Feral cats?

galah

Hi all,

recently decided to let my two cats out into the yard to give them a bit of fresh air. All was well for a week or so - since yesterday however, a feral cat has shown up, basically patrolling the window where my cats go out (causing a lot of agression and agitation in my cats) - anything I can do? I guess the cats have to fight out their territory - but I'm not happy that feral cats hang around, possibly spreading disease etcetc..

Any ideas anyone?

Irish-Lass

OK not being smart here but why are you assuming that the feral cats could spread a disease.......do you know for a fact that the ex-domestic cats have a disease.

Are your cats neutered, if not maybe they are interested in your cats.

check out http://www.kittenadoption.ie there is a section of feral cats have a read of it.

galah

thanks for the link!

Arcadian

Are you sure it's even a feral cat? Ferals tend to keep a much lower profile than pet cats.

Sleipnir

galah wrote:

Hi all,

recently decided to let my two cats out into the yard to give them a bit of fresh air. All was well for a week or so - since yesterday however, a feral cat has shown up, basically patrolling the window where my cats go out (causing a lot of agression and agitation in my cats) - anything I can do? I guess the cats have to fight out their territory - but I'm not happy that feral cats hang around, possibly spreading disease etcetc..

Any ideas anyone?

When your cats eventually travel further afield, they too will possibly be spreading disease in other people's gardens and cause agression and agitation; not to mention annoyance, frustration etc etc.

How do you know they're feral?

galah

well, it looks that way (unless the owner takes really bad care of that cat...) - no collar, very "scruffy" look - and I've never seen it around before - I know all the other pet cats in the area...

Irish-Lass

are your cats neutered

galah

Apart from that - my cats are spayed/neutered, treated against fleas/ticks, and have all the vaccinations...So no, my cats won't spread disease...

Irish-Lass

I wasn't asking in relation to your cats spreading disease I was asking because it they were unneutered/unspayed it could explain why the ex-domestic cat was hanging around.

Once your cats are vaccinated they don't have a lot to worry about. Are your cats vaccinated against FIV/FeLV. Normally they are not unless you specifically ask for it, or at least that is the way it is at our vets.

Sleipnir

Actually many owners don't put collars on their cats because they consider them to be dangerous. Sometimes they may get caught in a branch or something and the cat may die. However I think it's an easy way to shirk their responsibilities.

Cats are the natural hosts of toxoplasmosis which can cause blindness in children.

galah

I know...posts have crossed - I answered to sleipnir, and then your post came up in the meantime...;-)

I have to check my records, but I am pretty sure they have been vaccinated against FIV/FeLV as well...

Now, assuming that this cat is a stray (or feral, or ex-domestic) - is there anything I can do in terms of "getting it off the streets" in a nice way - that is, having it re-homed? Call the RSPCA? Call a vet to have it checked out?

Assuming this cat belongs to someone - how do I find out?

Will I have to restrict access for my cats until (if) this other cat goes away? I can see trouble with the neighbours if there's constant cat fights outside...

galah

Sleipnir wrote:

Actually many owners don't put collars on their cats because they consider them to be dangerous. Sometimes they may get caught in a branch or something and the cat may die. However I think it's an easy way to shirk their responsibilities.

Cats are the natural hosts of toxoplasmosis which can cause blindness in children.

I start quoting now, just to avoid confusion....There are collars out there that "break" when the cat gets caught and is stuck - mine have them...But as I said, if this cat actually has a home, it's a bad one...I kinda feel sorry for this cat, but I don't want to take care of it (as in take it in and feed it) cause it causes trouble for my cats, and the two I have are already more than enough...

Irish-Lass

Short and simple answer is there are no places for feral cats to go they are not like dogs there are no pounds for them. What you can do is maybe get a lend of a trap (I have one if you want it, depending on where you live) trap it and have it neutered/spayed and then release it back in the area he came from.

Ex-domestic cats are use to having to live by their wits and have learnt that humans can me harm, pain etc. so are not trusting. Ex-domestic cats can be tamed sufficient to live in a home environment but would more then likely never be a cuddley cat, and would need to go to someone who had experience with cats.

A vet will not look at the cat until it is in a trap just in case it decides to have a go at him. If you do decide to have it neutered/spayed the vet can help check it at the same time and once it is health, maybe you would consider feeding it, but maybe away from your house say across the road or in the front garden so it doesn't hang around the back garden where your cats are.

Edited to add If you call the DSPCA or the ISPCA more then likely he will just PTS

gypsygirl

You could try getting one of those big supersoaker water guns n spray the "feral" cat anytime you see it in your garden, it won't harm it just scare it and your cats can then go into your garden, it may limit your cats but at least they'd be able to go outside. It worked for me a couple of years ago when we were new to the area and a big tom was very territorial in the neighbourhood, now my cat goes where she wants and the tom doesn't bother her, after a while the tom realised if he came to my garden he got wet so now he stays away, my cat knows if she stays too far the tom will fight her. Peace reigns once again....

