Would you kill a cat....

[Miss B]

To be honest, if a dog (or cat) is killing critters in it's own back yard, then fair play to it. It is never going to impact the over-all population (unless every possum in the country decides to take a vacation in Miss B's backyard) like allowing them to roam (and breed) freely would, and frankly the impact of having a house where before there was only natural habitat is doubtless far more severe than the possums or birds Kataan might kill during his life.

Muzzling dogs, or confining them to runs is stressful for them, especially if it isn't normal behaviour for them, and I personally favour my dogs mental wellbeing over the life of a possum or bird.

Yep I agree 100%. We're talking about maybe 2 or 3 possums per year, and half a dozen birds at the most. He is kept confined in the backyard (with 6 foot timber fences) at all times. I don't think it would be fair to have him in a dog run, he's a big active dog and we've got a huge backyard that he likes to run around. Same with a muzzle - unfortunately it's not practical.

 

[Colin]

To be honest, if a dog (or cat) is killing critters in it's own back yard, then fair play to it. It is never going to impact the over-all population (unless every possum in the country decides to take a vacation in Miss B's backyard) like allowing them to roam (and breed) freely would, and frankly the impact of having a house where before there was only natural habitat is doubtless far more severe than the possums or birds Kataan might kill during his life.

Muzzling dogs, or confining them to runs is stressful for them, especially if it isn't normal behaviour for them, and I personally favour my dogs mental wellbeing over the life of a possum or bird.

depends on the size of the backyard I guess. My point was that animal owners should be more responsible, more conservation minded with regard to native wildlife. When I lived on acreage I had heaps of satin bowerbirds, numerous species of wrens, gang gangs, numerous honey eaters, sacred kingfifhers, beardies, water dragons, numerous skinks, frogs etc in my front yard. I really don't think they are 'fair game' thats ignorant and irresponsible in my view. I think animal owners should try to have their animals co-exist with native wildlife so that killing is kept to the absolute minimum.

I personally favour my dogs mental wellbeing over the life of a possum or bird.

I would assume there would also be others that would value the lives of native possums, birds and reptiles over the life of your dog if it was a problem with native wildlife.

 

[cris]

Also i dont really get the poll, generally where cats wear collars you cant shoot them and if you did you would probably have the tactical response squad around and you would be going to jail without a good lawyer. The only way to get cats around the city is trapping them or "tyring" them out.

It is also technically illegal in most states to allow your cat outside as it is in breach of the cruelty laws of most states. So not only are these ppl iresponsible scum, they are also criminals in most cases.

 

[Charlie V]

depends on the size of the backyard I guess. My point was that animal owners should be more responsible, more conservation minded with regard to native wildlife. When I lived on acreage I had heaps of satin bowerbirds, numerous species of wrens, gang gangs, numerous honey eaters etc in my front yeard. I really don't think they are 'fair game' thats ignorant and irresponsible in my view. I think animal owners should try to have their animals co-exist with native wildlife so that killing is kept to the absolute minimum.

Can't argue with that. It's just that I would execute it differently, choosing to relocate or 'drive off' the birds before I muzzled or chained up my dog. Honestly, Kataan must be one hell of a stalker, or Miss B has unusually dense birds in her area. I've lived with lots of dogs on a large property for most of my life, and the only birds I've ever seen dogs catch and kill were our own chickens, ducks and geese. They were generally uninterested, or too slow and clumsy to catch anything else.

My current dog loves chasing birds. He spends literally hours chasing seagulls at the beach, but has never even come close to catching one. I think they like teasing him!

I would assume there would also be others that would value the lives of native possums, birds and reptiles over the life of your dog if it was a problem with native wildlife.

Absolutely. And if I was irresponsible enough to let my dog roam the countryside slaughtering native wildlife I would be upset, but not surprised, if someone shot it.
If my dog is on their property, it's fair game. Harsh, but fair. I would appreciate someone collaring and returning the dog, and I would attempt to do the same, so if it was a genuine mistake or error I could fix it, but an unsupervised dog on private property is fair game. You often hear stories about peoples dogs rushing into suburban yards and killing other pets, and I can tell you in no uncertain terms I would have no qualms in killing any dog that did that on my property!

