A small town deplores its cats galore

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Sunday, May 19, 2002 | Tom Gibb

[Willie Green]

WILLIAMSBURG, Pa. -- On the bright side, this Blair County farm town shouldn't have much of a mouse problem.

For that, thank the cat problem.

With that, though, go the woes of solving the cat problem.

Folks in this town of 1,345 people are irked about cats roaming the streets, or at least tales of cats roaming the streets, and a proposed ordinance that would let pistol-packing police drop strays right in their tiny tracks.

[Psalm 73]

Ran into this problem in Israel. Tel Aviv is over run with cats, they're kind of like squirels here - people feed them in parks.
I was wondering why they didn't "fix" them - untill I was there a few days.
Garbage and trash everywhere, the massive amounts of feral cats are the only thing keeping the rats in check.
But they tell me Israel is the "cleanest" of all the Middle East countries, all of thier arab neighbors are just swimming in filth and garbage.

[MissMillie]

I'm a huge cat lover, but when it comes to feral cats that are out and about and spreading disease, maybe it is best to put them down.

Frankly, I'm a believer that if you love your cat, you'll keep it inside. It can't catch fleas, feline leukemia, feline AIDS, distemper, or rabies when it's inside your house--and it won't be out and about making unwanted kittens.

[EggsAckley]

Frankly, I'm a believer that if you love your cat, you'll keep it inside. It can't catch fleas, feline leukemia, feline AIDS, distemper, or rabies when it's inside your house--and it won't be out and about making unwanted kittens.

Sounds like good advice for teenagers, too. LOL!!

[Redcloak]

They could solve the problem by releasing dogs to scare away the cats.

But then they'd have a stray dog problem.

They could then solve the dog problem by releasing lions to scare away the dogs.

But then they'd have a stray lion problem.

They could then solve the lion problem by releasing elephants to scare away the lions.

But then they'd have a stay elephant problem.

They could then solve the elephant problem by releasing mice to scare away the elephants.

But then they'd have a stray mouse problem.

However, they could solve the mouse problem by releasing cats...

[Cold Heat]

Go for it!

Cats have learned over time to stay away from my place. (They eat the songbirds that I attract to my feeders)

I use a crossman CO2 BB pistol. It hurts a bit! Cats should be on a leash and controlled in the same way as dogs. They are impossible for the animal control people to catch unless darted and that is nearly impossible.

Cat owners bear the responsibility of controlling their little predators. I have no sympathy for them.

[white trash redneck]

Frankly, I'm a believer that if you love your cat, you'll keep it inside.

Bump from my 18 year old kitty.

[Hacksaw]

Cat owners bear the responsibility of controlling their little predators. I have no sympathy for them.

I feel safe saying that if I saw a neighbor shooting at my cats, rather that simply ask me to keep then out of his yard, there would be a serious "situtation" happening.

[Cold Heat]

Yup! Most likely! That's why I use the BB gun. The 12ga makes too much noise.

[Cold Heat]

I assume you are a cat owner, so bear thisin mind.

Cats are a very efficient predator. That is what they do and were bred for. They have their uses, but when allowed to roam, they breed like rabbits and kill more birds of all categories than any living predator alive. Not to mention the diseases they spred. My kids alone have had three bouts with ring worm.

Keep them inside where they belong or on a leash and I have absolutely no problem with them.

[in the Arena]

They don't have a cat problem, they have a coyote problem...

Or to put that in more polite terms, the feral cats have no natural predator and must be handled through other means.

I am suprised they are putting the effort on the PD though and not county Animal Control.

[fella]

Reminds me of the song about the old lady that swallowed a fly.

[Hacksaw]

My cats are both neutered. They have eliminated mice from both my basement and my neighbor's garage. They also keep the local squirrel population down (which are much more of a threat to your birds - ever seen a feeder destroyed by them)?

As far as carrying diseases, they are very clean animals. The only disease carriers are those who are either very old or those who have been bitten by an infected animal (like a rabid coon).

Of course, if you put a large population of cats together unfed, they will turn wild. But they are rather solitary animals, and would sooner run from people.

It's not like they organize in packs like dogs.

[Hacksaw]

Yup! Most likely! That's why I use the BB gun. The 12ga makes too much noise.

Sugar in the gas tank is pretty quiet too. :)

[kaktuskid]

Are there any Chinese restaraunts in that town??Problem solved!!

[Hacksaw]

Are there any Chinese restaraunts in that town??Problem solved!!

Too expensive. I believe a study was done on this urban legend, and it was decided that it would simply cost too much for this to be a reality.

[Rebelbase]

Cat Herders can solve this problem.

[toddst]

My cats are both neutered.

This is the key, plus keeping your cats well fed and indoors at night. Cats are happiest if they are indoor-outdoor. Females will not wander far from your home. Males have a larger range, whether neutered or not.

We feed birds and find the cats don't bother them as long as we keep the cats well fed. Once cats reach about 10 years of age they lose their quickness and pretty much leave birds alone - other than watch (again assuming they are well fed.)

[HHFi]

Amen. Our neighbor has started putting out big pans of cat food for the strays, and he's managed to draw cats from miles around, all of whom are humping and reproducing like mad and creating even more homeless cats. My wife and I are out working (like dogs) to make our gardens look good, and these nasty little creatures are digging out our potted plants, urinating and defecating in our gardens and in the mulch around our foundation (killing all the plants and creating a stink so bad, we're having to boil cinnamon sticks to breathe), and killing our songbirds.

Both organic and chemical repellents did no good. I asked the neighbor to stop feeding them and he didn't. I asked the city to do something, and they sent someone out to talk to him (who promptly went to the wrong address and talked to the wrong person). So I've had to borrow a trap and start turning them over to the pound myself. Last night, they hauled away a very pretty solid black cat. I hated to do it, I don't like sending any animal to its death like that, and I really resent being put in the position of having to do it.

Now, the neighbor will probably think I'm the big mean guy who hates widdle kitties, when this is all his fault. No matter how much you feel sorry for the strays, feeding feral cats indiscriminately just makes the problem explode! Please don't do it, people!!

[Tymesup]

One of my girlfriend's cat looks like it's a little big to go hunting anymore. There's a moth flying around in the den one night when, bam, a paw comes out of nowhere and the moth is grounded.