Posioning cats (no I'm not) - Page 2

NewLineReptile · 06-08-04, 11:45 PM

That is really sad what has happened to your sisters cat, But dont let us forget that it is summer time and cars over heat all the time. And if you dont no what i am talking about "PRESTONE" is all over our roads because of cars over heating.
That stuff is Posion and will kill a cat or dog. There is also alot of garden things that are used that will also posion your animals. So not all people are out to kill other peoples animals. I am not saying that there is not people like that because there is. But we cant just say that someone has posioned the animal. When there is so many things that we use every day that our animal can get into.

Best of luck i hope your sisters cat gets well soon

Brandon

Tim and Julie B · 06-09-04, 12:33 AM

Anyone who condones the mistreatment of any animal, deserving or not, does not deserve to have any animals themselves. If you have outdoor animals that you want to keep safe, build a fence. How can anyone complain about kitty poop? Geez, it's just so itty bitty people. You wouldn't go around poisoning little birds for pooping in your yards, would you?

Anyways. I am very sorry about your sisters cat. I lost one a few years back and I still miss him. He was the best cat ever. We have two more now and they are great

I hope that kitty pulls through, but if not I hope your sis will be sure to give her time and affection to another someday

Julie

marisa · 06-09-04, 12:44 AM

Actually at our house, and in our town, there are so many stray unfixed males that we cannot leave windows open at night. If we do, we wake up to the smell of male spray which has been directly sprayed into the window.

We have both male and female cats here (all fixed indoor cats) that attract them apparently. So its a far larger problem than "little cat poop" as it has cost hundreds to clean our couches, rugs, even mattreses before. All because people let cats outside. Again, I do not condone hurting the cats, but I wanted to clear up that some people have a VERY large problem with others cats.

Marisa

M_surinamensis · 06-09-04, 04:56 AM

I have a massive problem with outdoor cats... Filthy agressive predatory introduced species that kill and consume native wildlife on a scale that commercial land developers can't even begin to compare to. The fact that they reek and urinate all over everything certainly doesn't help endear them to me either.

Frankly outdoor cats are a threat and, like any wildlife threat that is in an area it doesn't belong in, it should be dealt with accordingly. I wouldn't suggest poison, as there's no need to go out of the way to be cruel or create suffering (not the individual animal's fault it was let loose to terrorize local wildlife and humans alike) plus the potential contamination of something other than your target is too great a risk... But by all means trap or shoot (if you're a good shot and can take them down cleanly) every wretched mongrel stray (If it's outdoors, it's a mongrel stray) you encounter. Any trapped, take them to the pound where they can be euthanized.

Out of every species which ended up introduced someplace it didn't belong... brown tree snakes, cane toads, rabbits, rats and the monitors and burms infesting the everglades these days... Cats are by FAR the most destructive and dangerous species and any damn fool who allows their animal outside (I understand this case was an accidental release, but just who's responsibility is it to keep the animal contained?) deserves to lose their pet. Once it's not under human control, it's no longer a pet, it's an invasive species and should be dealt with accordingly.

Cruciform · 06-09-04, 09:34 AM

I've heard that as well, claims that cats are second only to man as the most destructive of species.

They've definitely done their share of damage to small ecosystems when introduced.

We have three of the little devils, and I'd hate to see them let loose in the neighborhood. The squirrels, rabbits, and birds that take refuge in the yard wouldn't have a chance in other parts of town.

You can go for a walk and see a cat running loose in every second yard in some areas, and the constant howling/screeching at nights is nuts. We just don't see as many because it's mostly a dog neighborhood, with several large breeds left out in fenced yards 24 hours a day.

