Author Topic: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice  (Read 5501 times)

austin944

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Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« on: January 13, 2019, 12:15:19 PM »

I saw this strange cat sniffing around in my yard, so I came over to investigate, and it was pretty friendly.  It did not go away on its own, so I invited the cat into my apartment, and it does not seem to want to leave.  It went around my apartment exploring, and I showed it the open door a few times, and it does not want to go.  Eventually it wound up taking a nap on my couch.

So now I am looking at taking care of this seemingly lost cat until I can find the owner.   I've already posted on craigslist and some other sites, and saw no matching descriptions there.

It ate two chicken legs that I had in the frig, along with some dried cat food that I bought at the store.  I put out some water, brushed it, and I have a make-shift litter box with cat litter that I showed the cat.

I'm still not really 100% positive this cat is actually lost.  If it is lost, then I think it got lost today or yesterday.

Is there anything else I can be doing for this cat?  I have a feeling this cat is going to be with me at least overnight, possibly for a few days and I have no idea how to care for it, or stuff I can do to find the owner.  Would going to the shelter to check for a microchip help or not?  How do you even transport a cat without it running away?  What do I leave out for the cat during the day when I go back to work on Monday?


Another Reader

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2019, 12:35:35 PM »
Does the cat have an ear notch or tip?  That would mean it is part of a TNR program (Trap-Neuter-Return) and probably lives outside somewhere in your neighborhood.  The cat can go back outside and will be cared for by the feeder.  If not, most vets and any shelter should be able to scan for a microchip.  The owner will be contacted if there is a chip.

If the cat has been hanging around for awhile, is hungry and thin, the cat may be lost or was dumped in the neighborhood.  You have a choice between keeping the cat (if allowed by your landlord) or taking it to some kind of shelter.  Many public shelters euthanize most cats that come into the shelter, so you will want to research how your shelter deals with cats.  An alternative would be a private "no kill" shelter or a cat rescue, if you can find one that will take the cat.

If you have Nextdoor in your area, that is preferable to Craigslist.  Sadly, dog fighters will pick up cats for bait on Craigslist.  You should not give the cat to anyone that cannot prove ownership in some way. 

Food, water, and a litter box cover the basics.  Good quality food for one cat is not that expensive.  If you keep the cat, a trip to the vet clinic for vaccines is important.

Best resolution is the cat goes home.  Good luck!

Roadrunner53

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2019, 12:42:23 PM »
Call your local animal welfare. People will report their lost animals to them and if they find them they call the owner. You could offer to foster the cat if you like it till the owner is found. You could also call some local veterinarians offices to report you have a lost cat. They sometimes have frantic owners calling them.

We also have animal control in our town on top of animal welfare. Animal control is a town agency that takes away dogs with no licenses that are wandering around. Not sure if they take cats. Our animal welfare does take in lost or abandoned cats.

Sometimes people post pictures of lost animals around the town they live in. I think I would go thru animal welfare though. Some nut might claim it is their cat for evil purposes.

Nice you care enough to feed and take care of this cat. You get two thumbs up! Thank you for being a caring human being!

Sibley

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2019, 12:52:45 PM »
Take it to a vet/shelter and ask them to check it for a microchip.

Davnasty

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2019, 01:04:03 PM »
Take it to a vet/shelter and ask them to check it for a microchip.

Petco can check as well

katscratch

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2019, 01:34:23 PM »
Agree to take it somewhere to scan for a chip if it doesn't have an ear notch or tattoo.

In my area (Minneapolis) NextDoor and Facebook are the best places to post about found animals. There are groups on Facebook specifically for lost pets in our area. NextDoor in my neighborhood has many found cat related posts and often they do have homes but are friendly and like to wander.

hops

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2019, 01:37:17 PM »
If you don't live near a vet's office or pet shelter, you can also call your local police station and ask if they have a scanner.

You might've already looked on Facebook to check if there's a Lost & Found pets group for your community. Those are handy because followers will often copy and paste the posts to their Nextdoors, so it's like a signal boost.

use2betrix

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2019, 02:46:29 PM »
Sounds to me like you have a new pet cat!

If it doesn’t have a chip, collar, ear notch, etc, I think you’ve done your due diligence looking for an owner. You could put a few flyers up.

Most towns have stray cats fairly common. You could enjoy providing for the cat and it’s company, or send it on its way. Cats are pretty low maintenance compared to dogs. Use a cat box, less health issues, leave food/water, etc. a lot of cats you can leave for many days and they’ll be fine, provided they have a clean cat box and plenty of food and water when you leave.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2019, 03:58:58 PM »
If you decide to keep this cat after trying to find the owner. Please take the cat to the vet for a health evaluation. If it isn't sick, you should get it neutered if it isn't. The last thing you need is a pregnant mama cat. And male cats make pregnant mama cats. Neuter or spay! Plus, it is good to know the cat doesn't have worms or feline leukemia or whatever else cats get. Better safe than sorry. If you were to foster the cat, the animal welfare place may pay for these costs for you. Phone them!

austin944

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2019, 04:43:00 PM »
Guys, I'm not keeping the cat.  It's somebody's pet and I can barely handle the responsibility of caring for myself, much less an animal.

