Keeping Cats Out of Beds!

[Nan_PA_6b]

Dogs were domesticated to be our hunting, herding, social etc. companions. Nobody would approve TNR for feral dogs because, with the exception of wild dingoes, dogs of the genus canus domesticus do not thrive in the wild. Cats were not bred to be dependent; they were put into the granaries to catch rodents. Yes, a domestic cat should never be abandoned to the wild. But most ferals are born in the wild and survive there.

As for being hit by cars, I can only ever recall seeing two cats as road kill. I have seen countless deer, ground hogs, squirrels and rabbits as road kill, however. Perhaps we ought to start euthanizing those species first.

Animals used by unscrupulous dog fighters include rabbits, kittens, small dogs, or whatever animals are available. This problem is only going to be fixed by cracking down on dog fighters, not by killing off cats. I think domestic cats would be more likely abused this way than ferals: have you ever tried to catch a feral cat? (I have.)

Abandoned domestic cats may well starve in the wild. But we're not talking about them; we're talking ferals, were born in, and who survive in, the wild. Yes, wild animals of all species do sometimes starve in the wild. Killing them all off isn't the answer.

I'm sorry to hear that a possibly feral cat has injured yours. I wonder if that cat has been neutered, as they fight less afterward. I agree with you that people sometimes still think it's OK to let their pet cats roam, and that's no good for anyone.

Nan

Originally Posted by frankcar1965

I undedrstand quite well, I would rather have cats euthanised relativlely painlessly than hurt and alive after being running over by a car or torn up by a dog. You must live in LALA land but the reality in most places is that they are picked off by disease and injury and abuse. Here we have a well developed fighting dog culture and it is common knowledge that the owners catch cats and throw them to the dogs so they get a "taste" for blood. TNR is just feeding that lust. TNR is also just a feel good thing, it does not stop cats being maimed and starving to death. I don't want to get into a ★★★★ing match either since I seem to have penchant for doing that here when expressing my opinion. Funny thing is that no one would approve TNR for dogs at all and neither would they tolerate letting dogs run all over, even smaller dogs, I dont think the vast number of AC agencies have a TNR program either and that is a assumption, AC is very often low on the list. There is a cat that has repeatedly come into my yard over my fence and attacked my cat who STAYS in my back yard and caused injury and I think he is feral cat. My cat stays in my yard and if she did not she would not go outside, but that does not stop feral cats from entering and hurting my cat. For some reason people do not hold cats to the same reasoning that they do for dogs, and think they should just roam free.

AlittleSalt, you could plant some low, inobtrusive ground cover, maybe. Cats don't usually dig through plants.

[AlittleSalt]

Shule1, you are right.

[imp]

One of the best ways I have heard of to keep cats out of a raised bed area, is chicken wire laid down on the bed.

[imp]

Originally Posted by frankcar1965

Apparently you did not read the article fully but you skimmed it, the Rome operation DID NOT work- here is the pertinent info for you to read fully:
Trapping and neutering decreased the populations of 55 cat colonies there, while the other 48 colonies either gained population or stayed the same. The authors of that study concluded that, in the absence of a public education campaign to stop people from abandoning cats, “all these efforts” are “a waste of money, time and energy.”

The test group of 55 colonies and the control group do show it working. People are the problem, even from your quote. <shrug>

The ferals here get shots and are fed .

[Worth1]

My sweet Smokey was fixed at tbe animal rescue center before we got her.
She has a big automatic feeder ans still hunts and isn't fat and lazy.
There isn't one cat track in my beds.
For some crazy reason none of my cats I have ever owned have been a problem.

Worth

[SteveP]

I haven't planted anything yet, but just saw a cat in the garden. He had caught something and was playing with it. We have very few stray animals and none have been a problem yet. Lots of rabbits but they haven't been a problem to my tomatoes or peppers in the past. My main problem has been squirrels.

[Nan_PA_6b]

Salt, a pregnant cat may not wish to jump very high, so for now, a fence wouldn't have to be very high.

Nan

[Down_South]

As a distraction to my beds I set up a large litter box full of wonderful fluffy soil on the opposite side of the yard. It worked.

[Worth1]

I have a whole pile of new motion detectors for security I have had for years.
I could rig these up in strategic places to set off sprinklers for the deer.
They require 24 VDC and they have dry contacts.
I can make these things do anything.

Originally Posted by Down_South

As a distraction to my beds I set up a large litter box full of wonderful fluffy soil on the opposite side of the yard. It worked.

That's a great idea.

[gorbelly]

Here's an interesting story about conservationists using TNR specifically because it does what it's supposed to do and culling/killing would not.

Scotland Is Home To Small Tigers, But Maybe Not For Long

[silkcom]

we just get a bunch of plastic forks and put them in tines up. If you have one every 3 or 4 inches all around then the cats and most other animals will stay out.

[dmforcier]

Thanks for that post, gorbelly. I didn't know about the little tigers.


One thing, though. They talk about how heavy that big tom was at 5.5 kg, but that's only 11 lbs. - about the size of little Minnie. My big boys were more like 18-20 lbs.

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

One thing, though. They talk about how heavy that big tom was at 5.5 kg, but that's only 11 lbs. - about the size of little Minnie. My big boys were more like 18-20 lbs.

Yeah, it's a little over 12 lbs. I'd say that's definitely the heavy end of normal if you don't include cats with large breed genes like Maine Coon, etc. The cat doesn't look that large, though, so maybe it felt heavy for its size. My cats are around that weight, and they're longer and less "thick" than that cat.