20 May 2010

Cats, what you can and can't do with them?

| Captain RAAF
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Firstly, I don’t like em’, they are horrible creatures that don’t belong here and I point the finger of blame firmly at my mum for being a breeder of Persians when I was but a lad (back then I loved them) for creating this complete lack of empathy towards our feline masters through over-exposure and knowledge of their evil intent to enslave us all.

We all have the odd wandering moggie slip silently through our yards or in some cases, fight furiously with another cat outside our bedroom windows at 2 am but what rights do we have to actually deal with them?

Now before anyone says “Deal with them? Why ‘deal’ with them, just leave them be!”, I would like to draw your attention to the beautiful crimson Rosella corpse (*points at corpse) in my backyard that my daughter saw die at the paws of a cat this morning. Somewhere, this birds mate is sitting in a tree wondering what the hell it’s going to do for the next 20+ years because I believe they mate for life, anyway..

I’m all for catching cats and taking them to the pound IF they have some form of identification on them such as a collar or Medicare card but where does one stand if they have nothing? Can a resident treat them as feral cats, which are an identified feral species (pest) and legal to neutralise, just so long as it’s done humanely? Or must one expend more of their own time and money to deliver said ‘feral’ cat to the pound?

Where does one stand legally?

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Captain RAAF2:31 pm 28 Aug 11

EvanJames said :

How many cats do you get, on average? Weekly?

I have caught approx 15 cats in the last 18 months.

sarahsarah said :

churl said :

I must admit, it doesn’t stop them from killing bugs and spiders that wander into the run and bringing them inside.

That’s just a tiny fraction of the insects you kill whenever you get in the car and drive down the road.

Sorry, just sick of people going on about ‘cat’s killing things’. We kill way more things, it’s just the way it is. Just for interest how much did your cat cage from catnip cost you? I saw a mad cage setup at a clients house that had a huge run in the back yard with little walkways going around high on the brick walls and a little run going and ending up on the roof so the cats can sit up high!

The folks in my neighbourhood who have had cat traps out managed to get the nine strays within a week. That was five adult cats and four kittens. Sure, they catch neighbours’ cats too, but since they have collars with phone numbers on, they don’t go to the pound. They do go home with a note attached to their collar along the lines of, “please keep me inside at night so the pound doesn’t take me away.”

Various cats in this neighbourhood have killed bats, possums, starlings, sparrows, mynahs (silver/”noisy” native as well as the indian variety), rosellas, etc. Basically any bird that will come to ground to eat, and more often than not the one’s I’m trying to attract to my neighbourhood because I like their company.

As for previous comments about “textbook signs” of serial killers, there are no specific combinations of traits or characteristics shown to differentiate serial killers from other violent offenders. (well, outside the world of crime fiction, at any rate).

How many cats do you get, on average? Weekly?

Captain RAAF8:57 pm 27 Aug 11

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Tooks said :

Henry82 said :

Stevian said :

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

hahahahahahaa alright Mr CSI boxset.

What did the police say out of curiosity? i’m sure they’re putting their finest officers on the case

Chief Wiggum: “Wow, your story is very compelling, Mr. Jackass, I mean, uh, Simpson. So I’ll just type it up on my invisible typewriter.”

I’m still waiting for the cops to turn up, petal. Got my toothbrush ready to go!

You can run but you can’t hide

I’m not ruuning clown, here I am, come get me! The trap is still set up as we speak, so all the evidence of my ‘crime’ is there for all to see….

Captain RAAF said :

Tooks said :

Henry82 said :

Stevian said :

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

hahahahahahaa alright Mr CSI boxset.

What did the police say out of curiosity? i’m sure they’re putting their finest officers on the case

Chief Wiggum: “Wow, your story is very compelling, Mr. Jackass, I mean, uh, Simpson. So I’ll just type it up on my invisible typewriter.”

I’m still waiting for the cops to turn up, petal. Got my toothbrush ready to go!

You can run but you can’t hide

no room is too small to swing a cat

Captain RAAF1:10 pm 27 Aug 11

Tooks said :

Henry82 said :

Stevian said :

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

hahahahahahaa alright Mr CSI boxset.

What did the police say out of curiosity? i’m sure they’re putting their finest officers on the case

Chief Wiggum: “Wow, your story is very compelling, Mr. Jackass, I mean, uh, Simpson. So I’ll just type it up on my invisible typewriter.”

I’m still waiting for the cops to turn up, petal. Got my toothbrush ready to go!

Henry82 said :

Stevian said :

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

hahahahahahaa alright Mr CSI boxset.

What did the police say out of curiosity? i’m sure they’re putting their finest officers on the case

Chief Wiggum: “Wow, your story is very compelling, Mr. Jackass, I mean, uh, Simpson. So I’ll just type it up on my invisible typewriter.”

If anyone hurts my cats I’ll come around with a baseball bat and put them in hospital. Oh, actually, i should rephrase that, my partner will have probably already have done so. Having said that, my cats are kept inside all the time so it’s a mute point.

Don’t you just love internet heroes who threaten violence over simple things such as controlling feral animals?

We had feral cats in our neighbourhood. The judicious use of cat traps has removed the problem. We know they were feral cats because they didn’t have ID, and they weren’t neutered. We knew they weren’t neutered because they were breeding.

Anyone who wants to lecture me about how wonderful cats are and how we as humans are obligated to care for them, is free to drop by and pick up any of the feral cats in our neighbourhood.

Stevian said :

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

hahahahahahaa alright Mr CSI boxset.

What did the police say out of curiosity? i’m sure they’re putting their finest officers on the case

Innovation said :

Watson said :

I have learnt a long time ago that certain types of blokes love talking about killing fluffy kittens.

Would it make you feel better if we shaved them first?

And there was me thinking it was safe to drink Coke again while reading comments.

Watson said :

I have learnt a long time ago that certain types of blokes love talking about killing fluffy kittens.

Would it make you feel better if we shaved them first?

I have learnt a long time ago that certain types of blokes love talking about killing fluffy kittens. Never bothered analysing it though. Only know that the more attention you give them, the more they do it. Meh.

I have no problem with letting cats outdoors as long as you don’t live near a nature reserve or busy road.

churl said :

If a rare cat owner stumbles on this thread looking for information: lock up your cats.
Keeps everyone happy. Birds and cats and neighbours.
Cat runs are easy to make or buy.
Locally see
http://home.netspeed.com.au/reguli/catenclos.htm
http://www.catnip.com.au/
http://www.balcourt.com.au/
(I have no links to, or direct experience of those companies).

I can vouch for Catnip – they installed our cat run (why yes, we actually do keep our microchipped de-sexed cats indoors 24/7) and we are really happy with it. The cats love it too 😉

I must admit, it doesn’t stop them from killing bugs and spiders that wander into the run and bringing them inside. One of them left a legless grasshopper in the hallway one day. The thing was huge – as big as my thumb! Thinking it was dead I bent down with a tissue to pick it up and it flailed its stumps at me. *shudder* Poor little thing. I’ve no doubt they could easily kill a bird or small mammal and that’s why we keep them inside. That and they are as mischievous as hell and have absolutely no road sense!

Incidentally, spraying citronella oil around the fenceline of your property works as a very effective deterrent to both stray cats and stray dogs. They don’t like the smell at all and learn very quickly to avoid your yard. Plus keeps mozzies away in summer.
Keep it natural.

Whingers. Firstly I don’t like ’em. They are horrible creatures that don’t belong here….Oh wait, my bad, this IS Canberra afterall…

I doubt you honestly can blame your ‘lack of empathy’ on your poor, long suffering, cat loving mother. Why don’t you stretch out on the couch and lets dig a little deeper to really discover why you feel the need to consider killing an animal while enquiring as to the possible legal ramifications in advance. Some of us call that ‘Premeditation’.

Captain RAAF2:40 pm 26 Aug 11

Look, I have to duck out and get milk and bread, are the cop’s coming or what?

As for the time it takes to catch cats, pffft, set the trap, catch the cat, throw the whole cage in the boot of the car, drop the cat off at the RSPCA on your way to work. Costs you 10 minutes per cat. Its the ones I catch on the weekend that are the pain in the arse!