Laguna

Would you not give it a kick up the arse if you see it in your garden?, sounds harsh but effective, next time you see the wild cats patrolling, run out at them with a bucket of freezing water/whatever, continued repetition of this behaviour will have these other cats ****ting themselves at you. I guarantee after a while, those cats will stop showing up for fear of you making an appearance! (this is how I got a bunch of Tomcats to stop harrassing my two cats years ago, even if I happened to see these cats on the streets near my home after I let them know who's boss - they ran a mile even though it wasn't my territory!, fear is the only way they'll learn, that or your cats beating the **** out of him).

Irish-Lass

unbelieveable:mad:

galah

yeah, I don't think kicking a cat is a good solution, really...Watergun maybe (in extreme cases) - but I guess I'll let the cats fight out their territory and see what happens...(any idea how to treat minor scratches in cats (just -preparing...)? I guess dettol is not the way to go...)

Thanks Irish-Lass for your answers - most helpful!

CookieCat

Laguna wrote:

Would you not give it a kick up the arse if you see it in your garden?, sounds harsh but effective, next time you see the wild cats patrolling, run out at them with a bucket of freezing water/whatever, continued repetition of this behaviour will have these other cats ****ting themselves at you. I guarantee after a while, those cats will stop showing up for fear of you making an appearance! (this is how I got a bunch of Tomcats to stop harrassing my two cats years ago, even if I happened to see these cats on the streets near my home after I let them know who's boss - they ran a mile even though it wasn't my territory!, fear is the only way they'll learn, that or your cats beating the **** out of him).

OMG That is so funny kicking a feral cat!!! Now repeat "fantasy is not reality" no matter how you want it to be.
If you got your food to a feral cat you must have big feet and long long long legs...You must look odd :cool: . Now tell the truth Macho boy/girl (please delete as applicable) but again it's smacks of the men with small appendage talk again.:D

Irish-Lass

I wouldn't put dettol near the scratchs......I would try to keep them as clean as possible, so maybe wash them down with cotton wool and boiled water gone cold. For anything more then a surface scratch you would need to go to your vets as antibiotics maybe needed. I would try my best to keep the area clean

galah

Great, thanks for the tip (just a precaution at this point, so far, my cats haven't left the house again...little scaredy things...;-))

Laguna

When I said give the cat a kick up the arse I was using a euphemism, look it up, it's highly likely you don't know what it is offhand. If you read the rest of my post you would have noticed I said use a bucket of cold water to fling over the cat to teach him a lesson.

Laguna wrote:

next time you see the wild cats patrolling, run out at them with a bucket of freezing water/whatever

I always get a laugh out of the 'women' who make generalisations on men claiming they must say certain things/do certain things because they must have small appendages, my theory on these types of women is that they must have dried up ovaries.. why'd I have this notion? - nowhere in particular, it's just as insipid as your notion, that's why.

OP, you don't like my suggestion about the cold water?, try some of the advice of the tree huggers on here to solve your problem, maybe use some essential oils or perhaps sleep with some crystals under your bed to ward away the negativity of the feral cat.

FranknFurter

Be rather careful letting them "fight it out"
I had a cat who had FeLV. She was originally a stray.

Trust me, you dont wanna have to watch your furry friend die of that.

I tend to think all cats should be house cats tbh.

b

CookieCat

Laguna wrote:

When I said give the cat a kick up the arse I was using a euphemism, look it up, it's highly likely you don't know what it is offhand. If you read the rest of my post you would have noticed I said use a bucket of cold water to fling over the cat to teach him a lesson.


I always get a laugh out of the 'women' who make generalisations on men claiming they must say certain things/do certain things because they must have small appendages, my theory on these types of women is that they must have dried up ovaries.. why'd I have this notion? - nowhere in particular, it's just as insipid as your notion, that's why.

OP, you don't like my suggestion about the cold water?, try some of the advice of the tree huggers on here to solve your problem, maybe use some essential oils or perhaps sleep with some crystals under your bed to ward away the negativity of the feral cat.

You are jumping to the conclusion I am a woman when I am a mere slip of a girl. It true though study has been done on men who are cruel to cats and the **appendage/ inadequacy/ need for control. Any way I am happy to report on examination my OH is indeed a cat lover!.:rolleyes:

There is a piece missing from the whole issue of feral cats which FYI make up less than 7% off the stray cat issue. These wild feral cats as some may call them are not native to Ireland they are not a species in their own right and at one point or by parentage have been owned. So IMO the kicking water throwing should be aimed at the IGNORANT who fail to neuter/spay their cats. And to be clear that is just a IMO:cool:

Claire X