Anyways I got the cat scanned at an animal shelter.  It has a chip, but after calling HomeAgain I found out that the animal shelter employee only wrote down 12 of of the required 15 digits.  It does not have a notch in the ear.   This is the email response from the shelter:

I'm sorry, but I can't connect you to the person who did the scan because I work remotely, so I don't know who did the scan. Is it possible the chip is with a different brand that uses a different number of digits (just a wild idea, I don't know much about these things)? You might need to bring the cat in again and perhaps, if you don't plan on keeping the cat, bring it to Animal Center.  We can't accept stray animals directly.

So looks like I'm driving out there again.

Posted to facebook/nextdoor/craigslist.

I got a cardboard cat box from the shelter and this cat definitely does not like me anymore after having ridden to the shelter in the box the first time.  It won't even look at me and seems to wander the apartment now looking for a way out.   I wonder if it's going to put up a fight for the second round!

Another Reader

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2019, 05:06:10 PM »
The cat may live in the neighborhood.  A microchip is a good sign.  Is there a vet open near you?  They could probably scan again and call the microchip company.  The cat probably lives in your neighborhood, so look for a local vet.

Taking an owned cat to a kill shelter is the worst thing you could do for the cat.  Especially if the shelter is far away.  The owner may not think to look at the shelter until it's too late.  If the shelter employee can't scan and give you the full microchip number, that's a bad sign.  The cat would probably have a better chance of getting home if you just put it back outside.

the_fixer

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2019, 06:08:48 PM »
FWIW cats are about the easiest creatures to care for probably easier than a gold fish.

Enough water, food and a cat box and it would be fine for multiple days without you.

My friend even has this really amazing cat box that scoops itself and leaves no odor.

You know you want a cuddly little fur baby

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


austin944

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2019, 06:37:22 PM »

The cat has been reunited with its owners via HomeAway.  The cat lived on the same street and according to one owner, has been picked up before by other people thinking he was lost.  Funny thing when the one owner came into my apartment to pick up the cat, it walked away from him!  LOL.

Actually I vaguely recall running into this cat before on the street and making friends with him, so that may be why he stuck around.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2019, 07:07:33 PM »
Aah, a happy ending.

hops

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2019, 07:08:25 PM »
Excellent job with the reunion!

Roadrunner53

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2019, 04:29:56 AM »
Good news! Maybe this cat owner should THINK about keeping the cat inside.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2019, 04:24:10 PM »
Good job, sounds like you did all the right things.  Tell the owners to get the damn thing a collar with their info if they're going to let it outside.  What a pain in the ass for you and the next person(s).

Free Spirit

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #17 on: January 14, 2019, 04:34:01 PM »
Good job, sounds like you did all the right things.  Tell the owners to get the damn thing a collar with their info if they're going to let it outside.  What a pain in the ass for you and the next person(s).

Seriously! And if that next person is me, well...

robartsd

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #18 on: January 14, 2019, 04:51:07 PM »
We stole a cat from our next door neighbors once. When we realized that they had an outside cat that lived mostly in our house, it went to the vet as our cat. The little girl would come over looking for her cat occasionally, but didn't know it from our other cats. Eventually the neighbors moved away, but the cat didn't.

We also had a cat that seemed to have found different family on his own. He'd be unseen for quite a while, but turn up every now and then. One day my Mom said to the cat, "If you've found another family you're happier with, you can stay there if you want." The cat never came back after that.

Fomerly known as something

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2019, 05:37:41 PM »
We stole a cat from the neighbors while growing up. 

My Mom is currently working on stealing another cat from the neighbors.  She swears she's only feeding him so he will go away.  He leaves their back door after eating.

austin944

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #20 on: January 14, 2019, 05:50:57 PM »
Good job, sounds like you did all the right things.  Tell the owners to get the damn thing a collar with their info if they're going to let it outside.  What a pain in the ass for you and the next person(s).

Not a big deal to me, since I enjoyed the cat's company for the few hours that it hung out with me.   I had never seen a cat that would stay inside my apartment after exploring.  Normally they would look around and leave.   The cat jumped into my lap and started snuggling and purring after 30 minutes of being there, but I think the cat was trying to con me into feeding him.  It worked.  I wonder how many other victims this con-cat has deceived. :-)


calimom

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #21 on: January 15, 2019, 02:16:55 PM »
They can be pretty crafty. Glad the cat was not lost. It sounds like you gained a friend in the process.

SunnyDays

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #22 on: January 16, 2019, 10:27:53 AM »
Consider yourself lucky to have found the owners.  I first took in a freezing stray a few years ago, with no intention of ever having a cat, but couldn't find the owner and no one else wanted her, so I kept her, somewhat reluctantly.  When she died, a neighbour brought me another stray he had found "as a replacement" (thanks buddy!), who then proceeded to bring home a stray friend.  So now I have 2 cats.  They know a sucker when they see one!

