Feral Cats, How to deal with them?

[Augustajim 0]

This is a serious problem in my neighborhood. I am interested in knowing how people around the world deal with this problem. I made the poll to be a bit humerous but it does deal with a real problem. Please feel free to add additional solutions to the topic and don't fault me for trying to have some humor in a real problem. I by the way love cats in my house but not in my trash can.

Jim

[Marilyn. 340]

can't you call the SPCA ? I think that is what they are called...

[Augustajim 0]

I live in Rural Kansas, not so rural I can shoot hem and yet my only option is asking animal control to come try and get them. Ever try to chase down a cat? Then once they catch them they will only take them to the humane society and hope somebody wants to adopt a cat that is vicious within 30 days or they destroy the animal anyway.

can't you call the SPCA ? I think that is what they are called...

[Savanphil 3]

My vote is to trap them....

[Mags 112]

Feed them. I could NEVER harm a cat, feral or otherwise. Look at it this way, they have to eat SOMEHOW. If you feed them, they might start leaving your trash cans alone. Just my opinion of course.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Poison them.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I noticed you didn't include "give them free baths with a hose-and-nozzle if they approach within 2 m".

(this way, you can always direct them to a neighbour's property).

[Savanphil 3]

I noticed you didn't include "give them free baths with a hose-and-nozzle if they approach within 2 m".

(this way, you can always direct them to a neighbour's property).

:lol:

[Savanphil 3]

I noticed you didn't include "give them free baths with a hose-and-nozzle if they approach within 2 m".

(this way, you can always direct them to a neighbour's property).

:lol:

[Thingee 0]

I voted trap them...but the entire idea includes spaying or neutering then asking around to see if anyone wants a barn cat. If the area is rural there will no doubt be people with large animals(horses,cows and the like) that would take you up on it.

[Arazia 0]

My parents live in an area in Wisconsin where this problem is becoming common. They even tried to pass a law to make it legal to shoot them. I think live traps, or trap-neuter-release programs are the best and most humane way of handling the situation. Really, what causes it is people who don't spay or neuter their animals and then the issue just multiplies. I find this happens a lot in rural areas where people get a cat to 'de-mouse' the barns and don't want to spend the money to get them fixed. And given a few years, you have kitties kitties everywhere.

[Alanlvsjudy 0]

My parents live in an area in Wisconsin where this problem is becoming common. They even tried to pass a law to make it legal to shoot them. I think live traps, or trap-neuter-release programs are the best and most humane way of handling the situation. Really, what causes it is people who don't spay or neuter their animals and then the issue just multiplies. I find this happens a lot in rural areas where people get a cat to 'de-mouse' the barns and don't want to spend the money to get them fixed. And given a few years, you have kitties kitties everywhere.

Are not barn cats like corn, you plant too much then thin as appropriate?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

My city (which has a very serious stray animal problem) is trying a new approach on one colony of feral cats on city property.

They trap them (alive,) take them to be neutered/spayed, and then release them back where they were caught. The city figures that a year or two from now, there will be no more little feral kittens being born.

There has been a lot of public outrage lately about various methods of "disposing" of unwanted animals -- until very recently, the city was gassing them to death in a crude gas chamber. Also a nearby community made national headlines when stray dogs were put to death by drowning them in raw sewage.

We'll see how the experiment with the feral cats works.

[deathbydalbhat 0]

Trap-neuter-release I think is the best way.

Has anyone noticed in India and Nepal you hardly ever see any stray cats? I thought this was very odd...

Stray dogs are another matter, and after having a terrifying encounter with one too many times in KTM I would advocate 'any means necessary'. My honey was bitten a couple of months ago and need to have a series of rabies shots - I will probably get them before I go, just in case.

[SoL. 0]

I voted to feed them. There is no cats where I live but where my mother lives (in a very rural/farm area in PR) she buys a big friskies dry food bag and feeds them all. They eat and leave and don't even look in the trash or bother.

The funny thing is that she puts a couple of big plates and they all come and eat and when they are done and leave, the chickens/hens come to eat too! Ever seen hens eating friskies?? I didn't until I visited mom last summer!

Please don't shoot or poison them..

Edited January 25, 2007 by Sol-de-Verano