Unwanted Cats

In_tuition

A fleet (4) of cats have, for a while now, been lingering in and around my house. At the beginning there was just 1 and feeling sorry for it we decided to feed it. Now, as said, there is 4 of them

I've halted feeding but I suspect they are targeting the food I give to my chickens.

I've got new arrivals, 1 chicken popped today and 9 other eggs and I fear the cats may kill my chickens.

I know a few things I would like to do! But creulty to animals is something I detest.

So anyone got any opinions on the best (safest for them) way to get rid of them basically?

They've attacked my puppy a few times also so reluctant to pick them up.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Feargal as Luimneach

In_tuition wrote: »

A fleet (4) of cats have, for a while now, been lingering in and around my house. At the beginning there was just 1 and feeling sorry for it we decided to feed it. Now, as said, there is 4 of them

I've halted feeding but I suspect they are targeting the food I give to my chickens.

I've got new arrivals, 1 chicken popped today and 9 other eggs and I fear the cats may kill my chickens.

I know a few things I would like to do! But creulty to animals is something I detest.

So anyone got any opinions on the best (safest for them) way to get rid of them basically?

They've attacked my puppy a few times also so reluctant to pick them up.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Catch them in a cat trap and get them put down by your local vet

easyeason3

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Catch them in a cat trap and get them put down by your local vet

OR you could put up a poster in your local vets/ shop & ask around if anyone is looking for a pet cat.
If they go in & out of your house I assume they are used to people.

I hate cats to be honest but I would never like to see one harmed in any way. Nor would I like to see any animal mistreated.

Really insensitive comment to make Feargal.

star-pants

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Catch them in a cat trap and get them put down by your local vet

Feargal - in this forum we try and do the best for animals, so unless they're in serious pain etc, we do not suggest putting healthy animals down. Please keep note of that.
The right thing to do is yes see if you can catch the animals & then bring them to a local rescue or SPCA so that they could possibly be rehomed.

In_tuition

easyeason3 wrote: »

OR you could put up a poster in your local vets/ shop & ask around if anyone is looking for a pet cat.
If they go in & out of your house I assume they are used to people.

I hate cats to be honest but I would never like to see one harmed in any way. Nor would I like to see any animal mistreated.

Really insensitive comment to make Feargal.

I hate them myself to be honest but I wouldn't harm them.

They don't come and go into my house, more like when the door is open, which it is for the dog, then they wander in and I've found them on the sink etc. Whenever I am out in my gardens or fields they are everywhere, really starting to sicken me.

I don't want to go to too much hassle and advertising cats that aren't mine for a new home is too much hassle!!

I appreciate your input though. Becoming really annoying especially with my chicks hatching.

I'll contact my local animal shelter in Collon tomorrow but I suspect they won't be interested.

Thanks

easyeason3

In_tuition wrote: »

I hate them myself to be honest but I wouldn't harm them.

They don't come and go into my house, more like when the door is open, which it is for the dog, then they wander in and I've found them on the sink etc. Whenever I am out in my gardens or fields they are everywhere, really starting to sicken me.

I don't want to go to too much hassle and advertising cats that aren't mine for a new home is too much hassle!!

I appreciate your input though. Becoming really annoying especially with my chicks hatching.

I'll contact my local animal shelter in Collon tomorrow but I suspect they won't be interested.

Thanks

I can understand why you're annoyed especially when they are perched on your sink!

You never know, the animal shelter might come up trumps. But do get on to your local vet & ask them to put up a sign. My vet is constantly telling me that he often has people looking for kittens/ cats/ puppies/ dogs free to a good home so it might be worth a quick phone call.

Best of luck with it anyway & sure at least you won't have a mouse or a rat perched on your sink with the cats patrolling the house

Feargal as Luimneach

star-pants wrote: »

Feargal - in this forum we try and do the best for animals, so unless they're in serious pain etc, we do not suggest putting healthy animals down. Please keep note of that.
The right thing to do is yes see if you can catch the animals & then bring them to a local rescue or SPCA so that they could possibly be rehomed.

If the cats are tame enough re-homing is an option, but it they are wild/feral and will never be tamed you can 1. put them down 2. spay and release so that at least there not inbreeding like mad (producing a big population of cats that eventually die off because of disease).

morganafay

Do you think they might belong to someone? If so then I'd try to chase them away, spray them with water, or whatever, to try to get them to stay away. Could you keep the chicks somewhere safer until they're older? I know it mightn't be possible. I really hope the cats leave them alone.

