# As I was saying about feral cats (Graphic Images)



## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

This vet, although she shows virtually no common sense by posting to Facebook, may possibly face criminal charges for killing a feral cat. So if you get rid of these damaging, and potentially dangerous and rabid animals, keep your profile low. And what a huge cat! And now I see an update: It may have been a pet. But even so, the behavior or a wandering pet cat and feral cat are hard to tell apart, so even more reason to be wary. We don't really have a feral cat problem by us - the predators take care of that. But I know some of you do have a big problem and need to take action. Be careful. 
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/...Killing-Cat-With-Bow-And-Arrow-300303921.html


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## BlackFeather (Jun 17, 2014)

So what's wrong with a clean head shot to a male feral cat? That is city people for you, think it's a bad thing to eliminate a menace.


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## Ozarks Tom (May 27, 2011)

I suppose it would have been more humane to let it starve, or be eaten alive by coyotes. Maybe those people complaining wouldn't mind their precious tabby mauled by a feral Tom.

She shouldn't have bragged, and the picture didn't help any, but geesh peole.


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## osbmail (Mar 6, 2014)

She forgot the 3s shoot,shovel and the important one shut up.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I'm amazed that someone that stupid could make it through Vet school. Feral cats are a very serious problem but she should have kept quiet about it, especially in her profession. You can't be a Vet without knowing about the cat lovers out there. 
Heck, I know feral dogs are a problem also but if someone joyfully posted a picture of them with a "wild" English Setter they just killed I'd be pretty bent out of shape too.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I'm continually amazed at what people will share on Facebook and how many people they share with. The whole thing could have been prevented with a bit of self censorship.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

***************************


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

Some people keep rats as pets....are we still allowed to trap those?


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## Jokarva (Jan 17, 2010)

This was not a feral cat, it was a 6 yr old pet that had gotten loose from a neighbor's. If that had been my cat she'd posted a picture of with an arrow thru his head and a smirk on her face, she'd need to sleep with one eye open for a good long while.


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## Fennick (Apr 16, 2013)

Below is a picture of the cat after she killed it and another of the living cat before she killed it, sitting in his owner's tractor. He belonged to her neighbour, Amy Hemsell. His name was Tyger and he was 6 years old, friendly and trusting. He was a healthy, glossy, big, well fed neutered pet who lived right next door to the vet. 

Any vet who doesn't have enough good judgement to tell the difference between an un-neutered feral cat and an obviously friendly, very healthy, clean, well cared for and well fed neutered male domestic pet cat shouldn't be doing vetrinary work and she shouldn't be euthanizing animals in her back yard with any kind of weapon. Vetrinarians have standards they have to uphold too. 

It's easy to call over and get close to a friendly, trusting domestic animal and have it sit still looking up at you so you can kill it at close range with a bow shot to the forehead directly between the eyes like she did with that cat ...... not so easy with an untrusting feral animal.

Last updated news is that she has now been fired from her job and now she's facing charges of animal cruelty and other criminal charges. That's her training and her career gone down the tubes permanently because of her foolishness and her boasting about it.












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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Apparently, she has not seen any of the 8,000,000 cat videos, on the Internet. 

If she is not just plain stupid, she got what she wanted and maybe something, she didn't.

5 minutes of Internet fame and the loss of her livelihood .

In today's culture, it was totally worth it! :smack


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

I guess she considers any animal that gets out of the owner's sight "feral".


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

That's sad. For the owner of the cat and for what the vet did to herself by boasting about it. 

I trap feral cats -- our neighbourhood is full of them due to a crazy lady who believes feeding a couple of dozen cats will help keep the snakes away. Those cats are really wild and many will attack my cats. I try to relocate them as barn cats if folks will take them. But sometimes there is no other recourse. By trapping them, its easy to see which cats are docile and which are truly wild. One I trapped last week was so poor looking I took it to the vet for fear it might have feline leukemia. She euthanized it for free as she said it was half dead and jaundiced--probably due to a blood disease that attacked it's liver. So putting down that one was a mercy. Killing someone's pets is cruelty.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Get some chicks to raise for food add in one neighbors cat, out for fun and dinner and think about it.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

There is a provision in the Texas animal cruelty laws that allows someone to kill a domestic animal if it is threatening them, their pet or their livestock. Non of this appears to be the case here.