I think part of the problem is boredom, and the other part is novelty. Our dogs practically lived in the bush, and spent all day romping around. Come night time, they were knackered. And possums were very commonplace, even with two dozen dogs or more sleeping in the shed, or on the veranda, ringtails and brushtails, and the occasional sugar glider could be seen in the garden on a very regular basis. In fact, if would be strange if you didn't see one or more every night! Our dogs knew what a possum was, knew they couldn't catch it, and couldn't be bothered going to investigate. They weren't bored enough, and were too tired!

A large dog like Kataan kept in a suburban back yard is never going to get enough exercise. He will certainly get adequate exercise to remain healthy enough and happy enough, but he will never be getting the exhausting (and stimulating) workout he would if he were to be left loose to roam as he pleases, and investigate everything his nose can find. So when he sees a possum (something he doesn't see all the time) he has plenty of energy and curiosity to expend, which invariably ends badly for the possum!

 

[Charlie V]

Also i dont really get the poll, generally where cats wear collars you cant shoot them and if you did you would probably have the tactical response squad around and you would be going to jail without a good lawyer. The only way to get cats around the city is trapping them or "tyring" them out.

Lots of farms have cats, many of which roam free. They don't always wear collars, but it happens often enough.

EDIT: I've never tried this, but apparently a dish of milk with half a dozen panadol crushed into it will kill any cat that drinks from it. If true, it would be quite effective in the suburbs...

 

[Miss B]

Honestly, Kataan must be one hell of a stalker, or Miss B has unusually dense birds in her area. I've lived with lots of dogs on a large property for most of my life, and the only birds I've ever seen dogs catch and kill were our own chickens, ducks and geese.

He only catches those grey pidgeon things (I don't even know what they are called :lol.

Anything else, like lorikeets for example, are way too fast for him.

EDIT: I've never tried this, but apparently a dish of milk with half a dozen panadol crushed into it will kill any cat that drinks from it. If true, it would be quite effective in the suburbs...

Apparently it's Asprin (as it thins their blood or something..?). My nan once tried killing her neighbour's cat by feeding it chicken that had been laced with Asprin. Must have been a damn smart cat as it refused to eat the chicken :x

 

[Moreliaman]

Ok just wondered as we dont keep our cats caged over here, For some strange reason In the UK a cat is classed as a free roaming animal & is allowed to wander where it pleases.
Dogs must be kept on a leash in public places & some have to wear a muzzle.
Personally i couldnt bring myself to kill a cat or any other animal, i find it amusing that man creates a problem and then blames it on the offending animal when things go wrong.

 

[cris]

EDIT: I've never tried this, but apparently a dish of milk with half a dozen panadol crushed into it will kill any cat that drinks from it. If true, it would be quite effective in the suburbs...

Its actually asprin and its a pretty cruel way to kill them. Although its not really anyworse than using rat bait. Trapping them in a possum trap is the best method although i have heard of ppl using rabbit traps(apparently it makes a lot of noise).

 

[Chris89]

I don't think that I'd kill a cat, depends if it were feral and there was alot of feral cats that were actually affecting the numbers of the native wild life in that area.

I don't agree with people who buy cats, and then let them roam outside, that's just asking for trouble. We have 2 cats and have had them since they were 6 weeks old. They've never been outside only when they were in a cat carrier to be moved to the car and taken to the vets to be desexed and then on the ride home.

The only animal that the cats have chassed/killed is the odd fly that might get into the house.

My friend has a cat, and she keeps it inside, however in their study room they cat has it's own free will to go out the cat door in the window into a cat run that goes along the whole side of the house that is fully enclosed. Which I think is perfectly fine as no wildlife can get in and the cat can't get out.

 

[caustichumor]

Q. How do you make a cat go woof?
A. Pour on petrol and light!

 

[Chris89]

If you're going to control feral animals, do it in a humane way.

 

[Colin]

Can't argue with that. It's just that I would execute it differently, choosing to relocate or 'drive off' the birds before I muzzled or chained up my dog. Honestly, Kataan must be one hell of a stalker, or Miss B has unusually dense birds in her area. I've lived with lots of dogs on a large property for most of my life, and the only birds I've ever seen dogs catch and kill were our own chickens, ducks and geese. They were generally uninterested, or too slow and clumsy to catch anything else.

