cat? A cat has to eat significantly more to survive.
You have to figure in the number of nestlings and immature birds into the equation, where one can easily see 200-500 being killed by a single cat. Five hundred is still less than 2 per day, barely enough to keep a cat from starving. When I was an ornithology student 30+ years ago I saw evidence of a single cat capable of eating as many as a dozen nestlings in a single summer day.
Of course the difference might be that the bird killing season in Wisconsin is so short but cats can kill birds in the South 12 months out of the year?
You have to figure in the number of nestlings and immature birds into the equation, where one can easily see 200-500 being killed by a single cat. Five hundred is still less than 2 per day, barely enough to keep a cat from starving. When I was an ornithology student 30+ years ago I saw evidence of a single cat capable of eating as many as a dozen nestlings in a single summer day.
Of course the difference might be that the bird killing season in Wisconsin is so short but cats can kill birds in the South 12 months out of the year?
One needs to be very very careful with antifreeze and make sure it is presented in such a way that birds, kids and family pets don't get into it.
Stevie-Ray
Member
We have the problem in our area as well. Problem in our area is 2-fold. People let their cats out at night, rather than be bothered by them, and even though they are bound by the same exact laws as dogs, the police will do nothing about it. That leaves us with very few options. If I sound like a cat/animal hater, forget it. I personally have 2 beautiful Tonkinese cats, which never go outside, and have a wonderful home. Take it from me: A 5mm, .177 cal, or .22 cal pneumatic pellet rifle works wonders, and saves on worry, scratched up screens, unwanted outside animal entry, your own pets going nuts, torn open trash strewn over the yard, etc. Head shots.
Oh and BTW, in case any of you are thinking about mistakenly shooting someone's beloved pet that just happened to get out once in it's lifetime, forget that too. It's pretty easy to tell a cat that's well cared for and may simply need guidance home from the battle-scarred strays and street fighters.
and even though they are bound by the same exact laws as dogs, the police will do nothing about it. That leaves us with very few options. If I sound like a cat/animal hater, forget it. I personally have 2 beautiful Tonkinese cats, which never go outside, and have a wonderful home. Take it from me: A 5mm, .177 cal, or .22 cal pneumatic pellet rifle works wonders, and saves on worry, scratched up screens, unwanted outside animal entry, your own pets going nuts, torn open trash strewn over the yard, etc. Head shots.Oh and BTW, in case any of you are thinking about mistakenly shooting someone's beloved pet that just happened to get out once in it's lifetime, forget that too. It's pretty easy to tell a cat that's well cared for and may simply need guidance home from the battle-scarred strays and street fighters.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Meek&Mild, you'll have to argue with the Wisconsin wildlife agency folks, not me.
Gotta remember, though, that mice, squirrels, and rabbits will be part of the diet, not just birds.
I know a feral cat will kill an entire covey of quail, and only eat one of them...That's why my grandfather, and now I, cut a mesquite or catclaw branch partway through and let it be live but on the ground. The thorns slow down the cats, if not fully stop the predation.
Art
Gotta remember, though, that mice, squirrels, and rabbits will be part of the diet, not just birds.
I know a feral cat will kill an entire covey of quail, and only eat one of them...That's why my grandfather, and now I, cut a mesquite or catclaw branch partway through and let it be live but on the ground. The thorns slow down the cats, if not fully stop the predation.
Art
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