I'm more concerned about the lack of compassion shown by this woman. There are many reasons that animals should be or need to be killed. Food, removing a threat, habitat management, putting an animal out of its misery,...... The thrill of taking another life shouldn't be one of them. It's hard to get a complete picture from a picture and a Facebook post but I'm not sure I'd want a vet treating my animals who shows the blatant disregard for life these pictures seem to show.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

kasilofhome said:


> Get some chicks to raise for food add in one neighbors cat, out for fun and dinner and think about it.


There's no reason for chicks to be in a situation where they are available to predators, they are easy pickings for way more than escaped cats if they are not secured.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Predators seek food, cats are very talented and clever and destructive.

Assuming that no attempts to prevent predators is just an assumption.

Reality is cats climb, jump, dig. Cats go feral and are an invasion species out of control in many areas. No, different than red ants.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Well as a chicken breeder (of very valuable birds, if I lose a chick that could end up as a $400+ loss) and as someone with neighbors with free roaming cats, I do whatever is within my power to keep my chicks secure from whatever may decide to wander through here. 

Cats have never been a problem though I might add. I even watched one of my kitchen egg hens (the only ones that are allowed to free range) run a cat off my property once, and their visiting cats keep my mouse population down. My chicks are contained.

If chicks are killed by a predator, they were not secure. Bottom line, no assumption needed.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

I can respect your right to your views, I accept that we do not agree, and I know that limiting exposure to just one view is controlling. 

I feel morally and I am legally proper to dispatch animals causing harm.

As such I will Handel issues as I see fit in my life as I expect you will handle as you seem fit....


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

It's not a matter of opinion, or a 'view', predator killed birds are not secured birds. That is a fact.

I never said that actual predators should not be dealt with, that is just one aspect of a security protocol, but if they breach what I have in place to secure my birds (and it has happened), it's my responsibility to correct the flaw in my housing.

If they got in, there was a flaw.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

That's great that you have a working plan. I allow for many plans, and options. With six eagles in my trees my birds have not been harmed...so I am doing something right in my books. I am not here to please you or to bow to how you hold disdain for removing feral cats ....an invasive predictor from the mix.

Try to have a nice day. The would is full of many solutions.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

You're reading an awful lot into my comments that I never said, but yes, it's a nice day, time to go out and pluck breeder bottoms


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Predators, be they cats, raccoons or something larger need to be dealt with. They can be dealt with on the front end by predator proofing your housing or dealt with on the back end by killing predators. Killing a predator only solves the prob&#322;em temporarily as another predator will fill the empty niche and does nothing to stop losing more of your animals. Predator proof your housing and you won't lose those animals in the first place, won't keep predators coming back for easy meals, and won't have to kill another animal to protect your own.


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

Tiempo said:


> Well as a chicken breeder (of very valuable birds, if I lose a chick that could end up as a $400+ loss) and as someone with neighbors with free roaming cats, I do whatever is within my power to keep my chicks secure from whatever may decide to wander through here.
> 
> Cats have never been a problem though I might add. I even watched one of my kitchen egg hens (the only ones that are allowed to free range) run a cat off my property once, and their visiting cats keep my mouse population down. My chicks are contained.
> 
> If chicks are killed by a predator, they were not secure. Bottom line, no assumption needed.


Absolutely. Predator proof your pens. 

The Vet in question needs to lose her license. I have no problem with killing feral animals that attack your stock but this was a pet cat, and it was obvious it was a pet cat.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Wow. She was pretty on the outside, nuthin but ugly on the inside. Sometimes you have to dispatch a problem animal, although it doesn't seem like this cat was causing her any problems. But then bragging about it on fb and glorifying it the way she did was not normal for anyone let alone a vet.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Given the fact that she was telling the story, we have to accept her word at face value. She did not indicate she has any poultry that was in danger, she clearly stated she had her first confirmed kill of a feral cat. 

She did post a picture of her first confirmed kill and while I am not a vet, I don't feel it's all that hard to tell the difference between a feral cat and someone's pet. 

I guess the cat could have been bothering her chickens but since she's telling the story and she didn't mention that, I'm going to have to accept her word at face value and assume that she wanted to rid the area of feral cats.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

It's very easy to tell the difference between a domestic cat and the feral 
step one look at it 
step two is it a cat. ? 
step three it's a feral cat !


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

AmericanStand said:


> It's very easy to tell the difference between a domestic cat and the feral
> step one look at it
> step two is it a cat. ?
> step three it's a feral cat !