As the po-po are on their way to pick me up for being a potential pilot or cereal eater or something though, I am going hard core all weekend to catch as many cats as I can before I go do some serious porridge.

If a rare cat owner stumbles on this thread looking for information: lock up your cats.
Keeps everyone happy. Birds and cats and neighbours.
Cat runs are easy to make or buy.
Locally see
http://home.netspeed.com.au/reguli/catenclos.htm
http://www.catnip.com.au/
http://www.balcourt.com.au/
(I have no links to, or direct experience of those companies).

Captain RAAF said :

Watson said :

Calamity said :

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

+10
Dead set weirdo.

+100

-111, there, everything’s back to normal! =-)

Seriously though people, apart from the obvious fact that you’re all sick in the head – Where are you finding the time for all this alleged cat killing? Get a life FFS.

Captain RAAF2:12 pm 26 Aug 11

Watson said :

Calamity said :

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

+10
Dead set weirdo.

+100

-111, there, everything’s back to normal! =-)

Captain RAAF2:11 pm 26 Aug 11

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

Ooh…ok then, I’ll just wait here until they arrive………….

Hey, um, I like aircraft too, can you inform Qantas too please and let them know I may be a potential pilot?

Still waiting….., I’ll go meet them out the front, surely they’d be straight here….wouldn’t they?

Calamity said :

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

+10
Dead set weirdo.

+100

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

+10
Dead set weirdo.

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

Hahahahaha, you are off your head……

I stand by my original pronouncement.

Ben_Dover said :

EvanJames said :

What the bloody hell is special fried rice?!

Fried rice, extra msg, heavy on the cat, additional E number E102, C.I. 19140, FD&C Yellow 5, reheated especially for you in a traditional microwave.

Captain RAAF said :

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

Textbook signs of a potential serial killer.
Police have been informed

Thank you for sharing, RAAF.
I will check out Ebay and hopefully, by the end of next week, start testing the trap.
Cheers.

Captain RAAF11:34 am 26 Aug 11

Henry82 said :

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

Cats are very fast and nimble so an attempt to run them over will usually result in a tyre strike to their rear quarters as they leap to safety, breaking their back legs and/or pelvis. They are pretty much screwed after that. No bull bar necessary.

For people wanting to catch cats that come into their yard, buy a cat/possum trap from Ebay. Mine set me back about $60 delivered. A $2 tin of cat food, the ones that have a metal ring-pull on the lid are best as you just crack the tin open slightly so the aroma’s within can lure the cats into the trap and the hook on the trap actuator is attached to the ring on the lid of the cat food. You can get a couple of weeks out of one can this way.

I have a rogues gallery of almost every cat (and the 1 dog) I have caught as I like to take a picture for sentimental reasons. I’ll see if I can somehow post it on my Twitter page for you to see.

DUB said :

Not actively-only if and when I see them..

Hey dub, how do you go in terms of damage to your car? I’m thinking of getting a bullbar, perhaps a steel ARB for confirmed kill. Looking for opinions from an experienced driver/pest controller like yourself.

I can’t believe that there are people here who actively and deliberately go out of their way to try and kill cats.

They are someone’s pet. Probably the little girl who lives around the corner and who will be devestated when she finds her cat gone.

At least CPN RAAF takes his to the RSPCA where they can be returned to their owner.

Not actively-only if and when I see them.
Also, there is not a single little girl around, to whom it may belong.
And I highly doubt that cats will be returned to their owners-they are un-registered, roam the street even at night.The reason why I will not take them to RSPCA-they , without a doubt, have fleas and other sh*t, why would I want them in my car?i am fussy.
I envy Captain RAAF on how it feels to get rid off pests with 9 lives.

poetix said :

Also, by letting them wander, the owners risk the cats being squashed. I regularly see dead cats by the side of the road.

Oh God, perhaps I live near Captain RAAF. That explains the bangs and loud meows and the smell of napalm in the morning…

Ahh, the smell of eggs, bacon, and napalm in the morning!

Takes me back to my childhood!

As much as I try to run over the cats on my street, when they are sitting right on the road, I had no luck yet.My neighbour has 3 free roaming cats (one is constantly pregnant :-/ ), then there is gay dudes living across the road-they have 2 cats, bogans next to them have at least one cat….I only have a dog? who does not mind giving them a chaise when he is out on backyard and they come.
And another day I have discovered bunch of feathers and bones from Rosella, far end of my backyard.
What is the best way to get rid off these cats?Put aspirin in a cat food?

Also, by letting them wander, the owners risk the cats being squashed. I regularly see dead cats by the side of the road.

Oh God, perhaps I live near Captain RAAF. That explains the bangs and loud meows and the smell of napalm in the morning…

Rangi said :

Cats, what you can and can’t do with them?

I think a nice stew or curry would be best, anything similar to what you would do with a rabbit would probably work.

It’s only illeagal if you get caught

Buddy, seriously, take a nice road trip to Dalby, and try out the Chinese restaurant in town.

Order anything called chicken!

You will learn, as I did, Cat tastes awful!

Either that, or he just cant cook it, in either case THAT WAS NOT CHICKEN!

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

I’m worried about the environmental damage your little girl will cause as an affluent member of a developed nation. So much carbon, so much methane, all those chemicals. So what are my rights? Where do I stand legally? I’m pretty sure the Bible says I can sell her into slavery to a neighbouring nation, so I guess a buyer in Queanbeyan would count. Otherwise, I’m sure that after a few weeks in a dark hole and plenty of lotion she’d make a lovely suede jacket.

You would save on your own carbon foot print if you turn you computer off now, permanently!

Just trying to help you out mate! 🙂

Cats, what you can and can’t do with them?

I think a nice stew or curry would be best, anything similar to what you would do with a rabbit would probably work.

It’s only illeagal if you get caught

Eppo said :

Keep your filthy moggy inside at night and there are no dramas. Be a responsible pet owner and there are no dramas!

Which is such basic common sense it’s a shame that it has to be said.

Interestingly, Instanbul has so many cats you trip over them in the street 🙂

And in the cafes, and the mosques, and the Hagia bloody Sophia. They’re fearless. 🙂

Rusalka said :

We caught a feral cat in our fox trap and took it to the RSPCA in Weston. The guys were great, even though it took 3 of them to transfer the bastard out of our trap and into theirs (there were injuries from the guys too and they just laughed it off). They said they preferred people to bring the ferals to them as at least they knew the animals where put down humanely. But that being said, they need to be open for that to happen.

Foxes are another matter. RSPCA won’t take them and you have to wait until a ranger comes to kill the fox at your place. The ACT Government refuse to put fox bait around within suburban areas as if a dog is off the leash and eats it up Mt Taylor, it might die. So you with furry pets are rated higher than my ducks and chickens being massacred in their own yard/run by the horrid things.

Back on point, I think that if your dog is wandering around nature reserve off the leash then it’s on the owners head what the poor dog eats, bait or native animals. Same goes for cats wandering. And Captain has a right to remove animals from his yard if he doesn’t want them there.

Capt. RAAF, I applaud your efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle/compost cats. I have little sympathy for them especially when they’re roving around mowing down native animals and crapping in my veggie patch. Taking them to the pound/RSPCA is very ethical, well done.

Rusalka, I agree foxes who murdering poultry should also be up there as ENEMY #1 (with cats) but I would have to disagree on advocating 1080 poison (used to control foxes in the country) in urban areas.

Have you ever seen the results of 1080? I have. It’s the cruelest death you’re ever likely to see. Now, I understand you’re advocating an eye for an eye type approach – if the fox kills the chicken (also an awful death) then the fox deserves to die too. BUT if a dog, while on a lead or under the control of their owner were to dig up and eat 1080 poison in the local park, it would be a most traumatic experience.

Seeing your dog go mad with pain, screaming in agony is not something I’ want to witness ever again. We had to shoot her to save her from further agony. This was on a rural property – I wonder how someone would deal with this situation in the city, as the reaction time can be very quick and getting them to a vet is often useless.

