"The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

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"The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by scrolllock » 03 Nov 2014, 8:16 am

Listening to a program about the different threats to the native ecosystem (in the Kimberleys specifically I think it was), and feral cats is one obviously.

An area they'd focuses on and tagged cats and prey to get an idea of what's happening they worked out they have about 1 cat per square kilometer over a 20,000 sq km area and each cat kills on average 5 natives a night.

No body argued it wasn't a problem, but the clincher at the end was the guy saying "The problem is what to do with them". That was the end of it.

Not even an acknowledgement of shooting there, or getting rid of all the red tape crap in WA - you blokes must just about have it worst of all from what I've read?

No efforts to make things easier for shooters who are willing to get out and work on the problem. Meanwhile, 100,000 natives a night going down to feral cats.

:|
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by NukeBOMB88 » 03 Nov 2014, 9:44 pm

This is ridiculous . I can't understand how the government does not see that there would be hundreds of shooters willing to clean up the feral cats. I saw on landline the other day that feral cats in Australia kill a total of 20 BILLION native animals a year! 20000000000!
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Westy » 04 Nov 2014, 7:21 am

They work really well in crab pots!!!Great bait!!!!
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by 1290 » 04 Nov 2014, 7:38 am

The solution is staring you in the face.
Simple effective and this would therefore be the last generation of them, so obviously - STERILISE THEM. every last one of them....

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and just shoot the cats
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by bigfellascott » 04 Nov 2014, 8:11 am

I'm happy to keep putting holes in the feral bastards!
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by 1290 » 04 Nov 2014, 9:54 am

bigfellascott wrote:I'm happy to keep putting holes in the feral bastards!

what about the cats.....?
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by bigfellascott » 04 Nov 2014, 10:44 am

1290 wrote:
bigfellascott wrote:I'm happy to keep putting holes in the feral bastards!

what about the cats.....?


:lol: :lol:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by AusC » 04 Nov 2014, 11:21 am

No problem... I've got plenty of ammo ;)
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by MeccaOz » 04 Nov 2014, 12:41 pm

scrolllock wrote:Listening to a program about the different threats to the native ecosystem (in the Kimberleys specifically I think it was), and feral cats is one obviously.

An area they'd focuses on and tagged cats and prey to get an idea of what's happening they worked out they have about 1 cat per square kilometer over a 20,000 sq km area and each cat kills on average 5 natives a night.

No body argued it wasn't a problem, but the clincher at the end was the guy saying "The problem is what to do with them". That was the end of it.

Not even an acknowledgement of shooting there, or getting rid of all the red tape crap in WA - you blokes must just about have it worst of all from what I've read?

No efforts to make things easier for shooters who are willing to get out and work on the problem. Meanwhile, 100,000 natives a night going down to feral cats.

:|

Your right mate, they wouldnt even consider it, and if they did one single anti with some ballsed up notion, will send them scurrying to the darkness again... Meanwhile environmentalists such as myself will still keep doing our best to eradicate them on the quite :D
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by bigfellascott » 04 Nov 2014, 12:47 pm

Pretty sure land line had a show on the feral cats in Tas recently, up shot of it was they were causing issues with lambs etc, some plasmatoxosis or something like that which was causing the ewes to abort and apparently its commons in cats and spread by them (pissing and s**ting in hay etc).

Just another in a long list of reasons to get out there and explode em!! :lol:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by 1290 » 04 Nov 2014, 1:43 pm

I recall it may have been that landline episode where they spoke about federal funding of some ridiculously small amount to combat the real and significant problem of feral cats....while there is a whole federal department (now revived) to tackle a problem that as many people discount than actually believe in.... climate change,more particularly anthropogenic or man induced climate change. Throw billions at this mythology, while feral are decimating the country and hurting agriculture NOW.....doesnt make sense. In decades time the tards think they'll save the globe from us.. but we'll be over run with feral cats, dogs, pigs, goats etc and have no natives left....but we would have prevented a tenth of a degree in average temp rise!!! Yay!
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by bigfellascott » 04 Nov 2014, 3:07 pm

I'm going to keep on using my tried and true method, hasn't let one live yet

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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by MeccaOz » 04 Nov 2014, 3:34 pm

1290 wrote:I recall it may have been that landline episode where they spoke about federal funding of some ridiculously small amount to combat the real and significant problem of feral cats....while there is a whole federal department (now revived) to tackle a problem that as many people discount than actually believe in.... climate change,more particularly anthropogenic or man induced climate change. Throw billions at this mythology, while feral are decimating the country and hurting agriculture NOW.....doesnt make sense. In decades time the tards think they'll save the globe from us.. but we'll be over run with feral cats, dogs, pigs, goats etc and have no natives left....but we would have prevented a tenth of a degree in average temp rise!!! Yay!