If you don't think anyone really owns them then I'd try to get a local rescue to take them, since they'd probably have more luck rehoming them anyway.

Qualitymark

How can anyone hate cats? Weird.

If you've been feeding them of course they're hanging around. Wouldn't you, if someone offered you a free buffet?

If they'll come to you, maybe put collars on with those unscrewable yokes for tags, and inside a note with your phone number and 'please call if this is your cat'.

If they're feral, the most sensible thing to do, if you don't mind paying (cheaper now than later) is to trap them and have them spayed by a vet, so they don't come back with a bunch of kittens.

I'm astonished that they're eating your chickens' food; what on earth are you feeding those chickens? This has never happened to me. Either you have very strange cats or they're starving.

morganafay

Qualitymark wrote: »

I'm astonished that they're eating your chickens' food; what on earth are you feeding those chickens? This has never happened to me. Either you have very strange cats or they're starving.

One of my cats will eat guinea pig food, but she is just weird. That did seem kinda weird to me too, but if the chickens get scraps, cats might eat that sometimes. Or like you said, they're starving.

easyeason3

Qualitymark wrote: »

How can anyone hate cats? Weird.

If you've been feeding them of course they're hanging around. Wouldn't you, if someone offered you a free buffet?

If they'll come to you, maybe put collars on with those unscrewable yokes for tags, and inside a note with your phone number and 'please call if this is your cat'.

If they're feral, the most sensible thing to do, if you don't mind paying (cheaper now than later) is to trap them and have them spayed by a vet, so they don't come back with a bunch of kittens.

I'm astonished that they're eating your chickens' food; what on earth are you feeding those chickens? This has never happened to me. Either you have very strange cats or they're starving.

I hate cats because I find them really selfish & sneaky. I don't like the fact that they can jump up on a counter or table where food is prepared/ eaten even when it has been washed down.
My sister hates dogs, even my harmless pooch. I don't try & forch her to like my dog because I know she never will.
Even though I wouldn't keep a cat as a pet, I certainly wouldn't neglect one.

But you will find this strange. One of my friends has a cat, she's about three years old & will eat cheese! A cat that eats like a mouse!

Qualitymark

easyeason3 wrote: »

I hate cats because I find them really selfish & sneaky. I don't like the fact that they can jump up on a counter or table where food is prepared/ eaten even when it has been washed down.

Cats aren't a single massed personality that's 'selfish and sneaky'! Different cats are different.

Every cat I've had has been trained gently and lovingly, and they don't get up on counters.

Here's a funny story about a man who hated dogs:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ift/ift03.htm

Do you know the lovely poem by Christopher Smart that starts:

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in.
For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.
For this he performs in ten degrees.
For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.
For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.
For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.
For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.
For fifthly he washes himself.
For sixthly he rolls upon wash.
For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.
For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.
For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.
For tenthly he goes in quest of food.
For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour.
For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.

(It goes on for pages and pages, and is good fun.)

morganafay

Not everyone has to like cats. I think that a lot of people who don't like them have just never had one, or never had one that they raised well so that it was friendly. But some people might just not like them. Personally they're my favourite animal and I think they're misunderstood!

Qualitymark

Darn - tried to upload a little movie of me training my late cat to 'sit', but it won't upload to my User CP album - 'invalid file'.

In_tuition

morganafay wrote: »

Do you think they might belong to someone? If so then I'd try to chase them away, spray them with water, or whatever, to try to get them to stay away. Could you keep the chicks somewhere safer until they're older? I know it mightn't be possible. I really hope the cats leave them alone.

If you don't think anyone really owns them then I'd try to get a local rescue to take them, since they'd probably have more luck rehoming them anyway.

Not sure if they belong to someone.

The nearest residence is half a mile away. I suspect someone has dumped them off on the road or worse still on my land.

The chicks are safe enough (I hope) but as said the cats are making their way into their pen and eating up the hen meal and corn I feed them.

Will be contacting the local animal shelter this morning.

Cheers.

Heroditas

easyeason3 wrote: »

But you will find this strange. One of my friends has a cat, she's about three years old & will eat cheese! A cat that eats like a mouse!

Most cats will eat cheese because it's a dairy product. They'll go mad for it in fact.

In_tuition

Qualitymark wrote: »

How can anyone hate cats? Weird.

If you've been feeding them of course they're hanging around. Wouldn't you, if someone offered you a free buffet?

If they'll come to you, maybe put collars on with those unscrewable yokes for tags, and inside a note with your phone number and 'please call if this is your cat'.