Roadrunner53

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #23 on: January 16, 2019, 12:13:05 PM »
Consider yourself lucky to have found the owners.  I first took in a freezing stray a few years ago, with no intention of ever having a cat, but couldn't find the owner and no one else wanted her, so I kept her, somewhat reluctantly.  When she died, a neighbour brought me another stray he had found "as a replacement" (thanks buddy!), who then proceeded to bring home a stray friend.  So now I have 2 cats.  They know a sucker when they see one!

A sucker with a big heart!

GuitarStv

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #24 on: January 16, 2019, 02:05:23 PM »
Good job, sounds like you did all the right things.  Tell the owners to get the damn thing a collar with their info if they're going to let it outside.  What a pain in the ass for you and the next person(s).

While it's probably a good idea for the cat to have a collar, it's sad that we're so OK as a society with negligent cat owners that this is the only response.

If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

dougules

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #25 on: January 16, 2019, 02:13:15 PM »
Good job, sounds like you did all the right things.  Tell the owners to get the damn thing a collar with their info if they're going to let it outside.  What a pain in the ass for you and the next person(s).

Collars are not a good idea for cats.  Cats don't stay on the ground like dogs, so collars can get caught.  The microchip is better, and the owner needs to make sure that the microchip gives good info when scanned.   

Poundwise

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #26 on: January 16, 2019, 04:10:08 PM »
Reminds me of this charming children's story. https://www.amazon.com/Six-Dinner-Sid-Inga-Moore/dp/0671796135

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #27 on: January 16, 2019, 04:21:49 PM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

Cromacster

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #28 on: January 16, 2019, 04:52:56 PM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

I don't think GuitarStv is concnerned about the cats wellbeing or how dangerous it is for the cat.  It's the other animals that need to be afraid of cats.  Cats are an invasive species, as mentioned by GuitarStv, and household cats kill billions (yes B) of animals and birds a year.  They arent domesitcated quite like dogs as they are still killing machines.  Is indoors the natural environment for cats? No, but they don't belong outside either.

Cassie

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #29 on: January 16, 2019, 05:42:03 PM »
Here cats that are allowed to go outside are called coyote cookies. Our neighbors have went through a ton of cats because they cannot get that through their head. Really sad for the cats.

SunnyDays

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #30 on: January 16, 2019, 08:29:33 PM »
Is indoors the natural environment for cats? No, but they don't belong outside either.

So where would you suggest they live?

Cromacster

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #31 on: January 16, 2019, 08:50:04 PM »
Is indoors the natural environment for cats? No, but they don't belong outside either.

So where would you suggest they live?

In their owners house. Keep those murder machines locked up where all they can do is purr and soak up sunshine through a window.

aspiringnomad

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #32 on: January 16, 2019, 09:08:28 PM »
Good job, sounds like you did all the right things.  Tell the owners to get the damn thing a collar with their info if they're going to let it outside.  What a pain in the ass for you and the next person(s).

Seriously! And if that next person is me, well...

Lol. Stealing this :)

aspiringnomad

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #33 on: January 16, 2019, 09:13:31 PM »
Is indoors the natural environment for cats? No, but they don't belong outside either.

So where would you suggest they live?

In their owners house. Keep those murder machines locked up where all they can do is purr and soak up sunshine through a window.

We bring our two cats outside supervised most days (realize that won't work for a lot of cats) and plenty of people have leash-trained their cats, so there is an option where the cat gets to be outside sometimes but isn't killing birds or getting run over.

GuitarStv

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #34 on: January 17, 2019, 08:36:02 AM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

Most pets will prefer to be outdoors rather than in the home.  Dogs would certainly enjoy roaming around a neighbourhood rather than spending most of their time indoors.  Horses certainly don't want to stay in their pens and barns.  Pot bellied pigs would be happy to root through your neighbour's garden rather than spend time in your home.

Cats are domesticated animals.  The argument that they're outdoor creatures could possibly be made in their natural environment of Egypt, but it's patently ridiculous to claim in North America, where they are an aggressively invasive species.  Even when spayed/neutered, cats that negligent owners release every day cause significant environmental damage.  This is very well known:
https://daily.jstor.org/environmental-danger-outdoor-cats/
https://blog.nwf.org/2011/03/new-studies-highlight-impact-of-outdoor-cats-on-birds-and-other-wildlife/
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
https://www.labroots.com/trending/earth-and-the-environment/7965/outdoor-cat-killing-sustainability
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21236690

Besides the damage that these cats do to the natural environment, life outdoors for cats isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Cats are not native to North America.  They aren't well adapted to the parasites that exist here, they aren't well adapted to the climate where it dips below freezing, they are often subject to predation, and vehicles (I regularly see several dead cats along the side of the road as I cycle through farmland during the summer).

We have been battling feral cat colonies on and off for several years that negligent pet owners have created by abandoning their cats.  Four years ago, I was seeing diseased and very battered cats in my back yard every day.  They were leaving dead animals and birds all around my home, which I had to clean up.  When they started attacking our beagle, I purchased a trap and began taking the feral cats to the nearest shelter that euthanizes them.  These animals were missing eyes, ears, tails, often had open wounds, were covered with fleas, and absolutely weren't living happy lives.  A couple years ago a group of coyotes moved into the ravine near our home, and they appear to have solved the cat problem for the moment.  Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.