Hope the poisoned cat gets better and returns to its rightful place on the window sill

gonesnakee · 06-09-04, 12:00 PM

First sorry to hear about your cat. I'll state my basic rule as already stated by someone "Controlled & Contained". Also I have to state that not all Cats that are poisoned are done so intentionally. As mentioned in someones post ANTIFREEZE is a major killer. The stuff can be found in streets & parking lots quite often & for some reason Cats seem to love it & lap it up willing. Something to think about folks. I have had friends in the past who had "lost" their cats as a result of them helping themselves to a bucket of it in the garage. The cats weren't meant to be in the garage, but Cats end up lots of places they aren't supposed to be, thus the orgin of this thread apparrently. Again sorry to hear about the cat, but controlled & contained would have prevented this mishap. Its sad that your cat was an indoor cat as they all should be unless you have "mousers" in buildings on farms etc. Sorry for my lack of sympathy but I just finished chasing the neighbours Cat off my deck (daily thing). It likes to kill the birds & squirrrels I feed, wreck my window screens, spray my doors & windows, dig up & crap in my raspberries, rip open & scatter my garbage etc etc. Despite this I would never do anything to hurt it. Heck if I wanted to I could have "nailed" it twice today already with my "big stick". For a Cat its not too swift LOL Anyhow these issues should be brought up with the owners not the animals as they are just being themselves. Its the owners that are at fault. Next time you are upset enough to consider harming something, leave the animal alone, grab your "big stick" & look for the owner. My 2 cents Mark

Tim and Julie B · 06-09-04, 09:15 PM

Exactly Mark. Leave the animals alone as they are doing what comes naturally.

Hmm.....penalize all living things other than humans because someone's god complex gets in the way? We started every known "pest" problem, why not just shoot to kill everyone who slips up whether it be accidental or on purpose? Probably be easier than hunting down every stray anyways!..........gimme a break

Just wanted to add, screen windows keep pets in and pests out

Rebecca · 06-10-04, 12:21 AM

I thank you all for your good wishes he must have heard because he's coming home tomorrow. Spook has recovered and the vets office is calling him a miracle cat. They don't know how he survied. Anyway in response to some post here . . . There have been TONS of cats killed/lost/poisioned and worse in her area, I mean at least 10 that my sister knows of and she does not know everyone in the area. Almost every house has/had at least 2 cats. Most were indoor cats. My sister has never had anyone coplain about spook when he has gotten out before. They all know eachothers cats (most of them at least) so if there was a problem they could go to the owner. There is only one house there that HATES animals mainly cats. So you do the math. The problem is no one can prove a thing. The really sad part is lots of people have had these cats for years and have children (Ever tried to explain to a 5 year old that their cats is gone??).

hhw · 06-10-04, 01:04 AM

I don't know about the rest of BC, but in Vancouver (and in particular my area) the last few years, coyotes have taken care of most of the outdoor cats and a lot of small dogs too. So, people around here know to keep their pets indoors or else face the consequences. Cat owners should be just as reponsible for keeping their cats indoors as herp keepers are responsible for keeping their herps inside their enclosures. If someone decides to put out poison or traps on their own property for whatever purpose, it's their perrogative to do so. I'm not saying it's right, but other people's pets should never make it onto their property in the first place.

Jeff Hathaway · 06-10-04, 07:12 AM

I can't agree strongly enough about the statements already made about 'controlled and contained', etc. Beyond birds and squirrels, cats kill many snakes. A couple of thoughts to add:

1) It isn't just cat poop. Cats can carry several parasites which can infest humans, even though we're not the intended host. Some of these can be, and have been, fatal to humans.

2) Window screens can't be counted on to keep cats, or many other things, in or out.

3) If many cats are poisoned in a neighbourhood, it could be that someone has an open bucket of antifreeze around after changing their engine coolant.

4) Actually, it is not a landowner's prerogative to put out posion or traps (other than live traps) on their property for whatever purpose, or even for the specific purpose of controlling problem animals. One could understand the frustration that might lead them to do it, though.

