I'm pretty sure you can't re-home a feral cat, "feral" being the operative word.
Makes me wonder if people in cities actually know what a feral cat is?
I've seen feral cats out bush; heard of them being gentled if they're caught as kittens, but you're right, Darlyn, ferals in the city and country are
very different; city ferals at the least are used to seeing humans, and tend to be smaller and less healthy. All but one of my four are rescued city ferals; the two kittens were part of a litter I saved, and the older one was off the streets of Brunswick, and so messed-up he attacked humans on sight. The vet he was initially taken to offered to just put him down, but he's an affectionate, sweet little guy now - he's the one I mentioned in the "weird animals" thread who rescued my diabetic mouse. City/suburban ferals can certainly be rescued and rehomed; country ferals only if they're very young (though I wouldn't mind giving it a go).
What about if a snake got into your yard and killed lizards/chickens?
Not that I care if a dog kills a cat, but I don't see how a dog killing a snake that ventures into its yard is as bad as everyone here makes out. It's unfortunate, that's all.
It's also up to owners of vulnerable animals such as chickens, etc, to protect their animals properly by building fox/snake/cat-proof enclosures. We learned this the hard way when I was a kid, after foxes got into our chickens and pheasants a couple of times, and now the chook runs are like Fort Knox, and everyone's happy except the hungry foxes. It's all about responsibility. There's too much victim mentality in the world and too few mature adults.
Now I feel like I should be sitting on the porch with a shotgun and growling at the local kids to get off mah lawn.
Naga_Kanya spot on!
I used to hate "cats" and to be honest, still do just a little. But as you said, it does come back to stupid owners.
I have a neighbour with a very defencive dog that has ended more cats lives than i can count on my 2 hands (within its yard). And as bad as i feel for the owners of the pets, and for the cats themselves, I think it is fine for the dog to act in such a way. i know that if a cat ever got into my yard and threatened my lizards or my chickens, id want my dog to be onto it straight away.
Heres something to think about....
Do people register their cats as religiously as people with dogs do?
Should people with cats have to follow the same rules? keep cat within property boundaries unless out walking on a leash?
And when you see a cat running around your street, have you ever called animal management to come and take it to the pound?
Up where I live now (I used to live in the city), the council is VERY strict about cats, because we're surrounded by protected State Forest which is home to some beautiful endangered species. Registering cats is mandatory and punishable with huge fines/animals being destroyed. Having said that there are three cats that come into my back garden at night, and I'm trying to decide what to do about it. I'm going in to the local council offices to talk to them about the right way to go about it next week. We have beautiful lizards in my garden, which is largely a native garden, as well as birds and possums, and I want to encourage wildlife, but not if the local cats are just going to slaughter it.
