feral cat

[BigCityBubba]

What is the law on shooting feral cats? Is it legal at night? Someone dumped off a 2 or 3 month old kitten on my street. He is definitely not feral and he has grown on me. I swear he was a dog in a previous life. I have not let him in the house but I feed him and set him up with a bed outside. I have been contemplating letting him in the house. Don't want him spraying so I was thinking of getting him fixed before letting him in. Also, if I don't get him fixed, he will probably be dead in a few months in my area. There are lots of bobcats, feral cats, and coyotes around. This isn't the cat I am talking about in case you were wondering. There is a feral cat that has been trying to get him. He will actually come up on my deck to try and get the kitten. I am not sure why. The kitten is not old enough to be competition for him. I don't think he wants to eat him. I have a thermal and watched the feral cat walk right by a rabbit without giving him any thought. He has come up on my deck twice to get my cat and when I go outside he runs off and sits and watches from a distance in the dark. I would love to put my thermal on my 10/22 and deal with him. I imagine it's illegal. I don't know of any other way to get rid of him and if I don't he will eventually get my cat. Any suggestions on how to get rid of the feral cat that won't put my cat at risk?

 

[bigtex]

SSS

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Don't know the legalities, but I would do what I needed to do. May try trapping it with some can cat food

 

[Carlos]

That's a great question. (I always assumed elimination of feral cats was legal on private property.)

 

[jc0313]

I'd get a havahart trap for the feral cat and let the pound decide if it lives or dies if you are in a residential/urban environment. With all the libs and nosey folks in the neighborhoods you don't want to get reported for animal cruelty.

On the other hand, if you're in a rural environment and the feral cat is attempting to harm your pet...

 

[Hduke86]

Live trap and a .177 pellet does the trick. Let me tell you one thing about trying to get one out of a trap. Years ago I "tried" that and got scratched and bit. I got so dang sick and they didn't know what was going on. I had lymph nodes swell to the point I thought they were going to pop. NEVER AGAIN and after that they will only be removed from the trap when they are dead. Feral cats are like coyotes in my book. They are devastating to birds and small mammals.

 

[PossumSlayer]

Old mean tomcats will kill kittens so the mom will go in heat again is what I was told long ago

 

[BigCityBubba]

That may make the most sense even though there is no momma cat. I have not heard any of the classic weird growling that you typically hear when 2 adult males are about to fight. I just hear stomping around on the deck.

 

[TNTreeman]

Live trap and a .177 pellet does the trick. Let me tell you one thing about trying to get one out of a trap. Years ago I "tried" that and got scratched and bit. I got so dang sick and they didn't know what was going on. I had lymph nodes swell to the point I thought they were going to pop. NEVER AGAIN and after that they will only be removed from the trap when they are dead. Feral cats are like coyotes in my book. They are devastating to birds and small mammals.

Same thing happened to Ted

 

[Carlos]

Old mean tomcats will kill kittens so the mom will go in heat again is what I was told long ago

They will for sure.

 

[rifle02]

If you are feeding your kitten outside there's a possibility the feral Tomcat is only interested in the cat food dish.

 

[Bucket]

 

[Carlos]

If you are feeding your kitten outside there's a possibility the feral Tomcat is only interested in the cat food dish.

That's a good point as well.

They are not a natural part of the ecosystem, and take quite a few songbirds, etc that normally wouldn't be killed.

 

[BigCityBubba]

I feed him in the mornings and he scarfs it all down pretty quickly. There is never anything in the bowl at night when the feral cat comes around.

 

[Tenntrapper]

I would imagine it would be the same as if it was a coyote. The law says you're allowed to protect your livestock and pets. You're not hunting. Use the thermal and get rid of that POS!!

 

[Big Pop]

Do your kitten a favor and take out the feral cat! I've got one that comes around about dark I will take out when I get half a chance.

 

[Spurhunter]

Not sure why this question even has to be asked. Your pet is in danger. Eliminate the threat. Don't post about it on a public forum.

 

[mike243]

Cats should be included in the leash laws imo

 

[Planking]

Ive watched two different people dump cats on my property at night. One man dumped one out of a cage trap.

 

[squirrel_hunter]

204 ruger with a 35 gr berger hp. I loaded up a few berger 30 gr hp to try!