I was gonna suggest that but she said chemical free and I think gunpowder would be classed as a chemical.jal_ut wrote:Shotgun!
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jal_ut
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- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:20 pm
- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
So often the cats are Feral. That is really the case here in this Rural setting. A mother cat has her kittens in some ones hay barn, the kittens are never touched by human hand, never fed, and hide and find food where they can. Problem is where there was six this year there will be 36 next year unless someone makes an effort to reduce the numbers. They have a couple of enemies, car tires and starvation. Its the hunger thing that gets them to eating plants.
We had one lone female feral cat wander in here and take refuge in a shed and then had a litter of kittens. I reduced the numbers to 3, then trapped the three in a live trap and took them in to the vet for shots and to be fixed. I now feed them and they don't reproduce, but I can't get close to them. Just the way I like cats. Not underfoot, yet they should keep the rodents at bay. They hang around because they were born here, and they find food here, yet they have no need to eat my garden because they are being fed. A kitty litter pan helps a lot in keeping them from digging around the garden.
We had one lone female feral cat wander in here and take refuge in a shed and then had a litter of kittens. I reduced the numbers to 3, then trapped the three in a live trap and took them in to the vet for shots and to be fixed. I now feed them and they don't reproduce, but I can't get close to them. Just the way I like cats. Not underfoot, yet they should keep the rodents at bay. They hang around because they were born here, and they find food here, yet they have no need to eat my garden because they are being fed. A kitty litter pan helps a lot in keeping them from digging around the garden.
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jal_ut
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- Location: Northern Utah Zone 5
You write: "The only problem is the cats- we have many of them".
Question: Are these cats yours? If the answer is no, the obvious answer is to get rid of the surplus. A live trap works well and is quieter than a shotgun. How you deal with the trapped animal is up to you. The best option seems to be toss the trap in the pond for a while, then bury the cat or send it with garbage collection.
Personally, when it comes to cats, I don't care if it is the neighbors cat, if it is causing me problems it is in dire danger. Around here there is no shortage of cats. They hang out in every barn. Mostly feral.
If the answer is Yes, then you have to still ask, do I need this many? If you do, then feed them and provide potty litter boxes and protect your plants. Good luck.
Question: Are these cats yours? If the answer is no, the obvious answer is to get rid of the surplus. A live trap works well and is quieter than a shotgun. How you deal with the trapped animal is up to you. The best option seems to be toss the trap in the pond for a while, then bury the cat or send it with garbage collection.
Personally, when it comes to cats, I don't care if it is the neighbors cat, if it is causing me problems it is in dire danger. Around here there is no shortage of cats. They hang out in every barn. Mostly feral.
If the answer is Yes, then you have to still ask, do I need this many? If you do, then feed them and provide potty litter boxes and protect your plants. Good luck.
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rainbowgardener
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- Location: TN/GA 7b
In my experience, "feral" cats that are fed regularly, soon become domesticated. We have cats that we know were born wild, that are just as tame as the house pets. Being domesticated is bred in to them at this point, though they still can survive in the wild if they need to.
We feed stray/feral cats. It never is more than 3 or 4, because they are territorial and will drive off newcomers that try to weasel their way in. If they are not spayed/ neutered when they come to us, then we get that done as soon as they are tame enough to take to the vet.
They make sure we don't have mice/ rats, etc on our property, which in our neighborhood, we surely would otherwise.
We feed stray/feral cats. It never is more than 3 or 4, because they are territorial and will drive off newcomers that try to weasel their way in. If they are not spayed/ neutered when they come to us, then we get that done as soon as they are tame enough to take to the vet.
They make sure we don't have mice/ rats, etc on our property, which in our neighborhood, we surely would otherwise.