It is legal in all 50 states to live trap and exterminate feral cats?

[wacki]

From digg:

It is legal in all 50 states to live trap and exterminate feral cats.
You cat owners that allow your cats to roam free and uncollarded should realize your animal is legally feral.

Is this true? So is it open hunting season for cats year round? Can I shoot them as well?

Interesting reading on bird populations:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/06/14/bird.decline/
Story Highlights
• 20 common birds have lost more than half their populations in the past 40 years

from: DOMESTIC CAT PREDATION ON BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE
www.abcbirds.org

Cats Are Not a Natural Part of Ecosystems
The domestic cat, Felis catus, is a descendant of the European and African wild cats.

Wisconsin: Researchers at the University of Wisconsin coupled
their four-year cat predation study with data from other studies,
and estimated that rural free-roaming cats kill at least 7.8 million
and perhaps as many as 217 million birds a year in Wisconsin.

 

[trueblue1776]

yes, yes, and yes

 

[wacki]

Best online source that would confirm the laws?

Also, anyone got any good cat recipes?

 

[trueblue1776]

Check local game regulations, any animal with "feral" in the title is a 12/24/365 kill 99.99% of the time, they may be lumped into varmints in some territory, though I kinda doubt it. Just don't violate any weapons ordinances in the process.

People get pissed when you kill their pets, I shot about 10 cats living under my house and one of my neighbors had the gall to claim them as pets, I should have told her to clean the duke out of my flowerbeds and buy me more chickens.

 

[ravencon]

Wisconsin: Researchers at the University of Wisconsin coupled
their four-year cat predation study with data from other studies,
and estimated that rural free-roaming cats kill at least 7.8 million
and perhaps as many as 217 million birds a year in Wisconsin.

And there is plenty of "research" showing that gun ownership is dangerous.

Cats also kill plenty of rodents--most people think that's a good thing.

A person who looks for reasons to gratuitously kill cats sounds like a person in need of psychiatric treatment.

 

[peyton]

It does not matter if you are in the sticks or in the middle of town, wild cats multiple like crazy, difficult to catch and carry diseases as well. My mom's street had a herd of wild cats running amok. I was on leave and spoke to all the neighbors about thinning the population down. They were agreeable and the cat owners agreed also, they put ribbon around there pets neck to prevent "friendly fire incident." With a Sheridan pellet rifle, good scope and maglite I took 14 cats in a week. Oh by the way, all of this was done after dozens of calls to animal control. Everyone was happier afterwards, kids were not terrified of the crazy kitties and the cat owners were happier knowing little "Fluffy" would not be attacked.

 

[brerrabbit]

I gotta go with Peyton. Most of the ferals you see have nothing in common housepets. They do need to be controlled. I use a .22 myself.

Where I live, nothing but the most feral,vicious, and canny kitties can survive in the wild, anything less is waiting to go crunch in the night. But there is still a population of the buggers running around. They play hell with the baby quail and turkey populations.

And yes, I do have cats of my own. I am not sure where they fall under the pet/tool line, I use them for rodent control, considering that I have forgotten to feed them for months at a time and they still got fat, they are good at what they do.

 

[Kentak]

I wouldn't wantonly kill a cat that I knew was someone's pet, but they can be a nuisance. I would try non-lethal methods first, like talking to the owner, tossing a firecracker when it crosses the property line, and rigging the flower beds with line voltage. (Just kidding)

Most people around here are responsible about keeping their pets from bothering others. But, once, there was a cat that was spraying its scent all around my place--and I hate that smell. I would have put it down in a heartbeat.

K

 

[TallPine]

Cats Are Not a Natural Part of Ecosystems

Excuse me, but we have had a cougar hanging around our place for the past few weeks

And there's plenty of bobcats around too. I suppose the bobcats eat grass and sing kum-bay-ya with the birds and rodents ???

We have domestic cats to somewhat sort of control the rodent population around the house and yard. Unfortunately, we are down to two now because there are also bigger things out there eating our cats.

Doesn't seem to be any shortage of birds either. I've heard bird calls this spring that I've never heard before.

Edited to add: the only way I would shoot a feral cat is if it was fighting with our cats or otherwise causing a problem. We have one or two feral ones hanging around but hardly ever see them.

 

[cracked butt]

Cats also kill plenty of rodents--most people think that's a good thing.

So do raptors, which are part of the natural ecosystem and which I would easily consider to be higher animals than cats.

Its not uncommon for bowhunters to shoot feral cats while hunting, I know a lot of them that have. I sure as heck wouldn't hesitate to shoot an invasive species (cat) in an area where woodcock, grouse, and turkeys nest.

 

[cracked butt]

And there is plenty of "research" showing that gun ownership is dangerous

Except most of the "research" by antigunners hasn't been peer reviewed, didn't follow any kind of scientific model or investigation, and wasn't published in a respectable science journal.

 

[wacki]

And there is plenty of "research" showing that gun ownership is dangerous

Except most of the "research" by antigunners hasn't been peer reviewed, didn't follow any kind of scientific model or investigation, and wasn't published in a respectable science journal.

I agree with this. Even among the best of journals bad papers will *sometimes* get through. This is especially true when it comes to studies based off of statistics and not mechanisms. And with firearms studies it's almost all statistics.