If they're feral, the most sensible thing to do, if you don't mind paying (cheaper now than later) is to trap them and have them spayed by a vet, so they don't come back with a bunch of kittens.

I'm astonished that they're eating your chickens' food; what on earth are you feeding those chickens? This has never happened to me. Either you have very strange cats or they're starving.

Why does anyone hate anything? THey attacked my 7-month old puppy after I was willing to feed them. I even bought cat foor for a period when shopping!! That would make you hate them?

As already mentioned above or below although I detest them I wouldn't harm them. I suspect not feeding them can be argued that it's causing harm to them but at this stage of the day if that's the case so be it.

I feed my hens and rooster hen meal and corn from time to time. I had hoped at this stage of not feeding them, prob 2 weeks now, that they would bugger off. I've asked my partner if she fed them and she said no, but I suspect otherwise.

As already mentioned I am contacting the local animal shelter this morning.

Thanks for the opinions. Most welcomed.

Qualitymark

In_tuition, I've heard of people working security for industrial estates who trap cats and then dump them out to starve in housing estates or in the country - both cruel (cats will starve if they don't know the usual places to find food) and stupid (they'd be better off to get the cats spayed to keep the numbers down, but keep a population of cats that will keep rodents down).

I suspect that this may be why you have feral cats - which is what this sounds like - roaming around. They must be truly starving if they'll eat chicken food, poor things.

Good on you calling the shelter. With any luck they'll spay them, and home them if possible.

EGAR

The problem is often that people apply human emotions to animals (but I am feeding them, they should be grateful etc). Animals are not humans and most are opportunistic, if they see food they will go for it, especially if they don't know when they will get a meal next.

In my house the chicken eat dog food, the cats eat dogfood and the dogs try to eat everything .

If you start feeding cats then you must be prepared that they come back for more and bring their friends.

TNR is always the best option in that case if the cats are too feral to be rehomed.

Someone mentioned disease and feral cats. I've got four cats, all from rescues and all were feral. All four were tested for FIV/FeLV and all four are negative. So there .

All feral cats were someones pet at some stage (or their parents etc), they did not ask to be dumped to survive on their wits.

At the end of the day it's not a feline problem, it's a human problem as we are the ones causing it. And only we can correct it. A little compassion goes a long way.

Qualitymark

What's TNR?

I'd be furious if my puppy were attacked too! In_tuition, you're doing the absolutely right and humane thing in contacting the shelter for help.

EGAR

Trap Neuter Release.

Qualitymark

EGAR wrote: »

Trap Neuter Release.

Ah, thanks. Sometimes I think English is becoming a series of dialects spoken by different groups, incomprehensible to other groups who don't know the in-jargon!

EGAR

Lol, I post so much on rescue boards that I sometimes forget to explain abbreviations on pet boards.

morganafay

Did the cats actually attack the puppy or just scratch it? I find it really weird that a cat would attack a puppy.

In_tuition

morganafay wrote: »

Did the cats actually attack the puppy or just scratch it? I find it really weird that a cat would attack a puppy.

He's the most harmless puppy ever. He's a golden retriever who sadly was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia after I purchased him. Another thread about it on here.

On two occasions, recently, he was standing outside and two different cats approached him, for no apparent reason, and went for him with their paws. On another occasion while laying on the decking one of the cats darted towards him in attempt to bite him?

So I'd call it an attack.

On a much happier note, three more chicks hatched this morning brining the total to 4. Very cute little things. Before I got the camera they went back in under so I will try and post up a photo if possible soon.

Thanks everyone.

Qualitymark

EGAR wrote: »

Lol, I post so much on rescue boards that I sometimes forget to explain abbreviations on pet boards.

IMHO that's OK

I'd definitely keep those chicks and their mother caged so the cats can't get near them, by the way. I've always done that with young chicks. Better safe than sorry.

morganafay

In_tuition wrote: »

He's the most harmless puppy ever. He's a golden retriever who sadly was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia after I purchased him. Another thread about it on here.

On two occasions, recently, he was standing outside and two different cats approached him, for no apparent reason, and went for him with their paws. On another occasion while laying on the decking one of the cats darted towards him in attempt to bite him?

So I'd call it an attack.

On a much happier note, three more chicks hatched this morning brining the total to 4. Very cute little things. Before I got the camera they went back in under so I will try and post up a photo if possible soon.

Thanks everyone.

Oh I see. I'm sure they won't actually hurt him though, so don't worry too much about it.

Can't wait to see the photos of the chicks