I would replace step three with its not yours, and neighbors don't have cat.
Then make step three .....step four


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I edited the title only to include the graphic images comment because we've had a couple requests from people who pointed out that they wouldn't have opened the tread if they had been aware the contents were somewhat graphic.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Lol i've never understood why people think cats are domesticated. 
I'm sure he Oggie would have something to say about it.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

I have to say, the day the hen ran the neighbor's cat off our property was very funny, she actually stalked the cat, well, like a cat before chasing her off.


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## poppy (Feb 21, 2008)

Cat people seem to thing their choice of pets is special. Why am I expected to keep my chickens and my dog confined but your cat should be allowed to roam? Cats are predators no matter how sweet you think they are. They can and do kill birds and rabbits in addition to mice. Keep your cat at home, please.


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## FeralFemale (Apr 10, 2006)

Our cats are completely indoor cats. However, there was one occasion where Angus somehow in the middle of the night managed to open the locked screen door and get out. Luckily, we found him not long after we woke up and realized a very important member of the household was missing.

I dont know what I would have done if one of my neighbors would have killed him for happening to wander on their property. I probably would have ended up in jail. 

And let's be honest. Isn't a lot of this "I kill feral cats because they are predators" really about hating cats? Because I cant tell you the number of times I have been told, "the only good cat is a dead cat." Which, by the way, is completely inappropriate to say to someone after they just get done telling you how great their cats are and how much they love them.


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

Tiempo said:


> I have to say, the day the hen ran the neighbor's cat off our property was very funny, she actually stalked the cat, well, like a cat before chasing her off.



 When I was growing up we free ranged a lot of chickens and never lost a single adult bird to a cat, feral or otherwise.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

So, cats are not known for killing birds.

Why, do...environmentalist claim the do? 

Why would they lie, the plain fact is your animals your property.

Should she have bragged...no

But, cats are not a protected species. Cats are destructive.

Being able to see another side of an issue is enlightening.

I provided a reasonable, logical reason why someone would want, or need to rid an area of cats.

Some react that they have to person shoot down anyone that provide facts or ideas to a discussion. That is far from enlightening. 

Problem solving are often times situational. Some limit acceptable variations here to growing zones. There are a lot more variables than that in life.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

40 chickens free ranging here. 10 cats in the area( including mine). The cats that get my chickens are bobcats. All the domesticated cats are no problem. Dogs not so much.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

At your place...good for you. There are other people that are not so lucky. I am wise enough to know that cats do kill birds and that people do drop off cats in the country and that just like the dogs that get dropped off... those out in the countrymen do not have animal control officers. Thus it is a call to the troopers. With their blessing persons are instructed that they are in the right to put them down.

Locally we have a man who lost his dog to trappers. Even out here... he lived on a dog leash area.... in part to the fact that trapping goes on here. ..now, he complains bitterly over his loss. Failing to accept he, not the trapper caused the dogs death.

Death is a hard thing to deal with so is being responsible.

I hold no hard feeling towards someone protecting their property from feral animals.

Now, should there come a day when a cat opens a window at night and gets in your coop. Or will a light bulb come on only then.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

kasilofhome said:


> At your place...good for you. There are other people that are not so lucky. I am wise enough to know that cats do kill birds and that people do drop off cats in the country and that just like the dogs that get dropped off... those out in the countrymen do not have animal control officers. Thus it is a call to the troopers. With their blessing persons are instructed that they are in the right to put them down.
> 
> Locally we have a man who lost his dog to trappers. Even out here... he lived on a dog leash area.... in part to the fact that trapping goes on here. ..now, he complains bitterly over his loss. Failing to accept he, not the trapper caused the dogs death.
> 
> ...


My cats do kill birds and people drop cats off here all the time because we are the last house ( and barn) before national forest. Still no loss of chickens to cats.

Boasting about a head shot to a cat was just stupid and callous. Not one bit about protecting her property.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Yes, we agree she was not the brightest... but can we agree that there might be a logical reason to have to put down a strange feral animal. I can see many reasons.

Biosecurity....rabies is not common here but in other area....it us.

Your animals can get sick from.other animals in drought shape.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I see no reason why I person can't thing out or deal with a feral cat problem but when it comes to pets I know belong to my neighbors, I tend to take a realistic approach. 

I'm not fond of feral cats because of uncontrolled breeding and the diseases they carry but I'm still convinced that posting everything from this morning's bowel movement to the neighbor's cat with an arrow in the back of the head is foolish.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

kasilofhome said:


> Yes, we agree she was not the brightest... but can we agree that there might be a logical reason to have to put down a strange feral animal. I can see many reasons.
> 
> Biosecurity....rabies is not common here but in other area....it us.
> 
> Your animals can get sick from.other animals in drought shape.


