[PaxMacian]

I have been thinking about calling the animal catchers because of feral cats coming on to my property. They have been around since before me but, recently a rare bird mating pair has moved into my vine covered backyard. From observation I have noticed that they do spend some time on the ground
and therefore are very likely to become food for these skilled hunters.
My county puts feral cats to sleep by the thousands so I am torn.

[Lurker]

Feral cats are unbelievably destructive to wildlife.

They are vermin and should be treated as such.

Yes, I am a cat owner but mine stays indoors where he belongs. People who let their cats run wild are irresponsible.

L

[LRS]

It can be quite sad to what one has to do sometimes, but, if it has to be done...

I love cats. Owned cats most of my life. However, when you end up forcibly "adopting" more than 2 dozen like we did a few years ago, then action must be taken.

A couple of nearby neighbors (I live in the country, btw) had around 30 a piece. Then, there was this one female that adopted our property. She kept having litters of 5 and 6 every 4 months, and she would leave them at our place as soon as she got them weaned.

Soon, I had over 2 dozen cats running across my rooftop every night at one time, despite the half a dozen or soon I was sending to the shelter a couple times a year. I had to take action.

I fixed my self a humane trap, caught 20, and sent the cats off to our local shelter. I knew the cats would be put down, but in no way could I afford to neuter or spay them, especially seeing how they weren't even mine. Eventually, the other neighbors had to solve their cat problems as well, for various reasons.

Currently, I have 2 indoor cats that have been neutered, and a couple of feral cats that do that most needed job in a rural setting: keeping the vermin down.

Now, I have no anger at the man the story wrote about, who wants people to be able to shoot feral cats. Frankly, I think it is an unwise proposal, but feeling the way I do about property rights, I believe a property owner has the right that was being proposed. However, I should also have that same right when it comes to stray dogs (which is a right I already possess), as well as disposing of other potential harmful animals that may or may not be on endangered specie lists (recently had a case in this state involving all sorts of legal headaches for a fellow who shot a bear that was menacing his property.)

And, to make certain no one misunderstood my earlier comment, I wasn't advocating shooting the person who made the proposal in the article, nor the person who seems so concerned over wrens and robins. I was referring to thug feral humans, and the self evident right that people should have when it comes to protecting ourselves from them...