Stick with CDC and National Academy of Sciences assessment reports (the proceedings aren't peer reviewed) and you will get accurate information. As of right now the science seems to be either on our side or not against us anyway:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm

http://www.nap.edu/books/0309091241/html/

Either way it shouldn't matter. Getting drunk is bad for me but I still do it. Swimming pools are dangerous but I still own one. Cars are dangerous but I still drive. Motorcycles are pointless but I still support peoples right to do it. Homosexuality (which the far left seems to hold up on a pedestal) and premarital sex is.....

The list goes on.

 

[glockman19]

Cats are generally considered domesticated animals. They are good in that they help to control the rodent population. I like cats have two one 20 yrs old one 16. If someone were to shoot my cat I'd shoot back.

Shooting domesticated animals is just wrong.

 

[Molon Labe]

You cat owners that allow your cats to roam free and uncollarded should realize your animal is legally feral.

I'm pretty sure this isn't true. A pet cat is a pet cat. A feral cat is a feral cat.

In Ohio it is illegal to kill a pet. Even it it wanders onto your property:

ORC 959.02 Injuring animals.
No person shall maliciously, or willfully, and without the consent of the owner, kill or injure a horse, mare, foal, filly, jack, mule, sheep, goat, cow, steer, bull, heifer, ass, ox, swine, dog, cat, or other domestic animal that is the property of another. This section does not apply to a licensed veterinarian acting in an official capacity.

Effective Date: 10-01-1953

There is no law in Ohio that says you can't kill a feral cat, however. Hence you can.

 

[Kentak]

In Ohio it is illegal to kill a pet. Even it it wanders onto your property:

What about alien abductions? That could happen.

 

[wacki]

I'm pretty sure this isn't true.

I think the key word was uncollared. A lack of a collar might free the hunter from any and all liability.

 

[Kentak]

When does a stray become feral instead of a pet?

 

[hexidismal]

A person who looks for reasons to gratuitously kill cats sounds like a person in need of psychiatric treatment.

Agreed. I have to say here wacki, your enthusiasm in the matter disturbs me greatly.

 

[Elza]

I am a consummate animal lover. (2 dog, 5 cats, 6 ferrets, and 2 rats.) However, my animals stay where they belong – at home! My dogs are legally and properly restrained when outside (they mostly stay indoors anyway). The cats remain indoors at all times. Personally, I find loose animals to be a complete PIA. They cause my dogs to bark, mess in my yard, and pee on my cars all of which I find most annoying. Loose dogs are not only a PIA they can pose physical danger to children and adults as well. Anyone that truly cares for their animals will keep them safe from harm by not allowing them to run wild.

I would rather see the owners taken to task than making the animals pay the price but that will land you in jail. So, regardless of my love for animals, I say “Good luck and good hunting!”

 

[trueblue1776]

Waki-
Get a few of the worthless fur sacks for me. They carry a few odd things so I wouldn't eat them if I were you. They would however, make excellent trim for your winter parka.

Anybody who thinks feral cats (predators) isn't a big deal, does not hunt, or keep flower beds. The worst is when my dogs get thrown off the trail of a hog by a feral cat, the dogs get to take a kitty snack break and I get to go home with no meat for the butcher.

 

[PzGren]

I don't let my dogs roam around and, yes, I am a dog person, I have finches, too.

If I see a stray cat, it is doomed.

 

[Kevin108]

Many areas have rescue program for ferals. You might contact PETA about this or ask around at a local vet. Or ask around for the local crazy cat lady. My mom has 5 ferals.

 

[wacki]

A person who looks for reasons to gratuitously kill cats sounds like a person in need of psychiatric treatment.

Agreed. I have to say here wacki, your enthusiasm in the matter disturbs me greatly.

lol Although I've thought long and hard about going pheasant hunting I've never killed a thing in my life. I will even let (non-poisonous) spiders out the front door. But if somebody else wanted to hunt cats to save a particular bird population I have no problem with that. In my opinion it's Birds >>>> cats >>>> rats. I do have a few friends in the country that would love to shoot cats though. :-D

FYI: outdoor cats are really nasty. If you let a cat outside don't let it back in the house. They tend to gather parasites like it's their job. The number of US citizens that are currently infected from parasites commonly found in cats is just staggering. Something like 50% of the planet is at any one time.

 

[ebd10]

Feral cats are a major reason why ground nesting bird populations are on the decline. Lots of ground-nesting birds eat insects like ticks and chiggers. Lyme disease is on the increase in humans, as is bubonic plague and hanta virus. To keep it in perspective, none of these dieases are in epidemic proportions, but there is a decided increase. Obviously, correlation does not prove causation, but the pieces seem to fit.

When I'm out hunting, if I see a cat or a dog, no collar = no mercy.

 

[Biker]

Cats on my property are in real danger of being harmed. I have no cats. I don't care for cats. I feed birds and cats kill the birds.
I've found kitty paw prints on my fatbobs and claw marks on my seat.
Cats found off my property are perfectly safe.
On property=Bad for cat.
Off property=Fine by Biker.

Sound fair to y'all?

Biker