I actually have no problem with dealing with feral cats. She however was looking for something to shoot and it was not about feral cats.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

I agree so much I lack a Facebook,...many a feral cat once had a life as a pet....with it's own food dish. So, how each person chooses to deal with stray animals needs to take in many factors.

I do not see a one answer to this issue of feral cats. Many cats do look like that. I have a neutered Tom just like that... he hates everyone and runs and hide if we note him ....no looking at him...i don't think he liked being neutered,yet at night he sleeps at my feet. Till I move and he knows I am awake. His mother was feral his sister is friendly.. to a stranger he is feral. They were found eyes open in a junk car I want removed. I can't let him out I know he would justly be shot by my neighbor. I would hold no hostility to them as I know their view on feral animals....it happened to be the same as mine.


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

Wlover said:


> I actually have no problem with dealing with feral cats. She however was looking for something to shoot and it was not about feral cats.


I agree. It was obvious that she only wanted her first kill and didn't care if the cat was a pet. 

I find it hard to believe that a domestic cat (even one that might be feral) could take down a full size chicken. Could it happen? Sure. Is it common? Highly unlikely. Again, predator proofing your pens is the logical answer.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

What a disgusting display. As a lifelong hunter,mostly bow, I find it reprehensible the way Some people act over a sucessful hunt. She should never be able to buy a hunting lisc. of any kind. We just had a man near here shoot one of his own dogs in the head with a arrow because "she went after one of his other dogs". He left it for dead,it wasen't. He's faceing big trouble., not BIG enough for my taste.
The ferals here -we feed them. They don't bother with our 2 chicken pens, I have seen them stalk chicks. What burns my hide is them crapping in my gardens. I've even taken to putting out a litter box under the pickup truck for them-but they won't use it.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Wlover said:


> I actually have no problem with dealing with feral cats. She however was looking for something to shoot and it was not about feral cats.


Facts or assumption


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

kasilofhome said:


> Facts or assumption


What does it matter? I stated my opinion but you seem to want to argue about that. I have already moved on.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Wlover said:


> I actually have no problem with dealing with feral cats. She however was looking for something to shoot and it was not about feral cats.




No, that is written as a fact 

She however WAS looking for something to shoot......

No, ambiguity there.. you have expressed no doubt ...no wiggle room clear cut 


There was no indication that what you expressed as a fact was your opinion, belief or option. Just cut and dry that is the reality....


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

kasilofhome said:


> No, that is written as a fact
> 
> She however WAS looking for something to shoot......
> 
> ...


Why are you badgering this poster? Wlover clearly indicated that it was opinion in post #46.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Wlover said:


> I actually have no problem with dealing with feral cats. She however was looking for something to shoot and it was not about feral cats.



Something was presented as a fact which is not thus in a debate it can be challenged.


It was her choice to post it.

I find it to be misleading and ungrounded.


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

kasilofhome said:


> Something was presented as a fact which is not thus in a debate it can be challenged.
> 
> 
> It was her choice to post it.
> ...


That sounds like a personal problem... just sayin'.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

kasilofhome said:


> Something was presented as a fact which is not thus in a debate it can be challenged.
> 
> 
> It was her choice to post it.
> ...


No where did I say anything was fact. I did not cite facts or articles. You assumed or read into it that I did. I posted a statement nothing more nothing less.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Doggonedog said:


> That sounds like a personal problem... just sayin'.


That was phased correctly as an opinion. Which we all have a right to have and be accepted as what it is. Thus there is no issue in your statement ....as that would be argumentative.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

I'm more concerned that last week I agreed with watcher and this week I agree with swan. Or do they agree with me?


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

mmoetc said:


> I'm more concerned that last week I agreed with watcher and this week I agree with swan. Or do they agree with me?


I'm annoyed by poster(s) that post nonsense to derail a thread, or make it all about them. I just don't see the logic behind it other than to make continued discussion difficult. 

Although the agreements are a bit alarming.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Facts are not personal....assumptions and opinions are.


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

With thankfully rare exceptions it can safely be concluded that if something was shot, the shooter was looking to shoot it.


