posted on March 30, 2001 12:59:49 PM new
Hi all. Got a question for you. Recently, it has come to my attention that a few of the cats that live in my backyard are being shot with pellets. The first time it happened, I let it slip; but the second time, the poor cat was shot in the spine and now it's paralyzed. I think I know who did it, but can't porve it. Any suggestions as to how I can prevent this from happening again? Thanks for all the info.
posted on March 30, 2001 01:09:55 PM new
Well, I love cats. As a matter of fact, we have 3 strictly indoor cats. But, I don't like the cats that roam the neighborhood, ripping into my garbage, killing the birds we feed, having kittens 2-3 times a year, and using my garden and flower bed for a litter box. No, I've never shot any of them. But I understand those who try to rid themselves of the mess they can and do make.
It is distressing also to see them smashed on the 4 lane road that is only 500 feet from my home, and watching them starve and or freeze to death in the winter.
It sounds like someone else is feeling the same way.
posted on March 30, 2001 01:21:30 PM new
I *hate* it when people allow their cats to roam the neighborhood (especially my neighbor with his 20+ cats who come use *my* yards to do their business & have fights in the wee hours). But I do *not* understand or condone wantonly shooting strays. And, the original poster did not state whether these cats were shot in their own yards or elsewhere.
posted on March 30, 2001 01:24:28 PM new
If someone is shooting *into* your backyard, I'd call the police. Someone besides the cats could be shot and injured too.
While I would never injure an animal, I have taken probably close to three dozen to the pound. Fully understanding their probable fate.
In CA. we were one of the few people in our neighborhood who did not own a dog. It seemed all the roving cats decided our backyard was their 'safe' play-yard and potty box. They pooped in the flower containers on our decks, under the tri-level decks and in all our flower beds.
After a couple of years of having to crawl under our decks to rake the poop out (the smell was horrible during the warm months), I bought a small animal cage and started trapping them and taking them to the pound. One summer we caught 13 cats in a two week period. It was totally out of hand.
Animal owners need to be responsible for the animals they love and not let them run loose.
posted on March 30, 2001 02:06:07 PM new
I would go ahead and report it to the police and the humane society. Just tell them that you think you know who did it. We have two cats and they are always inside the house. We have cats roaming our neighborhood all the time. Another thing to remember that if one of the neighborhood cats has feline leukemia and your cat is not current on their shots, and they come in contact with an infected cat. Your cat can contract the leukemia and it can be fatal.
posted on March 30, 2001 02:16:58 PM new
I'm very much against cruelty to animals but sometime I've had to take measures against them. It is hard to take a passive nature to pets intruding on my territory. Dogs going through my trash, cats using my bird feeders as their smorgasbord board. Owners are responsible for their pets actions and their safety.
I used to be serious in to bicycling, and for some reason a dog would rather chase a bicycle than a ball. It use to just annoy me till one dog made me eat 15 feet of asphalt one day. I shot many a dog from my bicycle after that... I used a water pistol with ammonia for my weapon, the results were fantastic, the dog lost all interest in me and the bicycle and began wondering why the world smelled so strange. They learned fast not to chase bicycles. To bad I couldn't do the same to the dog's owner.
posted on March 30, 2001 02:33:23 PM new
The person is probably using a pellat gun because there is a law against discharging a firearm in your urban area and they don't want to have the noise bring the law down on them. It is really cruel to use something that will injure without killing cleanly.
I saw a squirrel fall and break it's back and called the police and asked them if they would object to my going out and shooting the poor thing to put it out of it's misery and they would not agree - citing such a law. They would not send an animal control officer either.
I would take exception to their shooting into YOUR yard. I would politely inform them that they are risking return fire if they shoot into your yard.
Trapping the unwanted visiters seemed the most reasonable response here to the cat problem.
Shooting into your yard is a problem no matter WHY it is being done. I have some nice marks on my car from a neighbor teen doing some careless shooting with an air rifle.
Pellets can do serious damage to animals and humans. The pellets can embed and infect which may lead to death, not to mention getting an eye or hitting a person/animal in the head to cause serious or fatal results.
Along with many others I urge you to stand up for your rights, the animal(s) rights and possibly prevent harm to humans -adults and children.
Oftentimes that type of person is down right mean person and needs to be told they can't do whatever they want to do!
Your property space is being violated. You have the right to the space of your property which goes up to a reasonable height to cover aircraft and other things that may impede your property space.
posted on March 31, 2001 01:41:00 PM new
Hi all. Thanks for all the replies so far. Here's the exact situation. My parents live next store to me and the cats are actually in their yard. But I'm the one that feeds them. Technically, they aren't my cats, per-say; BUT, I feed them and they've become a part of the family. I can't take these guys into my house because I already own three extremely terriotrial cats. And I've tried to catch them in order to deliver them to the SPCA, but they're slipperly litter buggers! But besides that fact, the person whom I assume is doing the shooting is probably doin so in the afternoon when everyone is at work and the cats are roaming in the parents' backyard. I've tried to inform the police and SPCA, but they said they can't do anything without concrete proof! So now what? *sighs*
posted on March 31, 2001 09:23:31 PM new
Try setting up a Vid Cam focused on where u think the shooting is coming from..If u don't feel 6 hours is enough time to catch the culprit, try using a timer, or , I believe, that 8 hour tapes are available...set the cam up INSIDE so the shooter won't see it!!
Once Animal Control and the PD see it on tape, you can watch this guy go up on charges, and down in flames.
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on March 31, 2001 09:39:57 PM new
Technically, if you feed them they ARE your cats.
Call around to the humane societies, animal control, and animal rescue groups about getting a live trap to trap the cats and move them to safety. A live trap is about the only effective way to catch feral cats.
I also agree that setting up a video camera is a good idea if you think they're being shot on your or your parents' property.
Do you know why the person is shooting them? Is the individual just mean, or do they have a complaint about them coming onto his/her property? If the cat bites a child, I think you would be legally responsible if you're feeding the cats. From what I understand from reading about stray cat rescues, the court uses feeding to determine ownership.
Lisa
Thanks to Lisa and Keith for the suggestions. My only problem with the video camera is the fact that all the houses run parallel to each other. So the person do the shooting is at an angle where I can't record him from the inside of the house. That, and the fact that I think he's doing the shooting out of a little crack in his window where a person looking from the outside can't see anything! He shoots from the back of his window into our (my parents') yard or when the cats are sleeping next to the fence that divides his property from ours. But the cats are still sleeping on our side of the fence!
I think he just has nothing better to do, but harm innocent animals. The cats don't use his yard for a litterbox, nor do the little fellas eat any of the food that it left out in the guy's yard that his girlfriend leaves out for the cats!! The ironic thing is that his girlfriend (with whom he lives) is extremely nice and has two cats living at the house in which he stays!! He has told her that he can't stand cats, but she refuses to give them up. I guess he takes his anger out on our cats. What a pain he is! And what a mess he is causing!
The cat that I was referring to in the first post is paralzyed from about mid-section down to his feet and tail. It's so pitiful to watch the little fellow crawl around on his front feet, dragging his back legs behind him.
Anyway, I'll try to get a trap and set up a video camera. *crosses fingers*