I say trapping and euthanasia is a far better option in urban areas.

Captain RAAF5:13 pm 25 Aug 11

JazzyJess said :

Have you checked to see if any of the cats belong to your neighbours? As others have rightly pointed out many people microchip but don’t collar their cats. BTW I don’t care for dogs but I respect my neighbours right to have them and don’t round them up for DAS or the Pound every time one shits in my yard or barks.

I wish people would read, YES, I know the cats that belong to my good neighbors and I let them go. I also know the cats that belong to my feral neighbors and I am happy to say they are now cat-less.

We caught a feral cat in our fox trap and took it to the RSPCA in Weston. The guys were great, even though it took 3 of them to transfer the bastard out of our trap and into theirs (there were injuries from the guys too and they just laughed it off). They said they preferred people to bring the ferals to them as at least they knew the animals where put down humanely. But that being said, they need to be open for that to happen.

Foxes are another matter. RSPCA won’t take them and you have to wait until a ranger comes to kill the fox at your place. The ACT Government refuse to put fox bait around within suburban areas as if a dog is off the leash and eats it up Mt Taylor, it might die. So you with furry pets are rated higher than my ducks and chickens being massacred in their own yard/run by the horrid things.

Back on point, I think that if your dog is wandering around nature reserve off the leash then it’s on the owners head what the poor dog eats, bait or native animals. Same goes for cats wandering. And Captain has a right to remove animals from his yard if he doesn’t want them there.

Have you checked to see if any of the cats belong to your neighbours? As others have rightly pointed out many people microchip but don’t collar their cats. BTW I don’t care for dogs but I respect my neighbours right to have them and don’t round them up for DAS or the Pound every time one shits in my yard or barks.

Captain RAAF4:17 pm 25 Aug 11

carnardly said :

some owners do give a toss.

I’d like to think i’m one of them. Microchipped, collared and double belled, and inside every night not negotiable. Semetimes she is inside all day as well, and there are days that she’s outside too.

I guess unless i electrify my property, or gate it 15 foot high, there is the possibility that she could go next door. (Given I have dogs on all sides, and my own yard is huge, she usually doesnt).

I would wonder if my cat dare ventured into your yard and ended up in your trap whether she’d be classified as a “good cat” or a filth.

Probably a good cat and off to the RSPCA. Anything that has absolutely no identification on it is treated as feral.

some owners do give a toss.

I’d like to think i’m one of them. Microchipped, collared and double belled, and inside every night not negotiable. Semetimes she is inside all day as well, and there are days that she’s outside too. I guess unless i electrify my property, or gate it 15 foot high, there is the possibility that she could go next door. (Given I have dogs on all sides, and my own yard is huge, she usually doesnt).

I would wonder if my cat dare ventured into your yard and ended up in your trap whether she’d be classified as a “good cat” or a filth.

Captain RAAF said :

carnardly said :

putting out cat food in your yard and then removing any gutsy ones that come for a look is a tad unfair isn’t it?

I mean, those that might not normally wander, could well start if they can smell tucker.

my little geriatric cat sleeps inside every night but might venture outside for an hour or two in the sun through the day. I’d hate to think she’d smelt something good over the fence, crept over for a looksee and wham, she’s in your trip and escapes into nowhere from somewhere near the rspca….

Or do you mean you just do it at night?

Of course you’ll catch them if you bait them.

I just thought you trapped them without food.

I don’t care whether it’s day or night, they come into my yard and I will catch them and deal with them. As for being caught at what I’m doing…..just how is that going to happen? Where’s the evidence that I’m doing something illegal? Cats are in my yard, cats get caught, cats go to RSPCA. Sometimes, I think it might be from the shock of capture, they die before I can get them there. How sad.
I know which cats belong to my ‘good’ neighbors and I just let him go (with a boot up the arse) but any of the filth’s cats or some wanderer just passing through, they are gone!

I even caught a dog once and had to dump his little arse in the bush because the RSPCA was closed ‘again’ and the little prick is back, so there’s no next time for him.

The Rangers don’t give a toss, the owners don’t give a toss and I don’t give a toss.

So your “good” neighbours cats don’t kill wildlife or crap in your yard. Your actions only make sense if you’re a Psycho/Sociopath, but we know that already

I don’t see what the problem is. Stray cat gets caught. Stray cat goes to pound. If it’s got a chip, it goes home. Where’s the malice in that?

It’s not as if Captain Airy Fairy is tying a tether cord to the cage and going fishing for yabbies.

Captain RAAF4:00 pm 25 Aug 11

carnardly said :

putting out cat food in your yard and then removing any gutsy ones that come for a look is a tad unfair isn’t it?

I mean, those that might not normally wander, could well start if they can smell tucker.

my little geriatric cat sleeps inside every night but might venture outside for an hour or two in the sun through the day. I’d hate to think she’d smelt something good over the fence, crept over for a looksee and wham, she’s in your trip and escapes into nowhere from somewhere near the rspca….

Or do you mean you just do it at night?

Of course you’ll catch them if you bait them.

I just thought you trapped them without food.

I don’t care whether it’s day or night, they come into my yard and I will catch them and deal with them. As for being caught at what I’m doing…..just how is that going to happen? Where’s the evidence that I’m doing something illegal? Cats are in my yard, cats get caught, cats go to RSPCA. Sometimes, I think it might be from the shock of capture, they die before I can get them there. How sad.
I know which cats belong to my ‘good’ neighbors and I just let him go (with a boot up the arse) but any of the filth’s cats or some wanderer just passing through, they are gone!

I even caught a dog once and had to dump his little arse in the bush because the RSPCA was closed ‘again’ and the little prick is back, so there’s no next time for him.

The Rangers don’t give a toss, the owners don’t give a toss and I don’t give a toss.

aceofspades said :

Why should dog owners have such strict conditions on how a dog is contained, leashed etc. while cat owners can have animals that do as they please with total disregard for anybody else. Go Capt’n!!! hope you live near me!!!!

Agreed. This sums it all up for me.

putting out cat food in your yard and then removing any gutsy ones that come for a look is a tad unfair isn’t it? I mean, those that might not normally wander, could well start if they can smell tucker.

my little geriatric cat sleeps inside every night but might venture outside for an hour or two in the sun through the day. I’d hate to think she’d smelt something good over the fence, crept over for a looksee and wham, she’s in your trip and escapes into nowhere from somewhere near the rspca….

Or do you mean you just do it at night?

Of course you’ll catch them if you bait them. I just thought you trapped them without food.

Eppo said :

As for practical solutions, have a look at this clip. Had me in tears of laughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIbkLjjlMV8&sns=fb

If that’s the one with the aussie outlining how to stop cats p!ssing on your car, AND, You Tube is blocked at your daytime computer (as it is here), the clip is also embedded in this college humour site and you can watch it (but put the headphones on, and stuff something in your mouth for when the guffaws start).

http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6499532/how-to-stop-cats-from-pissing-on-your-car

Magnificent work.

Captain RAAF said :

Caught two more cats on Tuesday. The key is having fresh cat food.

Anyway, upon trying to do the right thing by the community and our wild-life by dropping them off at the Weston Creek RSPCA I found its drop-off kennels locked and empty of any animals. What gives? Sadly, as I was on my way to work with Cat 1, I just let it out right there and it ran off into the house next to the RSPCA. The second cat was caught in the afternoon and I dropped it off at Mugga Lane RSPCA.

We need another cat drop-off point southside as it’s getting out of control if the existing drop off points are always closed or full.

This is not the first time I have had to just let one go out of the boot of the car. If it keeps up, I won’t make the trip at all, and we all know what that means for the cat……..

Why should dog owners have such strict conditions on how a dog is contained, leashed etc. while cat owners can have animals that do as they please with total disregard for anybody else. Go Capt’n!!! hope you live near me!!!!

shadow boxer3:00 pm 25 Aug 11

Thoroughly Smashed said :

shadow boxer said :

My old next door neighbour used to have a wooden box with a trapdoor at the front and a hose attachment at the back.