NewPerspective

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #35 on: January 17, 2019, 08:58:06 AM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

Most pets will prefer to be outdoors rather than in the home.  Dogs would certainly enjoy roaming around a neighbourhood rather than spending most of their time indoors.  Horses certainly don't want to stay in their pens and barns.  Pot bellied pigs would be happy to root through your neighbour's garden rather than spend time in your home.

Cats are domesticated animals.  The argument that they're outdoor creatures could possibly be made in their natural environment of Egypt, but it's patently ridiculous to claim in North America, where they are an aggressively invasive species.  Even when spayed/neutered, cats that negligent owners release every day cause significant environmental damage.  This is very well known:
https://daily.jstor.org/environmental-danger-outdoor-cats/
https://blog.nwf.org/2011/03/new-studies-highlight-impact-of-outdoor-cats-on-birds-and-other-wildlife/
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
https://www.labroots.com/trending/earth-and-the-environment/7965/outdoor-cat-killing-sustainability
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21236690

Besides the damage that these cats do to the natural environment, life outdoors for cats isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Cats are not native to North America.  They aren't well adapted to the parasites that exist here, they aren't well adapted to the climate where it dips below freezing, they are often subject to predation, and vehicles (I regularly see several dead cats along the side of the road as I cycle through farmland during the summer).

We have been battling feral cat colonies on and off for several years that negligent pet owners have created by abandoning their cats.  Four years ago, I was seeing diseased and very battered cats in my back yard every day.  They were leaving dead animals and birds all around my home, which I had to clean up.  When they started attacking our beagle, I purchased a trap and began taking the feral cats to the nearest shelter that euthanizes them.  These animals were missing eyes, ears, tails, often had open wounds, were covered with fleas, and absolutely weren't living happy lives.  A couple years ago a group of coyotes moved into the ravine near our home, and they appear to have solved the cat problem for the moment.  Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.

I understand and mostly agree with you but what would you do in this situation?  A few years ago (maybe 5 now) a cat showed up in our backyard out of the blue (we had never had a cat before).  He was very hungry and it was predicted to be cold so we brought him inside (not thinking we would keep him).  He wasn't neutered so I went ahead and had him vetted and neutered.  Of course, he never left.  After reading more about cats, and wanting to be responsible, we decided to make him indoor only.  Unfortunately, that didn't work.  He ended up having multiple urinary track infections (we saw the vet 4 times in one month and was peeing blood) and he started peeing all over the house (spraying).  We tried installing a "catio" but that didn't solve the problem.  The vet said it was stress related and we should probably just let him outside.  So we did.  No more problems since then.

Just last week another un-neutered male cat showed up.  I'm going to have him neutered so at least that will help keep the population down.  I don't want another cat but I also can't  personally take these sweet personable (they are not feral) cats to the shelter where they will most likely be put down. 

I actually find this quite stressful.  On one hand I could just ignore them but then they will run around reproducing which isn't helpful.  Or, I can at least attempt to be responsible (while knowing lots of people, including neighbors, feel very strongly that no cats should be outside).  For what it's worth, we did go out and adopt a cat (this was when we were trying to keep the original cat in the house, we thought maybe having a "friend" would help him.  It didn't).   The one we adopted is indoor only and has never been outside. 


robartsd

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #36 on: January 17, 2019, 09:12:08 AM »
If the cats are spayed/neutered, then they aren't the invasive species (but their owners might be). We've already changed the environment a ton by building our houses, roads and lawns; what's an extra small predator or two? Of course, breeding feral cats could be considered an invasive species - but they seem to only thrive in areas with significant human impact reducing the population of larger predators - I haven't heard of them doing very well in wild places.

My anecdotal evidence would indicate that well fed indoor/outdoor cats in suburbia are not a significant threat to wildlife or in significant mortal danger. In over 40 years of my mom maintaining a household including 2 or more cats free to go in and out, I doubt the cats have killed more than 20 animals total (the survival motivation of the potential prey is far greater than the motivation of a well fed house cat), few trips to the vet to treat wounds from fights, and only one cat was verified as killed by a car. Generally the cats have come and gone as they pleased until they got old. Some of the old cats died quietly at home, others disappeared without a trace (suspected of finding a hiding place to die alone).

Quotes from articles linked to by GuitarStv:
Quote
“Unowned” or feral cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this damage.
Quote
The team said that "un-owned" cats, which they classified as strays, feral cats and farm cats, were killing about three times as many animals as pet cats.

Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.
Yes, driving out to the countryside to abandon a pet is indefensible (especially if the cat is not fixed) - take it to a shelter where it has a chance of getting adopted; but that is a completely different situation then allowing your spayed/neutered pet to roam outdoors freely.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2019, 09:15:44 AM by robartsd »

NewPerspective

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #37 on: January 17, 2019, 09:17:24 AM »
If the cats are spayed/neutered, then they aren't the invasive species (but their owners might be). We've already changed the environment a ton by building our houses, roads and lawns; what's an extra small predator or two? Of course, breeding feral cats could be considered an invasive species - but they seem to only thrive in areas with significant human impact reducing the population of larger predators - I haven't heard of them doing very well in wild places.

My anecdotal evidence would indicate that well fed indoor/outdoor cats in suburbia are not a significant threat to wildlife or in significant mortal danger. In over 40 years of my mom maintaining a household including 2 or more cats free to go in and out, I doubt the cats have killed more than 20 animals total (the survival motivation of the potential prey is far greater than the motivation of a well fed house cat), few trips to the vet to treat wounds from fights, and only one cat was verified as killed by a car. Generally the cats have come and gone as they pleased until they got old. Some of the old cats died quietly at home, others disappeared without a trace (suspected of finding a hiding place to die alone).

Quotes from your articles linked to by GuitarStv:
Quote
“Unowned” or feral cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this damage.
Quote
The team said that "un-owned" cats, which they classified as strays, feral cats and farm cats, were killing about three times as many animals as pet cats.

Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.
Yes, driving out to the countryside to abandon a pet is indefensible (especially if the cat is not fixed) - take it to a shelter where it has a chance of getting adopted; but that is a completely different situation then allowing your spayed/neutered pet to roam outdoors freely.

Sorry I'm not great with using the quote function!

Just wanted to add the original indoor/outdoor cat is a chow hound and is overweight (I need to work on this).  I would say he spends 70% of his time inside, 20% in our backyard and 10% roaming.  I don't think he is very motivated for hunting or killing.

SunnyDays

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #38 on: January 17, 2019, 10:24:48 AM »
As I've said, I've taken in 3 strays and had them all fixed and vetted regularly.  They all insist on going outdoors, likely because that's what they're used to.  They will scratch me to be let out and escape any chance they get if it's not too cold.  So, considering that they used to be outside ALL the time and are now out only some of the time, I consider that a win for all.  I can live with them catching a few birds and rabbits a year.  The much bigger threat to bird loss is loss of habitat and pesticides, so I do not feel guilty on that count.

Cassie

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #39 on: January 17, 2019, 10:54:37 AM »
It’s disgusting that people abandon their pets. Thanks to everyone that takes in strays.  We do dog rescue and many people don’t want them once they get old. It makes me sick.

dougules

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #40 on: January 17, 2019, 11:11:26 AM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

Most pets will prefer to be outdoors rather than in the home.  Dogs would certainly enjoy roaming around a neighbourhood rather than spending most of their time indoors.  Horses certainly don't want to stay in their pens and barns.  Pot bellied pigs would be happy to root through your neighbour's garden rather than spend time in your home.

Cats are domesticated animals.  The argument that they're outdoor creatures could possibly be made in their natural environment of Egypt, but it's patently ridiculous to claim in North America, where they are an aggressively invasive species.  Even when spayed/neutered, cats that negligent owners release every day cause significant environmental damage.  This is very well known:
https://daily.jstor.org/environmental-danger-outdoor-cats/
https://blog.nwf.org/2011/03/new-studies-highlight-impact-of-outdoor-cats-on-birds-and-other-wildlife/
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
https://www.labroots.com/trending/earth-and-the-environment/7965/outdoor-cat-killing-sustainability
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21236690

Besides the damage that these cats do to the natural environment, life outdoors for cats isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Cats are not native to North America.  They aren't well adapted to the parasites that exist here, they aren't well adapted to the climate where it dips below freezing, they are often subject to predation, and vehicles (I regularly see several dead cats along the side of the road as I cycle through farmland during the summer).

We have been battling feral cat colonies on and off for several years that negligent pet owners have created by abandoning their cats.  Four years ago, I was seeing diseased and very battered cats in my back yard every day.  They were leaving dead animals and birds all around my home, which I had to clean up.  When they started attacking our beagle, I purchased a trap and began taking the feral cats to the nearest shelter that euthanizes them.  These animals were missing eyes, ears, tails, often had open wounds, were covered with fleas, and absolutely weren't living happy lives.  A couple years ago a group of coyotes moved into the ravine near our home, and they appear to have solved the cat problem for the moment.  Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.

Humans are also an invasive species in North America and have had a much more devastating impact on the environment.  We really follow a pattern similar to kudzu or fire ants but much more pervasive. 

Also, life outdoors for humans isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Humans are a tropical species that's not at all well adapted to temperatures that drop even below 15C (vs cats that are actually reasonably well adapted to temperate climates).  Humans frequently get hit and killed by vehicles.  I also see lots of dead creatures on the side of the road that humans mercilessly kill. 

You're right that cats are an invasive species with heavy environmental impacts, but please don't hold my neutered domestic cat to a different standard than yourself.   


GuitarStv

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #41 on: January 17, 2019, 11:20:04 AM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

Most pets will prefer to be outdoors rather than in the home.  Dogs would certainly enjoy roaming around a neighbourhood rather than spending most of their time indoors.  Horses certainly don't want to stay in their pens and barns.  Pot bellied pigs would be happy to root through your neighbour's garden rather than spend time in your home.