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## mmoetc (Oct 9, 2012)

Doggonedog said:


> I'm annoyed by poster(s) that post nonsense to derail a thread, or make it all about them. I just don't see the logic behind it other than to make continued discussion difficult.
> 
> Although the agreements are a bit alarming.


If you quit biting they may just quit dangling the bait. 

My mind rests easier if I think they're in agreement with me rather than vice versa.


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

mmoetc said:


> If you quit biting they may just quit dangling the bait.
> 
> My mind rests easier if I think they're in agreement with me rather than vice versa.


My patience is limited. "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

7thswan said:


> What a disgusting display. As a lifelong hunter,mostly bow, I find it reprehensible the way Some people act over a sucessful hunt. She should never be able to buy a hunting lisc. of any kind. We just had a man near here shoot one of his own dogs in the head with a arrow because "she went after one of his other dogs". He left it for dead,it wasen't. He's faceing big trouble., not BIG enough for my taste.
> The ferals here -we feed them. They don't bother with our 2 chicken pens, I have seen them stalk chicks. What burns my hide is them crapping in my gardens. I've even taken to putting out a litter box under the pickup truck for them-but they won't use it.


I couldn't agree more. I was raised to believe that something died so I could have food on my table and even in death, we owed an animal respect and dignity. 

I'm sure you were taught the same way I was and the first thing hunters are supposed to know what they're aiming at - confirm target. The neighbor's milk cow does not look like Bullwinkle and a fat shiny cat is probably not feral. 

Even if she made a mistake and shot the wrong cat, a vet should be able to tell the difference between a neutered male and a tom so it was a poor idea to boast about something like that on facebook.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

wr said:


> I couldn't agree more. I was raised to believe that something died so I could have food on my table and even in death, we owed an animal respect and dignity.
> 
> I'm sure you were taught the same way I was and the first thing hunters are supposed to know what they're aiming at - confirm target. The neighbor's milk cow does not look like Bullwinkle and a fat shiny cat is probably not feral.
> 
> Even if she made a mistake and shot the wrong cat, a vet should be able to tell the difference between a neutered male and a tom so it was a poor idea to boast about something like that on facebook.


Yes, respect and dignity. We also are talking about a persons pet. Someone loved and cared for that animal and I feel for them. I cannot shoot an neighbors pet because it might harm one of my food animals, I would to protect one of my beloved Dogs, they are family to me and I know my neighbors animals. I've seen the heartbreak when a hateful neighbor shot my brothers( 8yrs old) dog right in front of him-she said dog was chasing her chickens., Chip could care less about chickens as we had many. Years later my DB payed her back-no live animals harmed. He collected every bit of road kill he could find,froze it in a freezer we kept for his trapped ***** ect., then when they went on a long vaca. one summer, the critters found a new home inside their house. Oh well, they soon moved away.
We have had people actually paint on the side of their livestock-COW in big letters for hunting season.Shooting a "sound" in the woods or a non-kill shot is a no no. I shot comp. archery, my target consisted of a DOT on the heart of an animal(3-d/fake) target, 5 points, hitting the heart only got me 3 points. I never could understand not knowing exactly what one is doing when it cones to something so serious.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

7thswan said:


> Yes, respect and dignity. We also are talking about a persons pet. Someone loved and cared for that animal and I feel for them. I cannot shoot an neighbors pet because it might harm one of my food animals, I would to protect one of my beloved Dogs, they are family to me and I know my neighbors animals. I've seen the heartbreak when a hateful neighbor shot my brothers( 8yrs old) dog right in front of him-she said dog was chasing her chickens., Chip could care less about chickens as we had many. Years later my DB payed her back-no live animals harmed. He collected every bit of road kill he could find,froze it in a freezer we kept for his trapped ***** ect., then when they went on a long vaca. one summer, the critters found a new home inside their house. Oh well, they soon moved away.
> We have had people actually paint on the side of their livestock-COW in big letters for hunting season.Shooting a "sound" in the woods or a non-kill shot is a no no. I shot comp. archery, my target consisted of a DOT on the heart of an animal(3-d/fake) target, 5 points, hitting the heart only got me 3 points. I never could understand not knowing exactly what one is doing when it cones to something so serious.


One of the biggest uproars in my quiet little part of the world resulted from a misunderstanding about shooting feral dogs bothering cattle. 

One neighbor took the stance that shooting any dog that crossed their property was a reasonable approach, until they shot another neighbor's house pet and fifteen years later, they are still not speaking, which is tough in a community of less than 100 families.