He would come out in the morning, hook up the exhaust pipe for a couple of minutes, take the box to the green wheelie bin, empty it out wthout even looking what was in there and head off to work.

We didn’t have a cat problem after a while.

A cat must have raped and murdered his entire family.

Yeh i’m not sure what drove him, he was an old bloke that drank a lot so we made the kids keep their distance and limited things to a wave on the way past.

True story though.

Stevian said :

Captain RAAF said :

Caught two more cats on Tuesday. The key is having fresh cat food.

Anyway, upon trying to do the right thing by the community and our wild-life by dropping them off at the Weston Creek RSPCA I found its drop-off kennels locked and empty of any animals. What gives? Sadly, as I was on my way to work with Cat 1, I just let it out right there and it ran off into the house next to the RSPCA. The second cat was caught in the afternoon and I dropped it off at Mugga Lane RSPCA.

We need another cat drop-off point southside as it’s getting out of control if the existing drop off points are always closed or full.

This is not the first time I have had to just let one go out of the boot of the car. If it keeps up, I won’t make the trip at all, and we all know what that means for the cat……..

You’re not amusing

I disagree 😀

Eppo said :

I tend to agree with the capt’n.

Keep your filthy moggy inside at night and there are no dramas. Be a responsible pet owner and there are no dramas! The number of times we’ve found birds (dad’s a breeder) dead and half pulled through aviary wire thanks to someone’s ‘pet’ are too numerous to count. If you can’t look after your animal, then I’ve got no problems with it being dealt with like any other feral pest.

As for practical solutions, have a look at this clip. Had me in tears of laughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIbkLjjlMV8&sns=fb

+1. Cat owners who do the right thing won’t have to worry.

Thoroughly Smashed2:12 pm 25 Aug 11

matt31221 said :

birds […] sit on them and slowly become sterilized from the concentrated RF radiation.

Hahahaha.

Thoroughly Smashed2:07 pm 25 Aug 11

shadow boxer said :

My old next door neighbour used to have a wooden box with a trapdoor at the front and a hose attachment at the back.

He would come out in the morning, hook up the exhaust pipe for a couple of minutes, take the box to the green wheelie bin, empty it out wthout even looking what was in there and head off to work.

We didn’t have a cat problem after a while.

A cat must have raped and murdered his entire family.

“Cats kill wild birds”, YOU kill way more wild birds than underfed kitty does. If you really cared about native birds you would campaign to have bird spikes put on mobile phone towers so the birds don’t sit on them and slowly become sterilized from the concentrated RF radiation.

Leave cats alone. And be aware that if you kill them you WILL be eventually caught and you will wish you never committed those acts of cruelty because cat lovers can be just as cruel to a cat killer.

I tend to agree with the capt’n.

Keep your filthy moggy inside at night and there are no dramas. Be a responsible pet owner and there are no dramas! The number of times we’ve found birds (dad’s a breeder) dead and half pulled through aviary wire thanks to someone’s ‘pet’ are too numerous to count. If you can’t look after your animal, then I’ve got no problems with it being dealt with like any other feral pest.

As for practical solutions, have a look at this clip. Had me in tears of laughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIbkLjjlMV8&sns=fb

Athryn said :

OMG You sir would have to be the biggest tool in Canberra and I’m including all those in the house on the hill.

All I can say is, be glad you do not live near me.

Is that because you let your unidentified cats run loose?

shadow boxer1:46 pm 25 Aug 11

My old next door neighbour used to have a wooden box with a trapdoor at the front and a hose attachment at the back.

He would come out in the morning, hook up the exhaust pipe for a couple of minutes, take the box to the green wheelie bin, empty it out wthout even looking what was in there and head off to work.

We didn’t have a cat problem after a while.

Athryn said :

All I can say is, be glad you do not live near me.

How do you know he doesn’t?

OMG You sir would have to be the biggest tool in Canberra and I’m including all those in the house on the hill.

All I can say is, be glad you do not live near me.

Captain RAAF said :

Caught two more cats on Tuesday. The key is having fresh cat food.

Anyway, upon trying to do the right thing by the community and our wild-life by dropping them off at the Weston Creek RSPCA I found its drop-off kennels locked and empty of any animals. What gives? Sadly, as I was on my way to work with Cat 1, I just let it out right there and it ran off into the house next to the RSPCA. The second cat was caught in the afternoon and I dropped it off at Mugga Lane RSPCA.

We need another cat drop-off point southside as it’s getting out of control if the existing drop off points are always closed or full.

This is not the first time I have had to just let one go out of the boot of the car. If it keeps up, I won’t make the trip at all, and we all know what that means for the cat……..

You’re not amusing

Captain RAAF1:14 pm 25 Aug 11

Caught two more cats on Tuesday. The key is having fresh cat food.

Anyway, upon trying to do the right thing by the community and our wild-life by dropping them off at the Weston Creek RSPCA I found its drop-off kennels locked and empty of any animals. What gives? Sadly, as I was on my way to work with Cat 1, I just let it out right there and it ran off into the house next to the RSPCA. The second cat was caught in the afternoon and I dropped it off at Mugga Lane RSPCA.

We need another cat drop-off point southside as it’s getting out of control if the existing drop off points are always closed or full.

This is not the first time I have had to just let one go out of the boot of the car. If it keeps up, I won’t make the trip at all, and we all know what that means for the cat……..

Catch the cat, call animal control. rinse and repeat

Not saying I condone this but put caged cat in garbage bag – and attach to car exhaust – cat goes to sleep. Its essentially what the pound does. Its also whats being done in the program for Indian Myna birds.

The ‘obvious flaw’ the author of that paper was referring to was actually the fact that the “if-it’s-feral-kill-it” mentality is based on scapegoating and demonisation rather than evidence and good intentions.

I tend to agree with you, it’s not the most obvious flaw.

Jim Jones said :

And to make me a three-post nutsack, there’s this little article from ‘http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/introduced_animals.php’ that addresses ‘the great feral cat con job’ and completely demolishing your line of argument.

Mentioning:
– the almost total lack of scientific research that actually supports the view that naturalised species are a serious environmental threat

Well, there is all this.

Jim Jones said :

-the mental laziness you encounter in this debate. The obvious flaw in the logic of “if-it’s-feral-kill-it” mentality.

I don’t think there is an “obvious flaw”. There are flaws. Disturbing a system which has reached equilibrium might result in a change for the worse. And there is the hypocrisy of demonising one species for it’s impact while ignoring the equal or worse impact of other (like humans, as you pointed out). There are doubtless many other flaws in the kill-it-all mentality. I’m just not sure there is an obvious one.

georgesgenitals said :

Jim Jones said :

Anybody who spouts this bollocks about being against ‘feral’ animals being in a place ‘where they don’t belong’ will also naturally be against:

– cattle (I hope that you don’t eat Australian-bred beef)
– sheep (… or lamb, or wear Australian wool)
– dogs (sorry Fido, it’s dingoes or nothing)
– chickens (no KFC for you fatty)
– pigs (… or pork)

Shall I continue?

To be fair, all of these animals are delicious.

Meh … dog is usually all gristle.

georgesgenitals5:00 pm 10 Jun 10

Jim Jones said :

Anybody who spouts this bollocks about being against ‘feral’ animals being in a place ‘where they don’t belong’ will also naturally be against:

– cattle (I hope that you don’t eat Australian-bred beef)
– sheep (… or lamb, or wear Australian wool)
– dogs (sorry Fido, it’s dingoes or nothing)
– chickens (no KFC for you fatty)
– pigs (… or pork)

Shall I continue?

To be fair, all of these animals are delicious.

Jim Jones said :

The biggest threat to native wildlife are humans by a looooong stretch – are you going to start running over ‘feral’ humans in the dark too?

I’m against the scourge on the planet that is humanity. But I don’t randomly kill them. I guess I lack strength in my convictions.

And to make me a three-post nutsack, there’s this little article from ‘http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/introduced_animals.php’ that addresses ‘the great feral cat con job’ and completely demolishing your line of argument.