My current dog loves chasing birds. He spends literally hours chasing seagulls at the beach, but has never even come close to catching one. I think they like teasing him!

:lol: yeah Its my experience that most dogs (especially large dogs) are usually way too slow for catching any birds. If they are more agile and fast (eg: fox terrier) maybe some bells on their collar would give the birds more chance to escape.

And as far as possums go, usually the dogs end up sliced open from the claws if there's any real confrontation and fight. Most times its just the dogs 'chasing' the possums and barking causing a disturbance when they see possums on fences.

Cats on the other hand seems to do much more damage from actual kills of animals, birds and reptiles..

I feel animal owners should be responsible and try to make their animals impact of the local wildlife as minimal as possible

 

[Charlie V]

Ok just wondered as we dont keep our cats caged over here, For some strange reason In the UK a cat is classed as a free roaming animal & is allowed to wander where it pleases.

Probably because cats have been there for so damn long, it just doesn't matter any more. They've integrated into the natural wildlife. Or did cats originate in the UK? I would have thought they would have been brought over by the Saxons, or perhaps the Romans.

i find it amusing that man creates a problem and then blames it on the offending animal when things go wrong.

Man doesn't so much create problems, as define them. We could simply let cats go nuts, abolish all quarantine control, and let evolution take it's course, and it wouldn't necessarily be a problem.

But we've decided we want to keep our native wildlife the way it is, for as long as possible, so having imported animals here is a problem. And the only way to fix it, is to separate those introduced species from our native wildlife, as much as possible.

Trapping them in a possum trap is the best method although i have heard of ppl using rabbit traps(apparently it makes a lot of noise).

:shock:

I'll bet it would!

How is the aspirin cruel? What does it actually do? Wouldn't they simply fall asleep from a lack of oxygen to the brain?

 

[Chris89]

Asprin makes their stomach swell and blow up, doesn't it?

 

[Charlie V]

Asprin makes their stomach swell and blow up, doesn't it?

I thought that was aspro-clear and seagulls.

 

[tadpoles]

Cats have been known to chew off their own leg when trapped in a rabbit trap.

At my house which i live at with my bf and his mum and step dad, we have 2 cats ,one ours roger and one their lucky. our cat has a collar, bell and disk, while theirs has nothing.
One of our beardies was rescued from luckies mouth.( and with lots of TLC survived) I hate that cat.
But whats worse it that my bf parents don't care thet thier cat kills and eats native birds, mice, native lizzards and skinks, infact anything that moves that is small enough. it is basicly a domestictied cat that has turned partley feral, from lack of care, affection and food.
ARRGH makes me angry just talking about it. Some cats are more hunters than others but as a owner it is your responsiblilty to make sure you cat is not a danger to the native wildlife.

Sarah

 

[Colin]

I don't think that I'd kill a cat, depends if it were feral and there was alot of feral cats that were actually affecting the numbers of the native wild life in that area.

I don't agree with people who buy cats, and then let them roam outside, that's just asking for trouble. We have 2 cats and have had them since they were 6 weeks old. They've never been outside only when they were in a cat carrier to be moved to the car and taken to the vets to be desexed and then on the ride home.

The only animal that the cats have chassed/killed is the odd fly that might get into the house.

My friend has a cat, and she keeps it inside, however in their study room they cat has it's own free will to go out the cat door in the window into a cat run that goes along the whole side of the house that is fully enclosed. Which I think is perfectly fine as no wildlife can get in and the cat can't get out.

great stuff chris. thats what I mean by responsible cat owners What we really need is for people like you and your friend to educate other cat owners so that their cats impact of native wildlife is minimal.

 

[cris]

How is the aspirin cruel? What does it actually do? Wouldn't they simply fall asleep from a lack of oxygen to the brain?

Im fairly sure it causes renal failure or something like that.

 

[caustichumor]

That was an attempt at humour, I don't advocate a painful death for any animals, I won't even notch an arrow unless I have a definite kill shot. (cats would be a little harder to hit, so I have never actually shot any)

 

[maculosis_mandy]

Feral cats and dogs have almost eradicated the bilby population.Just dispose of any cats out in the wilderness, not like they are an endangered species