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## watcher (Sep 4, 2006)

Ok I didn't read all the post, I just skimmed through a bit, but I thought I better post before it gets locked 

First off it was stupid to say anything about the cat much less post it on the internet. That applies to a grade school drop out or someone with 5 PhD following their name.

Second, like it or not well fed neutered 'fluffy' has been shown in study after study to be a killer of wildlife if allowed to roam. 

Here's a quote from a story about a study done by the U of Georgia and National Geographic Society which used "kitty cams" to document the kills.

_A new study of house cats allowed to roam outdoors finds that nearly one-third succeeded in capturing and killing animals. The cats, which wore special video cameras around their necks that recorded their outdoor activities, killed an average of 2.1 animals every week they were outside, but brought less than one of every four of their kills home. Of particular interest, bird kills constituted about 13 percent of the total wildlife kills. Based on these results, American Bird Conservancy and The Wildlife Society estimate that house cats kill far more than the previous estimate of a billion birds and other animals each year. _ 

Other things from this study to note and think about:

_. . .the cats were outside for an average of 5-6 hours every day

If we extrapolate the results of this study. . .cats are likely killing more than 4 billion animals per year, including at least 500 million birds

Cat predation is one of the reasons why one in three American bird species are in decline. . .

. . .cats were responsible for the extinction of 33 species of birds worldwide. . .

. . .prey more on native wildlife than on other invasive creatures_. . .

And this one story on one study. There are many many more out there.

I used to keep "barn" cats to keep down the rodent population. And I can tell you that not that long after having them I noticed a major drop in the number of rabbits, squirrels, quail and other critters around the place. After I got rid of them (they became indoor only cats which I really really don't like but the only real option) the number of small wild critters stared coming back.

If I see a cat once or twice I figure its someone's house pet who has snuck out. If I see it day after day I assume its feral. If it comes down to it I feel anyone who is a strong wildlife conservationist must treat roaming cats the way they would any other threat. Just because its a cute cat doesn't mean its threat should be over looked any more than the Zebra mussel, Asian carp or kudzu.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Moral of the story: When dealing with problem animals, try to get them back to the owner if they are a pet, if possible. Otherwise SSS, with special emphasis on the last S. And maybe SSSW with the W standing for "Watch out for prying eyes".


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

MichaelZ said:


> Moral of the story: When dealing with problem animals, try to get them back to the owner if they are a pet, if possible. Otherwise SSS, with special emphasis on the last S. And maybe SSSW with the W standing for "Watch out for prying eyes".


In this case, maybe the only moral of the story is, reread and review before you post on facebook.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

FeralFemale said:


> I dont know what I would have done if one of my neighbors would have killed him for happening to wander on their property. I probably would have ended up in jail.
> 
> .



Are you willing to see the other side of your argument?
What if the night that your cat is out it comes over and kills the bluebirds that I have so carefully cultivated on my farm?
Am I then justified in doing something to you that will probably land me in jail?


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

FeralFemale said:


> And let's be honest. Isn't a lot of this "I kill feral cats because they are predators" really about hating cats? Because I cant tell you the number of times I have been told, "the only good cat is a dead cat." Which, by the way, is completely inappropriate to say to someone after they just get done telling you how great their cats are and how much they love them.



Perhaps explaining to somebody how wonderful your kittens are after they have explained what a horrible thing that some cat has done to something they hhold in regard is just as inappropriate !

perhaps the people that you judge as hating cats don't really hate cats they just thate the things cats do ?
I enjoy cats. I treat them nicely inside of someone else's home I pet them and they seem to like me. 
But outside they are dangerous predator which should not be in the North American ecosystem endangering many things which I hold much more dear.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I liked almost all the comments! 
First of all I think most of the people that protested her post on fB have never stepped foot off pavement......and I wonder how many of them have abandoned pets when the novelty wore off? And they wonder where feral cats come from....sheesh.
Still what was she thinking?? SSS! 

Second, I didn't see a collar with a bell on that cat in either picture, responsible cat owners would have had a bell put on their cat to cut down on songbird killings, besides keeping it on a leash or in the house .

Third, how many people have sunk their hands into their nice flower beds to plant their bedding plants only to bring them up smeared with cat feces? THAT is the biggest reason pet cats shouldn't be allowed to roam free. In my closest town there is a fine for letting a cat at large if it's trapped or someone can verify whos cat it is, and all pet cats need a license as well. 

Yes, I don't need no stray cats coming around and beating up my farm cats!


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