Mentioning:
– the almost total lack of scientific research that actually supports the view that naturalised species are a serious environmental threat
– an even more complete absence of any research into the ecological role assumed by introduced species when they become naturalised
-the mental laziness you encounter in this debate. The obvious flaw in the logic of “if-it’s-feral-kill-it” mentality.

Anybody who spouts this bollocks about being against ‘feral’ animals being in a place ‘where they don’t belong’ will also naturally be against:

– cattle (I hope that you don’t eat Australian-bred beef)
– sheep (… or lamb, or wear Australian wool)
– dogs (sorry Fido, it’s dingoes or nothing)
– chickens (no KFC for you fatty)
– pigs (… or pork)

Shall I continue?

Your argument is that you kill animals so that they don’t kill animals?

Given that your argument is (a) retarded and (b) has as a foundation your statement that you’ll happily run over people’s pets (presumably because you know better than everyone else), you’re in no position to take the moral high ground.

Really, this kind of ‘oh they’re a feral nuisance I’m only killing them to save the poor native animals’ bollocks is completely ridiculous. The biggest threat to native wildlife are humans by a looooong stretch – are you going to start running over ‘feral’ humans in the dark too? Are you involved in conservation in any way?

I didn’t think so.

You’re not protecting native animals at all. I doubt that you have anything approaching even the most rudimentary knowledge of native animals.

Jim, I regard myself as doing my bit defending defenceless native animals from these feral pests. It gives me no pleasure – but if people will not properly care for the animals for which they are responsible then someone else must take responsibility for the greater good. And you’d be satisfying yourself by killing one of my pets. I think you just lost the moral high ground. Yeah – kill a pet to take petty revenge on someone protecting native animals. What a Hero. What a Guy.

Cats – the New White Meat.

TheObserver said :

3 aspro-clear, crushed into a powder in a handful of mince will generally do the trick. Also, if driving home at night, after dark ALL cats are feral. Sorry. Next.

But the lesson is – if you are a responsible cat owner, you have nothing to fear – Tiddles is safe.

With an attitude like that, it would be karmically satisfying to have someone kill one of your pets.

justbands said :

to compare cats with peoples children is just sick.

true. people’s brats are FAR more of a nuisance.

3 aspro-clear, crushed into a powder in a handful of mince will generally do the trick. Also, if driving home at night, after dark ALL cats are feral. Sorry. Next.

But the lesson is – if you are a responsible cat owner, you have nothing to fear – Tiddles is safe.

Neighbours cats (or dogs) are shitting in your yard? Take a leaf from my book. A while ago at a previous house I had a neighbours dog who used to shit near the front doors of my and a few adjacent neighbours cars (I’d caught the dog doing this multiple times, whilst the owners just pottered away in their gardens). After walking shite through the house several times I came up with a way to stop this happening. When you find you have some alone time, set some newspaper on the bathroom floor, and take a good healthy dump on it. Then, under cover of darkness, place said turd on/near their car or front door with a reminder that every time their dog/cat relieves itself on your property, they’ll be getting a little present. For the 6 months I was there after that, neither me nor anyone else had poo problems 🙂

Clown Killer6:53 pm 21 May 10

If you can get the cat into a hessian bag, you can then throw the bag into a nearby creek. Eventually – if the cat catching business is good and you keep throwing the bags into the same creek you will build a nice little dam – which will over time, become full of nice big yabbies.

Yabbies (unlike cats) taste magnificent. Especially when they have been cooked with chilli, butter and garlic.

Woody Mann-Caruso3:01 pm 21 May 10

master of their own domain

Couldn’t have said it any better myself. You’re definitely the biggest master of your own domain I’ve come across lately.

Captain RAAF2:37 pm 21 May 10

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

You’re obviously a hard man, Captain RAAF – a stone-cold killer, ready to justify your actions. You don’t actually care about the law, do you? You just came here to flop your four inches on the table and let us all know you’re a tough guy who’ll take on…well, a cat. Nothing says ‘secure about his masculinity’ like somebody who kills small animals to make a point.

Don’t worry mate – I’m sure a doctor can see though the Freudian wonderland that is you taking out your anger on a pussy.

Thanks mate, always considered myself to be pretty hard. As for killing small animals to make a point..Um, no that’s not the point here champ and no, I don’t do it, the point is these cats are not mine, I don’t want a cat in my yard but it appears I have no choice as you people seem to think they should be allowed to do as they please because they are cats! Well, Iv’e got news for you and your baseball bat weilding mates here, cats don’t belong here, they are born killers in an environment that has had no real predators for millennia, so their impact on our wildlife is disproportionate to other predators such as dingo’s. Foxes are hunted actively and do impact on wildlife but cats are a harder nut to crack, I should know, I’ve hunted the lot!

Come round my place with a baseball bat, are you people havin’ a laugh? I see what you mean about brave people hiding behind the internet. Put a collar on your cat peeps, because I won’t rest until I’ve caught every last one, I’m on a mission now!

And anyone that comes to my home with a baseball bat seeking to do mischief will be in for the biggest surprise of their life.

I am done with this subject, many of you have cemented what I suspected all along, that cats somehow are sacred and can do what they like and god help anyone who thinks they are master of their own domain when it comes to their nocturnal wanderings! You disgust me!

Anna Key said :

terryh said :

I would like to find a solution to the neighbourhood cats in my backyard.

I have quite a large area set out to vegetable gardens, which the cats seem to love to use as their toilet. The areas they favour are those that have been freshly turned over, mainly where I have planted seeds or seedlings. I lose quite a few seedlings to the cats digging.

I have tried keeping the soil wet but that doesn’t seem to help.
I give chase whenever I see a cat in the backyard but it doesn’t seem to deter.
I have tried chemical deterrents, but don’t partciulary want to use large amounts as I am fond of eating the vegetables from my garden.
I have tried fencing mesh flat on the beds, but it doesnt work very well. As soon as you have more developed vegetables in the garden you need to take the mesh away.
I have tried talking reasonably to one neighbour who’s cat I have caught digging in the garden, but the response was quite vitriolic ( definitely put me off going down that path with any other neighbour )
The vegetables gardens are dispersed so fencing them in isn’t a practical solution.
I tried giving the cats a sand area in the garden, but they seem to favour the freshly dug soil where my plants are.

Would gladly appreciate any (legal) effective advice people may have.

I’m with you. I don’t want to resort to cruelty, but the fact the neighbours cats use my yard as a toilet is a health risk to my little’uns. It seems odd that you can do something about dogs barking (whcih has no health risk), but not cats wandering through your property

http://vetproducts.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=280&zenid=2025f107feeba718b9a9411638516b64

Here you go. Now just hope you don’t get reported to ACTEW for breaching water restrictions

Canberra should have a Cat Curfew much like how some councils in Victoria have
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/council-dogged-on-cat-curfew/story-e6frf7kx-1225810373192

Captain RAAF you sir are a fool, maybe someone didn’t hug you enough, or too much when you were young.

terryh and anna, you should try spreading lemon peel on the soil in your vege patch. My cats hate the smell of it and it stops them digging up my seedlings.

Interesting to see the usual self righteous posturing from some cat owners. I’m more than happy for you to keep a cat, just keep them in your yard and keep the **** out of mine. yes, your cat may be doing its thing, but perhaps it can do it in your yard only, otherwise it might be treated the same as a mouse or cockroach

terryh said :

I would like to find a solution to the neighbourhood cats in my backyard.

I have quite a large area set out to vegetable gardens, which the cats seem to love to use as their toilet. The areas they favour are those that have been freshly turned over, mainly where I have planted seeds or seedlings. I lose quite a few seedlings to the cats digging.

I have tried keeping the soil wet but that doesn’t seem to help.
I give chase whenever I see a cat in the backyard but it doesn’t seem to deter.
I have tried chemical deterrents, but don’t partciulary want to use large amounts as I am fond of eating the vegetables from my garden.
I have tried fencing mesh flat on the beds, but it doesnt work very well. As soon as you have more developed vegetables in the garden you need to take the mesh away.
I have tried talking reasonably to one neighbour who’s cat I have caught digging in the garden, but the response was quite vitriolic ( definitely put me off going down that path with any other neighbour )
The vegetables gardens are dispersed so fencing them in isn’t a practical solution.
I tried giving the cats a sand area in the garden, but they seem to favour the freshly dug soil where my plants are.