Cats are domesticated animals.  The argument that they're outdoor creatures could possibly be made in their natural environment of Egypt, but it's patently ridiculous to claim in North America, where they are an aggressively invasive species.  Even when spayed/neutered, cats that negligent owners release every day cause significant environmental damage.  This is very well known:
https://daily.jstor.org/environmental-danger-outdoor-cats/
https://blog.nwf.org/2011/03/new-studies-highlight-impact-of-outdoor-cats-on-birds-and-other-wildlife/
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
https://www.labroots.com/trending/earth-and-the-environment/7965/outdoor-cat-killing-sustainability
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21236690

Besides the damage that these cats do to the natural environment, life outdoors for cats isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Cats are not native to North America.  They aren't well adapted to the parasites that exist here, they aren't well adapted to the climate where it dips below freezing, they are often subject to predation, and vehicles (I regularly see several dead cats along the side of the road as I cycle through farmland during the summer).

We have been battling feral cat colonies on and off for several years that negligent pet owners have created by abandoning their cats.  Four years ago, I was seeing diseased and very battered cats in my back yard every day.  They were leaving dead animals and birds all around my home, which I had to clean up.  When they started attacking our beagle, I purchased a trap and began taking the feral cats to the nearest shelter that euthanizes them.  These animals were missing eyes, ears, tails, often had open wounds, were covered with fleas, and absolutely weren't living happy lives.  A couple years ago a group of coyotes moved into the ravine near our home, and they appear to have solved the cat problem for the moment.  Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.

Humans are also an invasive species in North America and have had a much more devastating impact on the environment.  We really follow a pattern similar to kudzu or fire ants but much more pervasive. 

Also, life outdoors for humans isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Humans are a tropical species that's not at all well adapted to temperatures that drop even below 15C (vs cats that are actually reasonably well adapted to temperate climates).  Humans frequently get hit and killed by vehicles.  I also see lots of dead creatures on the side of the road that humans mercilessly kill. 

You're right that cats are an invasive species with heavy environmental impacts, but please don't hold my neutered domestic cat to a different standard than yourself.

I don't hold cats to any standard.  They're pets.  100% of this problem is on the shoulders of their negligent owners who abandon them (either permanently, or periodically . . . it amounts to the same thing), rather than look after them in a responsible manner.  Apologies if this wasn't made clear in my previous post.

If it makes you feel any better, I solemnly vow to trap and humanely euthanize any stray people found killing birds/small animals and attacking my dog in our fenced back yard.

dougules

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #42 on: January 17, 2019, 11:58:13 AM »
If you own a cat and let it outside, you are negligent.  Cat's do not belong outdoors.  They are an invasive species responsible for significant environmental damage.  They also get hit by cars, eaten by wildlife, and get into fights with other cats pretty regularly.  You've chosen to be a pet owner, with that privilege comes the responsibility to look after your animal.  Throwing them out the door is not looking after your animal.

I disagree with that one.  Cats are still mostly outdoor creatures, except for when we force them to be inside.  I actually think there's something sad about a cat that's afraid to go outdoors.  They're still way less domesticated than dogs.  Usually, anyway.  If the cat is fixed, has all it's shots, etc, I think it's fine to let them roam outside.  Yea, life is dangerous out there for a cat, but I don't think it's negligent or wrong to let a cat go out and live.  If they get into the neighbor's shit and cause damage/are a nuisance, that's another issue, but most cats you don't even know they're there unless you're my dad who hates cats so much even the sight of one pisses him off, but that's his issue, not the cat's :-)

Granted, the more densely-populated an area is the harder it is for a cat to be outside without ending up being a nuisance.  On the flip side, almost every farm has an outdoor cat.

Most pets will prefer to be outdoors rather than in the home.  Dogs would certainly enjoy roaming around a neighbourhood rather than spending most of their time indoors.  Horses certainly don't want to stay in their pens and barns.  Pot bellied pigs would be happy to root through your neighbour's garden rather than spend time in your home.

Cats are domesticated animals.  The argument that they're outdoor creatures could possibly be made in their natural environment of Egypt, but it's patently ridiculous to claim in North America, where they are an aggressively invasive species.  Even when spayed/neutered, cats that negligent owners release every day cause significant environmental damage.  This is very well known:
https://daily.jstor.org/environmental-danger-outdoor-cats/
https://blog.nwf.org/2011/03/new-studies-highlight-impact-of-outdoor-cats-on-birds-and-other-wildlife/
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
https://www.labroots.com/trending/earth-and-the-environment/7965/outdoor-cat-killing-sustainability
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-21236690

Besides the damage that these cats do to the natural environment, life outdoors for cats isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Cats are not native to North America.  They aren't well adapted to the parasites that exist here, they aren't well adapted to the climate where it dips below freezing, they are often subject to predation, and vehicles (I regularly see several dead cats along the side of the road as I cycle through farmland during the summer).