I'm glad to hear that your sister's cat is getting better, since it is an indoor cat that got loose just this once.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

LISA127 · 06-10-04, 07:33 AM

I'm so glad the cat is going to make a recovery. That's great news!
And to everyone else, there is no excuse for purposely hurting an animal.

M_surinamensis · 06-10-04, 07:40 AM

I knew when I made my statements that they would not be a particularly popular view and that many would likely disagree... I'm okay with it of you are and in reading my initial post I do come off fairly harshly.

As several others have since confirmed, domestic cats are one of the most dangerous predatory species which has ever been introduced as an invasive species. Anywhere there is a feral cat population, there are massive losses in population numbers for native species. They kill and eat EVERYTHING smaller than themselves and larger than beetles/moths, have a very quick reproductive rate and are large enough not to have too many species view them as a potential meal. Put simply, they're a danger. A menace to populations of native fauna with everything that entails and all the associated environmental impacts. They do not belong outside uncontrolled.

I'm an animal lover... no question and you won't find one more passionate but I am NOT an anthropomorphizing wuvy duvy wishy washy bambi-fying one. I eat meat, wear leather and have no moral qualms whatsoever about destroying individual representatives of an invasive species. Man introduced them, man can fix it in whatever small capacity any individual is able. This does not mean I condone poisoning them... simply because I do not feel they should be living loose and see euthanization as a reasonable solution does not mean that needless cruelty is warranted, nor is the method safe or appropriate for the native species which destroying loose cats would protect. However since the likelyhood of any individual loose cat being placed is low, I do support euthanization. It's a logical solution to an unfortunate problem.

And... I really can't say I have much compassion for the owners of any cats lost or injured when they're free roaming. In this instance, sure it was an accident and mistakes will happen but the responsibility for keeping the animal under control goes to it's owner and the responsibility for accepting the consequences of a temporary lapse of containment goes in the exact same direction.

sapphire_moon · 06-10-04, 09:10 AM

M surinamensis, I actually agree with you on alot of basis.

Cats were introduced and are a threat to all natural wildlife. They should be dealt with accordingly. But alot of people also think it's fine to "rescue" wild cats, neuter/spay them, then release them again! Or that if they put food down for the cat that it will just eat there and not hurt any of the "little birdies or squirles".

Though I also agree it's not entirely the cats fault, it is only doing what is necessary to survive.

Though it is NOT TO HARD to keep pet cats contained.
We have a pet cat that all it's life has been confine to ONE room (our room usually) and she starts to walk into the hall way all we have to do is yell at her, and she comes scrambling back into the room. This has only happened ONCE in close to 3 years.

Why is it so hard to keep a cat contained, but not a snake?

I am glad that your cat is getting better, and If someone is poisining the neighborhood cats I hope you find out who it is.

spidergecko · 06-10-04, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hhw
If someone decides to put out poison or traps on their own property for whatever purpose, it's their perrogative to do so. I'm not saying it's right, but other people's pets should never make it onto their property in the first place.

I'll have to remember to tell the kids to never go in your backyard. I guess gone are the days when a little kid could retrieve his lost fisbee or ball without worrying he might die in the neighbours yard

marisa · 06-10-04, 09:35 AM

Nice posts everyone.

As for this comment:

"Just wanted to add, screen windows keep pets in and pests out"

I assume since no one else in this entire thread mentioned windows, this is a suggested solution to my problem. How exactly though, will window screen stop male cats from spraying directly into my house via my window screen? LOL. You leave the window open an inch, and BAM, a male has put his butt to the window and sprayed inside all over whatever is near the window. So um, no window "screen" doesn't help as spray goes right through it. But yeah thanks for the idea???? I guess I have to continue keeping my windows closed so someones cute kitty can have his nights outside.

Our new solution to our personal cat problem is setting up live traps. Find a cat and it goes to the SPCA. If the owner didn't pay to have a microchip, that's too bad.

Seamus Haley's comments on the issue are exactly my thoughts as well.

Marisa