+ 1


And nice pics Bigfella :D
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Gwion » 05 Nov 2014, 8:35 pm

bigfellascott wrote:Pretty sure land line had a show on the feral cats in Tas recently, up shot of it was they were causing issues with lambs etc, some plasmatoxosis or something like that which was causing the ewes to abort and apparently its commons in cats and spread by them (pissing and s**ting in hay etc).

Just another in a long list of reasons to get out there and explode em!! :lol:



I didn't see that particular show, Scott but you are right.

Cats spread toxoplasmosis in their poo. It gets into the pastures and is picked up by native grazers as well as lambs and such. A local farmer lost around 100 lambs because none of his neighbours bother shooting cats. Even the dairy farmer i work for isn't too keen on me knocking the 3 or 4 that hang around the dairy. "keep the rats and mice down" they say. I like him, so i'm not going to argue the point. But it is a popular local belief that cats don't do any harm.

I know i have a few on my patch, but they are elusive little buggers.

Toxo is a weird condition. On larger animals, like lambs, it causes scourers that come out "like black tar", so the animal can't absorb any goodness from it's feed. The ewes are big enough to survive but they pass it on to the young in the milk. In smaller animals, like mice and such, it gets into their brain and turns them into "zombies". They lose all fear and natural instincts. There was a doco on it recently and they showed a mouse walking right up to a cat and getting munched. Easy feed for the cat, which reinfects the cats poo and starts the cycle again.

But what to do about cats??? Sure, shoot as many as you can and then some but i don't think it's possible to knock 'em all. Responsible pet ownership is a start. Stop anymore of them getting out there and destroying stuff.
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Westy » 05 Nov 2014, 8:41 pm

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

More for the Crab Pot or Red Claw Pots for some of you guys!!!!!
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by bigfellascott » 05 Nov 2014, 9:07 pm

Thanks for that G, some interesting insights into how it all works, they certainly are an environmental disaster in more ways than one aren't they.
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Aussier » 06 Nov 2014, 11:19 am

Gwion wrote:But what to do about cats??? Sure, shoot as many as you can and then some but i don't think it's possible to knock 'em all. Responsible pet ownership is a start. Stop anymore of them getting out there and destroying stuff.


There is no perfect solution. I reckon hunting has to be the cheapest, fastest, most effective one though.

Better than some of the f***ing ridiculous "alternatives" that get put out.

How about the one to capture and de-sex them before releasing them back into the wild? :shock: :roll:

Rocket scientists we've got here...
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by North East » 06 Nov 2014, 11:32 am

They are pretty easy to trap…then just get rid of them anyway you see fit…no point wasting a bullet.
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by North East » 06 Nov 2014, 12:08 pm

Here's a couple I got some time ago…they weren't shot but they were disposed of.
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Gwion » 06 Nov 2014, 12:19 pm

Aussier wrote:
Gwion wrote:But what to do about cats??? Sure, shoot as many as you can and then some but i don't think it's possible to knock 'em all. Responsible pet ownership is a start. Stop anymore of them getting out there and destroying stuff.


There is no perfect solution. I reckon hunting has to be the cheapest, fastest, most effective one though.

Better than some of the f***ing ridiculous "alternatives" that get put out.

How about the one to capture and de-sex them before releasing them back into the wild? :shock: :roll:

Rocket scientists we've got here...



Absolutely, there is no perfect solution. Unfortunately, it all probably comes down to long term management at this stage. Shoot & trap as many as you can but in reality, for every one you get there are five more with in cooee and the problem is recruitment. No only do they breed like all get out but you get wizbang 'cat lovers' who see no harm in raising more cats than they can possibly look after and are horrified by the notion of euthanasia.

Sure, there's legislation in place in most states that i know of that dictates that pet cats should be desexed and in some places there are rule regarding the number you can keep and when they are allowed out doors (like, not at night). Too many people just don't see the issue and ignor the guide lines. This is irresponsible pet ownership.

