Report: Kill the Feral Cats

AP via WOWT ^ | Posted: 5:04 PM Nov 30, 2010 | AP

[TSgt]

A new report by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that recommends killing feral cats as a way to control the wild animals has bird lovers crowing and cat lovers hissing.

Most likely to stir debate is the report's finding that a practice commonly used to control feral cats is ineffective at eliminating their colonies. ADVERTISEMENT

The practice of trapping homeless cats, neutering or spaying them and then returning them to the area where they were found has gained popularity across the country. Scores of organizations in cities and communities are dedicated to the trap, neuter and return effort.

The American Bird Conservancy lauds the report.

But Phyllis Larsen, a member of a feral cat management group on the UNL campus called Husker Cats, believes the report is flawed.

[glorgau]

Pellet guns, drowning, or stuffing them in a sack and beating them with a shovel or hammer or whatever, are not humane ways to dispatch a cat.

To be really sure one should use a wood chipper.

[goodnesswins]

Well...thanks for that info...we were wondering about our “feral” kitten and his “wildness.” He is much more aggressive than any other cat we’ve had..and then, on the other hand, he loves us, and puts himself down for a nap inside his “cage” (a dog carrier) when he gets tired, and will lay on our 10 yr old lab/aussie mix dog at times(but would rather play with her)....he has really been great...although his attacking me pisses me off. Tonight I’m bringing the water spray bottle to the sofa...he seems to understand that in other areas of the house!

[goodnesswins]

PS..he also understands when I yell NO very loudly...LOL

[reagan_fanatic]

We have a cat about a year old, and we’ve been considering declawing her (front paws of course.)

Normally I wouldn’t care, but she has a fondness for going up to the side of my couch and using it as a scratching post, not to mention when she plays with you, your arms end up looking like roadmaps.

[united1000]

That’s a hoot. But I bet you didn’t think it was so funny at the time it happened.

 

It caught me by surprise, but I must admit after a bit I laughed.

That’s a hoot. But I bet you didn’t think it was so funny at the time it happened.

 

It caught me by surprise, but I must admit after a bit I laughed.

[TnGOP]

But they keep varmints in line and earn their keep so to speak.

One of my kitties brought me 3 dead mice in ONE day last week. Good Kitty!

[Sarajevo]

Poor baby's- kitty cat ate your favorite bird.....waaah.

I have 13 cats, 12 of which are "feral". Yep, they dropped in and decided to stay. We neutered them, we care for them, and they keep other pests on the farm at bay. They protect the chickens and the ducks form predators, even the little ones.

If anyone would try to harm our felines, the wife would shoot them. I wouldn't be so kind.

[hosepipe]

Capture feral cats spay them turn them loose..
WHAT A CONCEPT!... I like it..

Spayed they may get bigger and meaner.. and eat the less mean ones when the voles run out..

[TnGOP]

I did the same with the bird feeder, thinking that the birds would be safer around the dogs than the cats. Then one day I saw Petey, the Jack Russel/Border Collie mix leap and catch a mockingbird in mid-flight. It never saw him coming.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

...what is a fisher cat?

For all intents and purposes, a weasel.

[Lazlo in PA]

Why kill them. They make a delicious afternoon snack.

[toolman1401]

Agreed. My motto, “so many cats, so few recipes”.

[Constitution Day]

I’m just going to chime in and agree with you on this, TSgt.

Thankfully, I see that FR’s resident feral cat lover/nutball hasn’t showed up yet to call us all horrible people, murderers, etc.

[toolman1401]

Now thats funny! I have to go and clean the coffee off my monitor.

[Niuhuru]

I take it that even at some point, men get tired of ‘crazy pu$$y?’ I for one wouldn’t want ‘crazy pu$$y’ running around and killing all the ‘cute birds.’

[My hearts in London - Everett]

I would not have gotten her declawed but for the fact that she is so destructive with them. She's torn the weather-stripping around the back door to pieces because she gets in one of her wild moods and runs up the door jamb. She has a scratching post, but still would claw at the carpet ~ everywhere. She wasn't safe to play with because she would leave your hands and arms in tatters. The vet said she would always be like that since she was born feral. The animal control officer who came to pick her siblings is the one who told me that feral kittens are only able to be domesticated if found by 6 to 8 weeks. She and my Shikoku Ken play and chase each other around like best friends ~ and my dog doesn't have to worry about her nose being ripped up when they play anymore.

[angcat]

I think we should kill lifetime welfare recipients instead.

[Niuhuru]

*snicker* There are a lot of men who act like rats, so cats might get confused. :)

[Secret Agent Man]

The real solution is to euthanize the cat owners causing these problems.

I love my neighbor’s cats. They don’t know they aren’t supposed to be on my property. Until I get the super soaker out. But the real problem is their owner that ignores the laws regarding controlling their animals.

If we euthanized the irresponsible pet owners not obeying the laws where they live, we’d get rid of this problem a lot quicker.

[TSgt]

I never told her what I was doing but thought about drawing kitties on the side of my barn like they do for airplane kills. LOL!