At what point do you consider a barn cat "feral"?

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

House Sparrows are not a songbird, they are a plague.

black caped chickadee's.......

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

58theCat mentioned all the birds he had in his yard - at four in the morning. It's the male House Sparrows that start up loudly vocal at that time. I just wish there was a little more light at that time so I could get my sights on the buggers. My point was that having House Sparrows in your yard doesn't count for squat.

Lie I mentioned black capped chickadee's....how do I know? Distinct sound that I had to investigate what the hell is making that whistle at four ish in the morning.....first hint of light.....

[ETOWNCANUCK]

Originally Posted by Scott h

Do you feel the same way about children ?

Children no

Parents yes.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

That's the problem right now - not just Canada but worldwide. There is a significant decline in native songbird populations and the singular greatest mortality factor is cats. Free roaming cats.

I have two yard cats that help to keep the mice at bay - that and a 365 day/yr 24 trap "mouseline". Without the cats the trapline can't keep up. But it was especially hard this spring when a week after the bluebird pair returned the wife found his feathers strewn on the front doorstep. I still see the female around the yard but no other male has shown up and she didn't nest. When the barnswallows were about to fledge we locked the cats in the garage for four days - they are as hard on songbird populations as they are the mice. It is a problem, and ignoring the truth of it won't make it go away.

In Germany, hunters shoot stray cats as a matter of routine.

Grizz

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Lie I mentioned black capped chickadee's....how do I know? Distinct sound that I had to investigate what the hell is making that whistle at four ish in the morning.....first hint of light.....

That's cool. Chickadee is a pretty distinctive call. In my yard at any given time you might see Robins, Vesper Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin, Mourning Dove, Flicker, Goldfinch, House Wren, Eastern Kingbird, Mountain Bluebird, Barn Swallow, Killdeer, Brewers and Rusty Blackbird and as of last winter House Sparrow . The Chickadee is a regular winter visitor and I have put out nest boxes for them but so far none have stayed into the nesting season.

The only one of those that sings at first light is the House Sparrow. I think there are only two males left around the yard, and of course I can see them anytime I am not armed and ready.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

Assinine post.

May be so but saying any pet is a target is assinine....your dog walks on some idiots property and he feels he can put a bullet in it???? Thats just being a douche.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by AndrewM

So you are ok with shooting some child's pet dog, horse, cow, cat just because they got out even though you don't know the circumstances of how it happened? I could see if it was a repeat and they were harassing something but that's not always the case.

Touches close to home to me. Growing up we had a dog that followed the horses when we chased cows. The dog had always found its way home after. Except one time it showed up in a neighbors yard as it had got lost on its way and that neighbor shot him. He wasn't harassing anything as the owner never had animals and the dog wasn't big nor was he aggressive. Shot him just because it went on his property trying to find its way home.

That happened one time to me years ago. After that my neighbor ran into a very long string of extremely bad luck and ended up moving.....too bad cuz he lost a lot of money on his house. Oh well.

[brslk]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

If it's not my cat, it's feral. Greatest cause of song bird mortality.

Grizz

Frankly, I don't give a rats %$# about songbirds and would rather shoot those noisy bastages.

[JareS]

Originally Posted by brslk

Frankly, I don't give a rats %$# about songbirds and would rather shoot those noisy bastages.

Difference is that songbirds are native and protected under the Wildlife Act and Migratory Bird Regulations and killing them would be a crime, as you're implying you do.

House cats are non-native and extremely invasive and detrimental.

[GMX]

I turn them into a fine red mist when I’m out hunting and miles away from the nearest house. That way I’m pretty sure there not a pet and just an animal that unfortunately got dropped off to fend for itself at the expense of native species. I shot a huge old tom two years ago over 40km from town nearest house my god did it stink the coyotes wouldn’t even eat it.

[Redfrog]

I hope you weren't down my way. I have a black and white barn cat that is about 14 years old. He patrols the area around the house and may travel a 1/4 mile away. I've never seen him with a bird but have sen him with mice and other rodents. He's efficient. I'd hate for anything to happen to him. I'm not averse to shooting a cat that is a bird killer or a nuisance.

In fact I like cats, but I find I can't eat a whole one myself.

[mooseknuckle]

Originally Posted by Scott h

Do you feel the same way about children ?

Yes.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

yes.

lol !!!!

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by AndrewM

So you are ok with shooting some child's pet dog, horse, cow, cat just because they got out even though you don't know the circumstances of how it happened? I could see if it was a repeat and they were harassing something but that's not always the case.

Touches close to home to me. Growing up we had a dog that followed the horses when we chased cows. The dog had always found its way home after. Except one time it showed up in a neighbors yard as it had got lost on its way and that neighbor shot him. He wasn't harassing anything as the owner never had animals and the dog wasn't big nor was he aggressive. Shot him just because it went on his property trying to find its way home.