We have been battling feral cat colonies on and off for several years that negligent pet owners have created by abandoning their cats.  Four years ago, I was seeing diseased and very battered cats in my back yard every day.  They were leaving dead animals and birds all around my home, which I had to clean up.  When they started attacking our beagle, I purchased a trap and began taking the feral cats to the nearest shelter that euthanizes them.  These animals were missing eyes, ears, tails, often had open wounds, were covered with fleas, and absolutely weren't living happy lives.  A couple years ago a group of coyotes moved into the ravine near our home, and they appear to have solved the cat problem for the moment.  Of course, it's only momentary as owners will continue to abandon their cats every day.

If you choose to take on the responsibility of being a pet owner, then don't daily abdicate that responsibility by throwing your pet outdoors and hoping for the best.  That behaviour is disgusting, environmentally damaging, and morally indefensible.

Humans are also an invasive species in North America and have had a much more devastating impact on the environment.  We really follow a pattern similar to kudzu or fire ants but much more pervasive. 

Also, life outdoors for humans isn't as rosy as many misguided people seem to believe.  Humans are a tropical species that's not at all well adapted to temperatures that drop even below 15C (vs cats that are actually reasonably well adapted to temperate climates).  Humans frequently get hit and killed by vehicles.  I also see lots of dead creatures on the side of the road that humans mercilessly kill. 

You're right that cats are an invasive species with heavy environmental impacts, but please don't hold my neutered domestic cat to a different standard than yourself.

I don't hold cats to any standard.  They're pets.  100% of this problem is on the shoulders of their negligent owners who abandon them (either permanently, or periodically . . . it amounts to the same thing), rather than look after them in a responsible manner.  Apologies if this wasn't made clear in my previous post.

If it makes you feel any better, I solemnly vow to trap and humanely euthanize any stray people found killing birds/small animals and attacking my dog in our fenced back yard.

I completely agree with you on people who abandon cats or allow un-neutered/spayed cats to roam and make unwanted kittens. 

Ditto your second sentence for your dog. 

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #43 on: January 17, 2019, 12:06:28 PM »
If it makes you feel any better, I solemnly vow to trap and humanely euthanize any stray people found killing birds/small animals and attacking my dog in our fenced back yard.

I may rather you capture, spay or neuter, and release them.

GuitarStv

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #44 on: January 17, 2019, 12:17:16 PM »
If it makes you feel any better, I solemnly vow to trap and humanely euthanize any stray people found killing birds/small animals and attacking my dog in our fenced back yard.

I may rather you capture, spay or neuter, and release them.

Kinda seems less humane.  Plus, they can keep attacking my dog/killing birds in our back yard even after neutering.  :P

Another Reader

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #45 on: January 17, 2019, 12:19:14 PM »
Most of what GuitarStv has cited is flawed research often quoted by cat haters.

The biggest reason for declining bird populations by far is loss of habitat to humans.  With regard to cats killing birds, many different predators feed on birds.  They are low on the food chain.  They have relatively high rates of reproduction because of this.  Generally, most birds caught by cats would have been caught by other predators anyway.  The very young, the old, the sick and the injured are the usual victims of predation.  Same with any other food species.  Lots of egg loss with birds as well that has nothing to do with cats.

A recent study of deceased outdoor cat stomach contents showed mostly insects and lizards, followed by rodents.  Birds were a distant fourth. Other predators kill many more birds. 

You cannot eradicate cats in an urban environment, just as you can't eradicate cockroaches.  Removing cats just allows more to move in from neighboring territories and take their places.  The birth rate of the remaining animals also goes up to fill the void. 

The most effective and most humane solution is trap, neuter and return of feral cats.  Colonies can be monitored and over time will reduce in size as the colony cats die off.  Colony cats keep other cats out of the colony. The breeding cycle is interrupted.  Sort of like releasing a million sterile mosquitoes in a neighborhood where there are hundreds of millions.  The offensive mating behavior also goes away and you rarely see feral cats during the day in a colony setting.

Would it be better if we did not have stray and feral cats?  Sure.  Unfortunately, personal responsibility is somewhat lacking in society today, especially when it comes to pets.  Fix that, and the problem of stray and feral cats, as well as a lot of our other social issues, will go away.

GuitarStv

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #46 on: January 17, 2019, 01:01:48 PM »
FTR, I don't believe that cats are the only reason for declining bird populations . . . and have not said such.  I also like cats quite a bit, they can be lovely pets.  It's possible to like cats and see TNR programs as patently ridiculous.  It's quite true that there are a whole variety of things causing damage to the environment.  That doesn't mean that we should ignore the significant problem that feral cats create though.

The solution to the problems of invasive species is not to maintain colonies of the invasive for indefinite periods of time.  Unless we're talking about cats.  In which case emotions seem to matter much more than logic.

Cats are the only invasive species in the world treated in this manner (TNR).  Seriously.  Asian carp, the cane toad, the European rabbit, the Indian Mongoose, Feral hogs . . . this list could go on forever (we can trap, neuter, and release them all), and yet ONLY for cats does TNR even enter the conversation.  I don't hate cats, just as I don't hate rabbits or hogs, but if TNR is the only humane way to deal with the problem of invasive species it's really weird that nobody's suggesting TNR for rabbits and hogs.

