Disposing of feral cats

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Originally Posted by kowari

After all said and done, you have to accept it's not the cats fault that it's here and eating the wildlife. It's just an animal doing what it has evolved to do (and very efficiently too).

I accept that control is of some help, but their disposal is a responsibility, and unless you see yourself as a red necked bogun feral, that responsibility requires you to be sure it is absolutely as humane as is posible (throwing the trap in a tub of water dos'nt cut it.

I guess all control helps, but I'm sure your aware that shooting and trapping will have no effect on the overall numbers and the damage done to native fauna. As with the fox and the cane toad (as devastating as the cats) the only answer will be biological engineering. Probably not likely as it would see the eradication of all cats on this continent and eventually other continents as well including their native cat species.

The only answer is to control where possible, until a natural balance is established, but to do it right.

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The most efficient control is a firearm. An incentive is a bounty on cats (and wild dogs). Worked pretty well with dingoes, doggers got a job out of it. Pay kids for dead cane toads (and make it tax free). Foxes are no longer hunted since animal liberationistas and do-gooders threw paint on women wearing fox stoles and fur coats.

How many tens of millions will be spent on biological control that could be put into a solution now?

Rabbits were once an enormous problem in Australia but were there to feed starving people in the Great Depression. Once "biological control" was introduced with myxomatosis the use of wild rabbits for food was over. Millions are still being spent as the rabbits gain immunity to the so-called "biological controls" virus and we are past round 2 - calicivirus as it is failing in less than a decade. Both of these cause the most excruciating death to the animals - brought to you by your civilised scientists.

Bob

A couple of comments.

In 1966 in the middle of the Simpson, after ten years of no rain (and a bit of rain in the previous year) I saw a black feral cat.

Perhaps it is worth remembering, for those who advocate keeping cats inside all the time, exactly why cats became domestic animals; they keep in check small rodents. Anyone who has lived through a mouse plague will respect this, although in plague conditions a cat, or even several, will not cope in plague conditions.

(While not exactly a cat lover, I have owned cats in the past, and am not a cat hater either. Any feral round here I can get in my sights will cease to be a problem.)

John

As for Asprin toxicity in cats, the usually cited reference is Boothe, D.M. (1990). Drug therapy in cats: a systems approach. J Am Vet Med Assoc 196(9): 1502-1511. Can someone point to a more up-to-date and contrary reference?

I understand Paracetamol is even more toxic to cats. See Allen, A.L. (2003). The diagnosis of acetaminophen toxicosis in a cat. Can Vet J 44(6): 509–10, for example.

Cheers
KarlB
:)

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Originally Posted by bobslandies

Foxes are no longer hunted since animal liberationistas and do-gooders threw paint on women wearing fox stoles and fur coats.

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Speak for yourself Bob, I'll happily introduce any fox I see to my good friend Mr. .223 WSSM.
Soft in the head greenies (not all greenies) can carry on all they want. They're an introduced pest and they kill our stock.
**** em.
Personally I love both cats and dogs, but owners of both have to take on responsibilities, from picking up the **** to making sure they're not attacking things that shouldn't be attacked.
A bit of common sense and a sense of responsibility for your animals goes a long way IMHO.

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Originally Posted by bobslandies

The most efficient control is a firearm. An incentive is a bounty on cats. Pay kids for dead cane toads (and make it tax free). Foxes are no longer hunted since animal liberationistas and do-gooders threw paint on women wearing fox stoles and fur coats.

How many tens of millions will be spent on biological control that could be put into a solution now?

Rabbits were once an enormous problem in Australia but were there to feed starving people in the Great Depression. Once "biological control" was introduced with myxomatosis the use of wild rabbits for food was over. Millions are still being spent as the rabbits gain immunity to the so-called "biological controls" virus and we are past round 2 - calicivirus as it is failing in less than a decade. Both of these cause the most excruciating death to the animals - brought to you by your civilised scientists.



Bob

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My scientists!??

No not mine, I'm sure they will f**k it up, but it is the only control that could work, and I was implying genetic engineering, that is something like releasing genetically engineered males to introduce a gene that introduces a non-breeding gene in females, not a lot of excruciating death there I don't think. so far this has been done only in insects AFAIK, but
that's where the millions of dollars in research comes in, but what is Australia's natural history worth?

Like it or, not Myxy and calici virus has done more to control rabbits that 2 generations of shooter/poisoners ever managed

Shooting is fine, with the right calibre it is acceptably humane, I've done more than enough myself. But don't kid yourself that it will control cats or foxes, the areas affected are too vast, the shooters too few, and like the Americans at war, the shooters only go where the road goes (more or less) and they only operate on a casual basis.
Cats, foxes and toads breed as soon as they can, and because they have to, it's not entertainment.

We have a captive breeding program for cats at the local tip:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:.
Caught one here last week,long black hair all matted,obviously not a pet.It also had a festering oozing sore between its ears that resembled a .22 injury.
The DEC(Department Environment Conservation) in WA are developing a fresh meat bait for cats that seems to be promising.Cats wont touch the dried 1080 fox baits,where a fox will take the new fresh baits.
WIN WIN.
Andrew

The concerned officials that rid Macquarie Island of cats to save the birds, nearly lost the Island to the sea because of the erosion caused by rats and rabbits that bred quickly without any predators.

Nature finds a way to maintain a balance.
So watch out! the Human race has over populated its habitat.
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Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

The concerned officials that rid Macquarie Island of cats to save the birds, nearly lost the Island to the sea because of the erosion caused by rats and rabbits that bred quickly without any predators.

Nature finds a way to maintain a balance.
So watch out! the Human race has over populated its habitat.
.

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Following the Australian success some scientific geniuses introduced myxomatosis into Europe - they were so successful on the rabbits that they caused the extinction of a number of species (Spanish Imperial Eagle, Iberian Lynx) and the decimation of others that fed on rabbits. Rabbits are increasing, the extinct animals are not.

I wouldn't put too much faith in scientists. Where was their "Environmental Impact Assessment"? (I did not say science).

Bob

The Great Australian Cat Predicament

Last winter the digger driver was digging a new dump trench.When he opened the engine compartment to do his pre start check 15 cats bolted,they had gone in there to shelter from the rain and seek warmth.
Next morning,no pre start check,several went thru the belts;););););););););)
Andrew