See this is where it gets tricky. Cats are well known and documented to live off in the bush as feral animals and cause quite a nuisance. Dogs, and horses are not known for that. Iv seen the odd cow bordering on feral but we won't go there lol.
Thus was my main reason for the post. A dog or horse 2 miles from home is likely lost but a cat 2 miles from home is most likely feral. At what point does a cat go from stray pet to runaway nusiance?

[trigger7mm]

Originally Posted by Scott h

May be so but saying any pet is a target is assinine....your dog walks on some idiots property and he feels he can put a bullet in it???? Thats just being a douche.

X2! This meathead shouldn’t be allowed to own a gun.

[Weebo]

This is an interesting one. I can have anywhere from two to 15 cats on the farm at anytime. I see them as a renewable resource,lol. Lots of cats equals a lot less mice. All cats are barn cats(as it should be). I've seen some of the toms up to a mile and a half away. They seem to regulate there numbers here,the Tom's kill the kittens and the coons can tear a cat to pieces. the hiway takes its fair share to. Never even considered them eating songbirds, honestly never considered it. I think I'll take a few less birds for a lot less mice though.

[270person]

Originally Posted by brslk

Frankly, I don't give a rats %$# about songbirds and would rather shoot those noisy bastages.

Best post in the thread. Well done.

[sdb8440]

Originally Posted by Scott h

May be so but saying any pet is a target is assinine....your dog walks on some idiots property and he feels he can put a bullet in it???? Thats just being a douche.

My or your pet that 'wanders" isn't in control. they get what they get. Use a leash sir.

[Scott h]

Originally Posted by sdb8440

My or your pet that 'wanders" isn't in control. they get what they get. Use a leash sir.

That goes the same for any douche-bag that takes a shot at my dog.....they get what they get.....

[trigger7mm]

X2!

[Sledhead71]

There certainly are some interesting characters on this site.

The more I read online, the less I enjoy the human race.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Sledhead71

There certainly are some interesting characters on this site.

The more I read online, the less I enjoy the human race.

Takes all kinds to make the world go round it seems. The interweb brings out the best in people

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Sledhead71

There certainly are some interesting characters on this site.

The more I read online, the less I enjoy the human race.

Just head to a boat launch when the weather is nice and the lake is calm......grab a lawn chair, crack a wobbly pop and take on the show

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Scott h

May be so but saying any pet is a target is assinine....your dog walks on some idiots property and he feels he can put a bullet in it???? Thats just being a douche.

In the end, it's your responsibility to confine your pet to your property. I've shot a couple of cats that made the Pet Cemetary version look good, they'd obviously been out for a while.

Grizz

[AndrewM]

Originally Posted by tikka250

See this is where it gets tricky. Cats are well known and documented to live off in the bush as feral animals and cause quite a nuisance. Dogs, and horses are not known for that. Iv seen the odd cow bordering on feral but we won't go there lol.
Thus was my main reason for the post. A dog or horse 2 miles from home is likely lost but a cat 2 miles from home is most likely feral. At what point does a cat go from stray pet to runaway nusiance?

Horses, cows, goats, bulls and dogs all can cause a lot of damage if they get into the wrong spot.
It’s a fine line and a slippery slope is all I was getting at.

[barbless]

OK, so let's see if I got this right. It was a long time ago when the earth was green, there were all kinds of animals than you've ever seen. They ran around free before man was born. We had green alligators and some long neck geese, some humpty back camels and some chimpanzee's, some CAT'S and rats and elephants and cuz they are not allowed to roam..... that's why we have no Unicorn's. Those damn invasive horned horses.
Not to worry man has killed pretty much every animal that walked and stalked this earth. I am also not a big fan of cats, except on a farm. They have a job to do but can get out of hand. Your worried about cat's crapping in the flower bed? Get a dog or one em up Get a Manx Cat. Very territorial and no problem with any critter. OK I'M DONE. Time to go play pool and let those @*%$!! squirrels take over.

[ronkaren]

Originally Posted by ceedub

Not sure how people keep mice out of equipment and buildings without cats. We have 7 to 10 cats at any one time here around the farm, without them the mice destroy equipment, everything in the feed shed, twine, nest in hoses and spare parts, etc.
Our cats keep the mice in check, would never be without them. I also see the cats out in the pasture killing gophers and regularly bring pocket gophers in from the hayfield. Yes, they wander and yes some dont make it home. To me they are a necessity.
Our native bird population is flourishing here, just for those who are wondering. Some evenings there are 40-50 American Goldfinch on the feeders, every tree swallow house raised a batch of young and the Baltimore Orioles behind our shop had a successful nesting.
Seagulls and magpies kill more young birds here than any of our cats do.

Craig





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totally agree, we like to keep 5 or 6 cats around the barn all the time. they are worth what you put up with in mice kills alone. the adult ones also bring down the odd gopher.