Cats are cute and cuddly, and make wonderful pets.  TNR programs are a foolish waste of money though, that doesn't remotely begin to address the problems caused by having these large populations of alien species wandering around.

I am in complete agreement that the lack of personal responsibility by cat owners is the root cause of the problem, and would support any effort to increase this level of responsibility.  One thing that I think would help significantly is if we as a society stop saying that it's OK to abandon pet cats to wander around outside every day.  This feeds the myth that cats need to roam free and will be perfectly fine on their own.  I suspect that it's adherence to and acceptance of this myth that causes much of the current feral cat problem in existence today.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2019, 01:09:35 PM by GuitarStv »

Another Reader

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #47 on: January 17, 2019, 01:32:24 PM »
You cannot accomplish what you want by trapping and removing, except on a desert island.  Trap and kill has never worked.  Six months to a year later, you have the same problem as more cats move in or are abandoned.  I tell people in animal control and shelter work that they are killing the same cats over and over.  The genetic material is largely the same in the neighboring areas from where the new cats emigrate.  If you tried to eradicate all cats in a city or county by putting a bounty on them, the cat lovers would have their representatives fire you.  Since you can't accomplish your goal, the logical solution is to find a way to manage the population and keep it from reproducing as much as possible.

One of the biggest problems is that cat kibble is cheap and that encourages people to feed the "poor starving animals."  No matter how many laws you pass against feeding strays, people will continue to do it.  Unfortunately, in most jurisdictions it's expensive to spay and neuter plus it takes work.  Putting out a bowl of food and some water?  Easy.  Solving the problem?  Difficult and expensive.  Prosecuting cruelty and abandonment cases would help as well.  It's increasing, but underfunded courts with higher priorities mean change is slow.

Most of the invasive species you mention are not well controlled using catch and kill.  Nature is smarter than that.  In addition, the distinction between these species and cats is that cats are a domesticated human companion animal species.  You are not going to get much support for killing all the cats that get outside from the taxpaying and voting public.

In Santa Clara County all of the shelters with one exception TNR all feral cats that come into their shelter and are healthy enough to release.  Shelter intake and the outdoor populations as measured by several parameters are declining.  Even in Bakersfield, the center of personal irresponsibility in California, the TNR program is reducing the population.  Some combination of TNR and keeping people from abandoning animals will go a lot farther in solving the problem than trying to trap and eradicate outdoor cats.


Cassie

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #48 on: January 17, 2019, 02:00:30 PM »
TNR is working in our community. Volunteers are a important resource that makes the program successful.  If we could solve the problem by killing it would have been solved by now.

GuitarStv

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Re: Found a lost cat (I think) -- need advice
« Reply #49 on: January 17, 2019, 02:20:23 PM »
You cannot accomplish what you want by trapping and removing, except on a desert island.  Trap and kill has never worked.  Six months to a year later, you have the same problem as more cats move in or are abandoned.  I tell people in animal control and shelter work that they are killing the same cats over and over.  The genetic material is largely the same in the neighboring areas from where the new cats emigrate.  If you tried to eradicate all cats in a city or county by putting a bounty on them, the cat lovers would have their representatives fire you.  Since you can't accomplish your goal, the logical solution is to find a way to manage the population and keep it from reproducing as much as possible.

One of the biggest problems is that cat kibble is cheap and that encourages people to feed the "poor starving animals."  No matter how many laws you pass against feeding strays, people will continue to do it.  Unfortunately, in most jurisdictions it's expensive to spay and neuter plus it takes work.  Putting out a bowl of food and some water?  Easy.  Solving the problem?  Difficult and expensive.  Prosecuting cruelty and abandonment cases would help as well.  It's increasing, but underfunded courts with higher priorities mean change is slow.

Most of the invasive species you mention are not well controlled using catch and kill.  Nature is smarter than that.  In addition, the distinction between these species and cats is that cats are a domesticated human companion animal species.  You are not going to get much support for killing all the cats that get outside from the taxpaying and voting public.

In Santa Clara County all of the shelters with one exception TNR all feral cats that come into their shelter and are healthy enough to release.  Shelter intake and the outdoor populations as measured by several parameters are declining.  Even in Bakersfield, the center of personal irresponsibility in California, the TNR program is reducing the population.  Some combination of TNR and keeping people from abandoning animals will go a lot farther in solving the problem than trying to trap and eradicate outdoor cats.

Controlling invasive species is never easy.

As long as people continue to dump their cats outdoors, you're right.  There is no solution that will work for the problem.  TNR is more expensive and ineffective, but euthanizing the animals is made ineffective when there's an inexhaustible supply of cats.  I've yet to see much hard data showing that TNR is actually works better than simply killing invasive species, but am more than willing to support programs that work if you've got them.  There's an awful lot of information that shows it doesn't work very well, or gets mixed results at best.