Would gladly appreciate any (legal) effective advice people may have.

I’m with you. I don’t want to resort to cruelty, but the fact the neighbours cats use my yard as a toilet is a health risk to my little’uns. It seems odd that you can do something about dogs barking (whcih has no health risk), but not cats wandering through your property

Woody Mann-Caruso10:52 pm 20 May 10

You’re obviously a hard man, Captain RAAF – a stone-cold killer, ready to justify your actions. You don’t actually care about the law, do you? You just came here to flop your four inches on the table and let us all know you’re a tough guy who’ll take on…well, a cat. Nothing says ‘secure about his masculinity’ like somebody who kills small animals to make a point.

Don’t worry mate – I’m sure a doctor can see though the Freudian wonderland that is you taking out your anger on a pussy.

I just feel sorry for the bird left behind, and yes they do mate for life!

I’m so glad I have spent the night enjoying the company of my pets instead of making up horrible bedtime poems for my children.

troll-sniffer10:06 pm 20 May 10

bd84

There was a house in south canbra with a 1″ hole in the kitchen window. It was used by a bloke I knew with a .22 fitted with a silencer and a box of subsonic. Dig in the yard you’ll find several wee skeletons. I guess he really did hate cats.

And no he doesn’t live there any more.

Captain RAAF7:29 pm 20 May 10

Why? Is a cat in a sack less humane than a cat in a cage?
I would have thought the cat in the sack, could have a wee nap,
rather than the cold bed of steel that his soft paws would feel,
would be a rest nice and warm in his bed made of flax,
oh’, happy would be soon dead cat in a sack!

I would like to find a solution to the neighbourhood cats in my backyard.

I have quite a large area set out to vegetable gardens, which the cats seem to love to use as their toilet. The areas they favour are those that have been freshly turned over, mainly where I have planted seeds or seedlings. I lose quite a few seedlings to the cats digging.

I have tried keeping the soil wet but that doesn’t seem to help.
I give chase whenever I see a cat in the backyard but it doesn’t seem to deter.
I have tried chemical deterrents, but don’t partciulary want to use large amounts as I am fond of eating the vegetables from my garden.
I have tried fencing mesh flat on the beds, but it doesnt work very well. As soon as you have more developed vegetables in the garden you need to take the mesh away.
I have tried talking reasonably to one neighbour who’s cat I have caught digging in the garden, but the response was quite vitriolic ( definitely put me off going down that path with any other neighbour )
The vegetables gardens are dispersed so fencing them in isn’t a practical solution.
I tried giving the cats a sand area in the garden, but they seem to favour the freshly dug soil where my plants are.

Would gladly appreciate any (legal) effective advice people may have.

Captain RAAF said :

I’m not interested in any of your opinions on what is nice, good, unfair, etc. I’m not interested if I upset my cat loving neighbours either

“It had no collar, I thought it was a feral cat…oops!”. Now, the question I was asking originally was, if I catch a cat on my property (I have a trap already) and it does not have any form of identification that a reasonable person would take to mean the cat is a domestic animal, am I within the law to assume that it is therefore a feral animal (cruelty laws still applicable of course)and I can therefore legally poisin it? (not that I’m a fan of poison as it’s too slow to do the job).

I am never cruel to animals and if I have to kill them, it will be done as quickly and painlessly as possible.

The above ‘highlights’ of your comment disgust me.

If you have ever seen a feral cat you would know the difference between it and a family pet.

Poisoning is inhumane at best and could be seen as aggravated cruelty at worst.

I am desperately hoping that you don’t live in my neighbourhood, that I never meet you, and that your daughter never learns any of your morals and values.

The smiley face after making a joke about cats in a sack was the icing on the cake.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

I’m worried about the environmental damage your little girl will cause as an affluent member of a developed nation. So much carbon, so much methane, all those chemicals. So what are my rights? Where do I stand legally? I’m pretty sure the Bible says I can sell her into slavery to a neighbouring nation, so I guess a buyer in Queanbeyan would count. Otherwise, I’m sure that after a few weeks in a dark hole and plenty of lotion she’d make a lovely suede jacket.

What drugs are you on?

PS How much for the girl?

@threepaws, don’t forget feral dogs in parts of ACT/Eden – Monaro. I’m sure they eat things other than sheep as well…

The below that you posted is Tasmanian and has no legal grounds in the ACT. The Animal Welfare Act 1992 and Domestic Animals Act 2000 (as posted in my previous post) are the pieces of legislation relevant in the ACT

From the Cat Management Bill 80 of 2009 in regards to feral cats;

“humanely destroy” means to destroy in
accordance with section 28;

Section 28: An authorised person may humanely destroy a
cat, or cause a cat to be humanely destroyed, if
he or she reasonably believes that the cat ­
(a) is displaying unprovoked aggression and
is a danger to any person; or
(b) is a feral cat .

So, after all the points raised so far, it would appear that in order to destroy a cat, regardless of what it is, you must be ‘an authorised person’ and it must be done humanely, though the ability to poison one because you thought it was a feral cat does add some ambiguity to the whole debate.

justbands said :

feral cats remain one of the single biggest threats to Australian wildlife.

Really? I’d love to see your evidence that feral cats are the ‘single biggest threat’ to native wildlife.

I thought foxes and humans would be up there…

Dude – there’s a number of different ways to deal with problem cats. It’s not easy, and it requires time and effort.

Screw what the law says: As for killing it, that’s pretty f%cked up right there. Legal or not, that’s just really nasty and would send the most appalling message to a developing child that I could imagine.

From personal experience, the most effective way to dissuade cats from creating a ruckus near your bedroom is to soak them with water as quickly as possible when they’re being a nuisance. This involves having loaded supersoakers and strategically located buckets of water around the house, and it can take around a week or two, but it does work and involves absolutely no unnecessary cruelty.

The cat did it3:42 pm 20 May 10

@Captain. If you had just wanted ‘the black and white’ there would have been no need or reason to include the hot button phrases about mateless crimson rosellas and traumatised daughters.

Captain RAAF3:11 pm 20 May 10

chewy14 said :

Wow,

imagine writing in to an opinion site looking for legal advice and getting opinions?

Weird hey?

Actually, if you took the time to read what people have posted, you’ll find that very few comments have anything to do with what I asked for, legal advice! It’s mainly crap about living in harmony with cats, and ‘hardening up’, and why isn’t there more tofu restaurants in Canberra etc etc

I’m not the one getting all emotional about the issue, I just want the black and white.

Gerry-Built said :

feel free to remind your (cat-owning) neighbours of the following:
Cats HAVE to have ID on them (so they can be returned to their home)
Cats HAVE to be microchipped
Cats HAVE to be desexed (since 2001)

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/pets/dgctfactsht/cats
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/pets/dgctfactsht/animalnuisance

If a cat is causing a nuisance on your property, a quick-Google reveals:
http://www.cat-world.com.au/keeping-cats-out-of-gardens

apparently, cats don’t like the smell of citrus skin or chicken poop

Interesting comment on cat deterrents. I don’t think “cat-world” knows what they are talking about as my cat spends plenty of time around our lemon and lime trees and wanders into the chicken coop on a regular basis (though only when the chooks are out as they are big and scary).

Granted this is only a sample of one cat but you are probably better using a commercial deterrent than citrus or chook poo.

If you like mangy/rabid animals roaming around, please move to 3rd world country of choice.
If you’re addicted to the Toxoplasmosis vectors, please install a cat run.
Otherwise please Canberra to the lizards and quolls.

I did find that the pound on Mugga Lane doesnt want cats (only dogs), so you have to drive over to Weston Creek RSPCA.
[But RSPCA was importing cats from a Qld a while ago, so I’m not sure if they realise the impact on the wider animal population…]

Spoono said :

Alone with Persians
Mother why do you leave me?
A little boy wails

HAHAHA… this site has the best lunchtime reading.