One local lady (nice woman and i'm friendly with her and her partner) was complaining about quolls getting at her chooks. Did she have adequate housing? No. I have chooks and quolls and never lost a chook to a quoll yet (touch wood) because my housing is well and truely quoll proof. Anyway, that's a side note. This 'cat lover', in her next breath, was telling me how a 'stray' started hanging around her place eating her (3) cats' food as it was heavily pregnant. She allowed it to live in the laundry to birth it's kittens and then it disappeared again and left her to deal with "homing" the kittens. She even drove to Hobart (from Nth Tas) to deliver a kitten. In her defense, she did get them desexed. I think she has five cats now. And you can't tell her, she just doesn't listen. Lovely lady, but what a cat loving nut job!!! Murderous intent towards quolls but don't hurt poor puddy tat!??! :shock:

It's people like this that are the main problem for long term management. No matter how many you trap or shoot, people who don't want to pay for desexing or just think Moggy should be allowed to live a free and natural life keep adding a high rate of out side recruitment into the mix.

How do you fix that???
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Aussier » 06 Nov 2014, 4:49 pm

North East wrote:They are pretty easy to trap…then just get rid of them anyway you see fit…no point wasting a bullet.


I reckon I can pull my finger faster than you can setup and clear a trap ;)

I'll just wear the 50c, for the good of the country! :lol:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by tom604 » 06 Nov 2014, 5:52 pm

Shooting - wont get them all (as fun as it is)

1080 - wont get them all and you get a lot of extra kills

Trapping - wont get them all and is labour intensive and costly, would have to hire a full time trapper(pick me)

All three - wont get them all

Class all cats as feral,tame, wild, show cats, all of them? wont see the light of day :evil:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by North East » 06 Nov 2014, 6:33 pm

Aussier wrote:
North East wrote:They are pretty easy to trap…then just get rid of them anyway you see fit…no point wasting a bullet.


I reckon I can pull my finger faster than you can setup and clear a trap ;)

I'll just wear the 50c, for the good of the country! :lol:


Give them swimming lessons and the traps are cleared pretty quickly…easy to set up again with a few anchovies. I'm not setting my .30-06 off in a cage…it will probably be destroyed and the bullets could go anywhere.
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Die Judicii » 08 Nov 2014, 10:18 pm

When they step off the verandah,,,,,,,,,, they're FERAL.

Neighbours cats make good hats.

Hey there bigfellah,,,,,,,, that black one half way down your pics didnt happen to be a Texas Heart shot by any chance ??? :lol:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Combat_Wombat » 08 Nov 2014, 10:21 pm

Let me live in the kimberlies with a swag, a 10/22 and a shipping container full of ammo. Won't get them all but I'll have a great time trying :lol:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by bigfellascott » 08 Nov 2014, 11:11 pm

Die Judicii wrote:When they step off the verandah,,,,,,,,,, they're FERAL.

Neighbours cats make good hats.

Hey there bigfellah,,,,,,,, that black one half way down your pics didnt happen to be a Texas Heart shot by any chance ??? :lol:


Yeah he was on the run about 80-90m out and stayed in one of the furrows a few seconds longer than he should have! that problem was soon fixed with a 55gn Sierra Super Roo from the 22-250 up his freckle, he was just jelly inside that skin! :shock: No more native killing spree for that cat!
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Die Judicii » 09 Nov 2014, 5:04 pm

So thats what a REAL Jelly Belly looks like ?

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by RoginaJack » 09 Nov 2014, 9:04 pm

OK - Point 1 - The feral cat problem in Tassie is huge, along with other Australian states. Just look at the millions of dollars that was thrown at the Tasmanian Fox Eradication Program to save the unique wildlife BUT cats were excluded.

Point 2. Along with the eradication programs mentioned above by others, there is one other that the Government has in the arsenal - cat flu. This virus would certainly thin out the little pests BUT it would require all registered moggy owners to have their pussies vaccinated. The vet could also "fix up" the Toms and Molly's at the same time. BUT, always a "BUT" the problem being is that the "little old aged" pensioner that feeds the 27 stray cats in her backyard would whinge "that she couldn't afford to have her family vaccinated". etc. etc. So there goes that part solution.

Point 3 What government, either Local, state or Federal has run a eradication program together with a bounty system for, say 5 - 10 years. The ones I've seen have only been short term, not all that well run and ad hock - too much fragmented state stuff and no federal long term strategy, control or planning.

Why?
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by North East » 09 Nov 2014, 10:43 pm

Just shoot them or trap them and drown them…I don't give a stuff about ethics when cats are around.
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Re: "The problem is what to do with them" ... Feral cats

Post by Westy » 10 Nov 2014, 7:59 pm

Here's a novel idea just give them away :lol: :lol: :lol:
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