Wow,

imagine writing in to an opinion site looking for legal advice and getting opinions?

Weird hey?

feel free to remind your (cat-owning) neighbours of the following:
Cats HAVE to have ID on them (so they can be returned to their home)
Cats HAVE to be microchipped
Cats HAVE to be desexed (since 2001)

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/pets/dgctfactsht/cats
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/live/pets/dgctfactsht/animalnuisance

If a cat is causing a nuisance on your property, a quick-Google reveals:
http://www.cat-world.com.au/keeping-cats-out-of-gardens

apparently, cats don’t like the smell of citrus skin or chicken poop

georgesgenitals said :

Cats are part of Australian suburbia. We have a neighbourhood cat that attacked our cat a couple of times, so I turned the garden hose on it. It doesn’t come around any more.

There seems to be a super-cell building in my cup of tea.

By the same logic, large ferocious dogs are part of Australian suburbia. Let’s allow them to roam the streets freely and not worry about responsible pet ownership.

Captain RAAF1:44 pm 20 May 10

Ok, here’s the scoop,

Domestic Animal Services won’t come to your house to pick up a cat you have caught, they expect you to take it to the pound.

RSPCA may, if all the planets are in alignment, come out and pick up a trapped cat but they will NOT return your trap (because it no longer has a cat in it).

I’m thinking this can be worked around by giving the cat to them tied up in a sack! =-)

Clown Killer1:41 pm 20 May 10

Seeing as no one else has said it yet:

I love cats. I just dont think that I could eat a whole one.

🙂

Buzz2600 said :

Get rid of ’em … they’re a disaster in Australia.

Same could be said for us whiteys, bro…

georgesgenitals1:23 pm 20 May 10

Cats are part of Australian suburbia. We have a neighbourhood cat that attacked our cat a couple of times, so I turned the garden hose on it. It doesn’t come around any more.

There seems to be a super-cell building in my cup of tea.

Captain RAAF1:19 pm 20 May 10

Hmm..some interesting comments and points here.

Allow me to clarify…again,

I’m not interested in any of your opinions on what is nice, good, unfair, etc. I’m not interested if I upset my cat loving neighbours either, they can go to hell and if they want to confront me over it i’d be happy to discuss it in whatever format they desire.

I was after what is the LAW!

Someone mentioned above the Animal Cruelty Act of 1992 (thanks for highlighting this excellent document).

Cruelty and aggravated cruelty are pretty self explanatory but hows about;

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 1992 – SECT 12
Administering poison

(1) A person commits an offence if the person administers poison to a domestic or native animal.

Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units, imprisonment for 1 year or both.

(2) This section does not apply if—

(a) the person has a reasonable excuse;

My response to that is, “It had no collar, I thought it was a feral cat…oops!”. Now, the question I was asking originally was, if I catch a cat on my property (I have a trap already) and it does not have any form of identification that a reasonable person would take to mean the cat is a domestic animal, am I within the law to assume that it is therefore a feral animal (cruelty laws still applicable of course)and I can therefore legally poisin it? (not that I’m a fan of poison as it’s too slow to do the job).

From the Cat Management Bill 80 of 2009 in regards to feral cats;

“humanely destroy” means to destroy in
accordance with section 28;

Section 28: An authorised person may humanely destroy a
cat, or cause a cat to be humanely destroyed, if
he or she reasonably believes that the cat ­
(a) is displaying unprovoked aggression and
is a danger to any person; or
(b) is a feral cat .

So, after all the points raised so far, it would appear that in order to destroy a cat, regardless of what it is, you must be ‘an authorised person’ and it must be done humanely, though the ability to poison one because you thought it was a feral cat does add some ambiguity to the whole debate.

I thanks everyone for the input. From here, I have decided to keep catching cats and contact domestic animal services in order for them to pick them up (no, I will not use one second of my time or 1 cent of my money to do their job for them and take the cat to the pound).

I’m tipping that they will get pretty sick and tired of coming to pick up the cats and if that happens I’ll seek some guidance from them. I am considering doing a leaflet drop of my immediate neighbors informing them that if their cat goes missing to try the pound.

As for ‘cat haters’ turning into serial killers because apperently, from some of the logic displayed by some of the peanut replies here, it’s the next step up from cat catching?????, I can tell you this, I am never cruel to animals and if I have to kill them, it will be done as quickly and painlessly as possible.

I will update this topic with any info I get from Domestic Animal Services so that everyone knows what is and isn’t acceptable in regards to these feline intruders.

> [who has two wonderful companion cats at home which catch moths and insects because they are too slow to catch birds, and too well-fed to care much]

Yes…you & every other cat owner in the country sing the same tune: “oh no, Tiddles is too old/slow/fat/well fed to fill anything”. Funny then that domestic & feral cats remain one of the single biggest threats to Australian wildlife. Cats kill, it’s what they do. I agree with some of the cat lovers who say you can’t blame cats for doing what they do…however you can make a choice not to have a cat yourself, or to be responsible in owning one (bells, inside at night, cat fences, etc). Sadly, most (yes…MOST!) cat owners are not & simply give the throwaway “oh no, not Tiddles” line when the issue comes up.

& to compare cats with peoples children is just sick.

neanderthalsis said :

And as for the horrified little girl, maybe it is time te explain that some animals, including us humans, kill other animals for food.

Or that some animals (i.e. domestic cats who are usually well fed at home) kill for fun.

There is no justification that it is OK for a domestic cat to catch native wildlife. The native birds have enough trouble competing with the Indian Mynas.

How about some responsible pet ownership and keeping your cat indoors or at least on your own property. How would you like it if a dog owner let their dog into your backyard to deficate or do whatever it chose to do.

I guess you could follow your own advice from the post about firework disposal (http://the-riotact.com/?p=21572&cpage=1#comment-259814) :
“Firing off during the million paws walk was a great idea and to all those owners of dogs, cats, cockatiels and cavies that suffer total bowel failure when they hear a bang, how about a can of harden up?”

especially the last few words…

😛

I like where Captain RAAF is coming from.

My neighbours dog sometimes breaks out of his own yard into mine and barks incessantly at night.
A little bit of rat poison over the fence should do the trick.

And their kids are such little bogan rats, running around and screaming in my front yard when they come home from school.
Can I set up a trap for them and drop them at the pound? I’m sure they haven’t been microchipped yet.

ConanOfCooma12:56 pm 20 May 10

It puts the lotion on the skin.

Woody Mann-Caruso12:27 pm 20 May 10

I’m worried about the environmental damage your little girl will cause as an affluent member of a developed nation. So much carbon, so much methane, all those chemicals. So what are my rights? Where do I stand legally? I’m pretty sure the Bible says I can sell her into slavery to a neighbouring nation, so I guess a buyer in Queanbeyan would count. Otherwise, I’m sure that after a few weeks in a dark hole and plenty of lotion she’d make a lovely suede jacket.

The cat did it12:23 pm 20 May 10

like neanderthalsis suggests, go the supersoaker route- or get a dog. Apart from it being illegal, the fact that you don’t like a particular species is no excuse for being cruel to that species- and would your arbitrary cruelty be a great moral example for your daughter?

There is a lot of blurring of wildlife issues that allows people so inclined to give vent to selective self-righteousness. People conveniently confuse the species itself with local populations of the species. While local populations often fluctuate widely, the species remains relatively stable. Feral cats in Central Australia are a serious ecological issue, pushing some species towards extinction- that’s not the situation in Canberra, but some people carry on like it is. Let’s keep the ecological issues and the personal dislikes separate. Around leafy Curtin, the main small bird predators seem to be currawongs, which methodically clean out the fairy wren nests every spring.

@eyeLikeCarrots: ‘what happens in the backyard, stays in the backyard’. Sorry, no it doesn’t, as a certain rottweiler-strangling Canberran found out recently. And these days, when almost every mobile phone is a video camera …

Hire a trap from the RSPCA. So long as you set it within your property bounds, you are quite within your rights. However, any cat that is caught must then be taken to the RSPCA. To harm it in any way would leave you open to charges under the Animal Welfare Act 1992.

Under the Domestic Animals Act 2000, (and Regulations) cats are required to be identified by a microchip if they are over 12 weeks, unless your vet issues a certificate saying that it would be a serious health risk to the cat to do so.

ConanOfCooma12:05 pm 20 May 10

So rather than researching natural or chemical cat deterrents, you want to catch and have them euthanised without any financial cost to yourself?

Rather than searching Google “How to keep cats away”, you went to RiotACT and posted “Can’t deal with cats due to mother, someone help me for free!”…

Im sure I remember seeing this come up on here in the past, and one solution was to setup a ‘cat-trap’, which will catch the animal then you can call domestic animal services or the RSPCA to deal with it (and its owner). The other option is to get a dog, thats a pretty good way to stop cats from popping through your yard.

neanderthalsis said :

And as for the horrified little girl, maybe it is time te explain that some animals, including us humans, kill other animals for food.

Noooo, say it isnt so. Food comes from the fridge at woolworths, not from a living/breathing animal, any kid these days will tell you that, well, any kid who wasnt raised on a farm which these days is almost any kid.

People who are ‘down’ on cats, have a hatred which is beyond logic and reason. It is impossible to argue the ‘good’ side of cats to such people. They are quite adamant that any amount of force, from supersoakers (a good idea, I approve!) through to poison and dismemberment, is ‘reasonable’ when dealing with these ‘pests’.

Cats are just mammals doing their thing. If you have local cats bothering you, you can try to be vigilant (with your supersoaker) but honestly, in cold Canberra nights, who is going to be dedicated enough to prowl around their house looking for the odd cat to shoo away (or catch …)

I’m posting to voice my opinion that cats shouldn’t be vilified for doing what they are evolutionary ‘good’ at — hunting birds / rodents, and marking/defending their territory.

If you don’t like cats because you believe that they are “evil”, then you’re not here to discuss, you’re here to preach the truth; your particular belief system ‘truth’. Bah to that.

Excession
[who has two wonderful companion cats at home which catch moths and insects because they are too slow to catch birds, and too well-fed to care much]

The only good cat is a dead cat.

troll-sniffer11:03 am 20 May 10

DIARY OF A CAT

DAY 752 – My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.

DAY 761 – Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favourite chair…must try this on their bed.

DAY 762 – Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of the night.

DAY 765 – Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was…Hmmm. Not working according to plan

DAY 768 – I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called “shampoo.” What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.

DAY 771 – There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odour of the glass tubes they call “beer.” More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of “allergies.” Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage….

DAY 774 – I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The Bird, on the other hand, has got to be an informant. He has mastered their frightful tongue (something akin to mole speak) and speaks with them regularly I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time…

neanderthalsis said :

A supersoaker might be the weapon of choice. Give them a squirt and they will take off like a thousand startled gazzelles.

+1

This is a fantastic idea. Cats are beautiful creatures and deserve to be much loved by many humans but there’s nothing wrong with a little “get off my lawn” supersoaker action. Should also apply to any ugly/noisy/bogan human children that happen to stray onto my lawn!

Monster of the Deep10:54 am 20 May 10

BAWWWW SOMEONE’S CAT WAS IN MY YARD! Harden the fu*k up.

A supersoaker might be the weapon of choice. Give them a squirt and they will take off like a thousand startled gazzelles.

Especially if you put in a couple of drops of JB’s tabasco.

Harming an animal just because you you don’t like them puts you in the same category as our friendly local ferret killers. And you may find the RSPCA/police or a cat lover wanting to go medievil on yo ass.

While this is true, and as a cat owner I would be pretty unimpressed if my neighbour took such drastic action, I am very interested in the answer to the OP’s question of where the legal line is drawn. If you catch a fox (for example) in your backyard, I believe you can legally kill it, so long as there is no question of in humane treatment. As the OP said, feral cats are in the same category, but what level of responsibility is there for the individual to determine if the animal in question is a feral pest of the property of their neighbour, properly micro-chipped, which has just slipped out the door?

Holden Caulfield10:49 am 20 May 10

colourful sydney racing identity said :

A couple of years back I had a huge problem with cats in my yard – don’t know if it still the case but back then you could hire a cage-trap from the RSPCA and take the cats in to the RSPCA centre and they would take care of it from there.

If this is done with the intent of resolving a legitimate problem and no intentional harm is caused to the animal in question then I can’t see an issue with this approach.

I’ve been a cat owner for pretty much all my life, and I acknowledge with that comes a greater responsibility to those around me (be that neighbours or other animals).

neanderthalsis10:25 am 20 May 10

A supersoaker might be the weapon of choice. Give them a squirt and they will take off like a thousand startled gazzelles.

Harming an animal just because you you don’t like them puts you in the same category as our friendly local ferret killers. And you may find the RSPCA/police or a cat lover wanting to go medievil on yo ass.

And as for the horrified little girl, maybe it is time te explain that some animals, including us humans, kill other animals for food.

Holden Caulfield said :

Unfortunately animals kill other animals. If it can be prevented in a domestic cat situation that’s a perfect scenario, but there are far greater evils caused by society in every day life than the alleged horror caused by domestic cats.

humans are animals and cats are animals, ask the cats to leave your yard politley and if they dont then go to war. a friend of mine bought some electronic cat deterents from the uk, hold some cats ransome until the owners cough up to buy some maybe

Get rid of ’em … they’re a disaster in Australia. We regularly see cats at night in our suburb, on the sides of country roads and when camping in quite remote areas, often leaving the evidence of their murderous exploits behind. If irresponsible owners allow cats to roam, they have to accept the consequences.

Alone with Persians
Mother why do you leave me?
A little boy wails

colourful sydney racing identity9:58 am 20 May 10

A couple of years back I had a huge problem with cats in my yard – don’t know if it still the case but back then you could hire a cage-trap from the RSPCA and take the cats in to the RSPCA centre and they would take care of it from there.

Now, before anyone starts cranking up with the predicatbale “omg! they could be a little girls pet you heartless monster” – my neighbour, a lunatic old man had over 20 cats that bred and bred and bred. The cats basically used our yard as a defecation facility – I tried to discuss the matter civily with him many times as did most residents on the street to no avail.

Holden Caulfield9:55 am 20 May 10

Your expertise on domestic cats seems to know everything except that many cat owners choose to microchip their pets, which would leave no visible signs of identification. Therefore, I would suggest you are within your rights to catch a cat and take it to the pound under the circumstances you describe.

As for the cat killing the bird, that’s not ideal I agree. However, maybe your little girl just got her first lesson that life sucks sometimes.

In regards to cats being “horrible creatures that don’t belong here”, well, how far would you like to take that tangent, haha. I dare say the human race has killed more precious Rosellas, either directly or indirectly, than the domestic cat population.

Unfortunately animals kill other animals. If it can be prevented in a domestic cat situation that’s a perfect scenario, but there are far greater evils caused by society in every day life than the alleged horror caused by domestic cats.

“but lets face it most family cats are too well fed, none too smart and too lazy. “

Errrrr…no, let’s not face that. Mostly due to the fact that it is untrue. Family cats kill, well fed or not….they do it for fun.

Can I tell you about the foxs that seek in and kill the chooks, leaving their dismembered bodies all over my back garden? The also rob the birds nests for eggs (not sure how they climb the trees but the do).

Have a cat. As good as she can get is a mouse with a death wish or a spoggie about once a year – everything is too fast or too much bother.

Cats should be locked up at night – and have to be in some suburbs. Responsible ownership should mean they wear a collar and a bell if they are big time hunters, but lets face it most family cats are too well fed, none too smart and too lazy.

Oh and they should all be microchipped so if you catch and take to the pound they should be able to find the owner.

How about I steal a prescription pad and write you out a year’s supply of chill pills? My little girl cries when you kill a chicken but you don’t see me “dealing with” you! Live and let live.

Does your question apply to dogs as well?

eyeLikeCarrots8:45 am 20 May 10

What happens in The Backyeard, stays in The Backyard.

No cat is worth:

A horrified little girl.
A lost night of sleep.
A native bird.

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