Feral cats

[Doctor J]

Anyone have a good way to lure in feral cats to a live trap? Thanks.

[Jameson]

Tuna has worked well for me in the past. Did have a few coons, grinners, and stinkers get trapped as well.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

cat food?

never tried trapping cats before...usually just drill em with a 32 grain stinger.

[Archerysniper]

Got my live/dead trap out tonight with a can of tuna for the strays.

[Archerysniper]

Tuna worked one less kitty in the barn.

[USDA3]

Canned sardines work pretty good as well, but thats the right idea with fish...

[jigginjim]

I would not do this these days. But there was a time when group of buddies would get several boxes of 6 shot shells for their 12ga. shotguns, a spotlight, and 1-2 cases of beer.

Then head out for a night of, closing beady little eyes in road digs. If them eyes look as thou they could aid the critter in killing pheasants? CLOSE THOSE EYES!!!!!!

[croixflats]

Cats are a nasty reproductive machine.Get rid of those feral cats as quick as you can and any way you can before they set up a colony if that happens you are foobared.

FAQ: Cat Reproduction

At what age do female cats first go in to heat?

Female cats typically reach sexual maturity when they are about 4.5 – 7.0 lb (2.3-3.2

kg), or between five and nine months of age. However, it is possible for female kittens

as young as four months to go into heat and become pregnant! In addition, domestic

shorthair and longhair cats may reach sexual maturity earlier than purebred cats, and

free-roaming cats may become sexually mature sooner than cats kept indoors.

How long do they stay in heat?

The duration of estrus (heat) varies in individual cats. Heat lasts an average of seven

days, but may be as long as 21 days. If a female cat doesn’t mate and become

pregnant, she may go back into heat repeatedly, with only brief periods of non-heat – as

little as two days – between heats!

At what age can they become pregnant?

A female cat can become pregnant as soon as she is sexually mature – as early as four

months of age.

During what times of the year can a female cat get pregnant?

While breeding and pregnancy occur most commonly in the spring, female cats can

become pregnant at any time during the year, especially in mild climates.

What is the gestation period for a pregnant cat?

56 to71 days. The average length is 67 days.

How many litters can a female cat have in a year?

Up to five litters in one year!

What is the average number of kittens born in a litter?

For free-roaming cats, the average number of kittens per litter is probably around three,

but it can commonly be up to six or more.

Can cats become pregnant while they are nursing kittens?

Yes, absolutely! It is typical for cats to go back into heat one to two months after giving

birth to kittens, and they can easily become pregnant at this time! Some cats may go

into heat and become pregnant again as soon as one week after having a litter!

Can cats be spayed if they are nursing kittens?

Yes. A cat who is spayed while she is nursing will continue to produce adequate milk for

her kittens. Some veterinarians prefer to wait until a cat has weaned her kittens before

doing the surgery because the mammary gland (breast) development present during

nursing can make the surgery slightly more difficult.

If the cat can be kept indoors away from any possible exposure to intact male cats, it is

okay to wait until the kittens are weaned before spaying the mother (in fact, the whole

family could be spayed or neutered at this time). If the cat cannot be kept away from

intact male cats while nursing, she should be spayed as soon as possible. Return her to

her kittens as quickly as possible after surgery.

If the nursing cat is feral and must be trapped, it is recommended that you also catch the

kittens (if possible), or wait until the kittens are at least six weeks old, to avoid leaving

young kittens without their mother for too long.

At what age do unspayed female cats stop giving birth to kittens?

Unlike humans, cats do not go through “menopause.” While fertility may gradually

decline over time, there is no age after which a female cat can no longer become

pregnant.

Can cats from the same litter mate with each other and produce litters?

Yes. For this reason, male and female littermates who are housed together must be

neutered and spayed by four months of age!

Should I allow my female cat to have one litter before spaying her?

No! There is absolutely no benefit to the cat in doing this. Spaying a cat before her first

litter, or better yet, before her first heat, is easier and safer. Recent evidence also

suggests that spaying a cat before six months significantly decreases her risk of

mammary (breast) cancer.

If my cat is pregnant, can she be spayed?

Yes. Spaying a cat during pregnancy is slightly more difficult than spaying a nonpregnant

cat, but is better than allowing unwanted kittens to be born and to contribute to

the cat overpopulation problem.

[Born2Fish]

Wow if the little lady even saw I looked at this thread she would have my head!!!

[Ryan_V]

I've always got at least one live trap set at my hobby farm, usually 2. I have one farm cat that has been caught and released once, he'll never go into a trap again. Usually I get skunks and occassionally possums, but i still get lots of wild cats. i live next to a landfill, so it's always season for them here!!

[harvey lee]

My 17 does a great job on them. Great if you are located in the COUNTRY ONLY.

[jigginjim]

I have used pieces of carp or other fish pieces to live trap. To avoid the stinkers put live trap on beam or low leaning tree. The skunks seem to have issues climbing or walking up the beams. I tie the trap to the beams with a small strap also put a cross brace in beam to prevent trap from wobbling.

[Jim Almquist]

Great info Croixflats

Wow if the little lady even saw I looked at this thread she would have my head!!!

As the owner of 4 HOUSE cats so you know I do like cats but shoot,trap or what ever method of getting rid of as many as you can. There is nothing worse for the bird population then a feral cat. I am not really crazy about anyone letting there cats outside because they all for the most part have that instinct to hunt and will kill just for the fun of it.

[Tom7227]

I agree that they should be taken care of. I got into a bit of a 'discussion' with my son when I dumped one that was about 1/3 of a mile from a farmhouse. He said it was someone's pet, but I don't agree. Anyone out there know how far a barn cat is likely to roam?

[givetoget]

they will roam only as far as your neighbor lets them.

[nobody05]

heck we used to drive around at night with spotlights and oust everyone we seen, thank goodness we never got caught!!

[123fish]

Back in the day Floyd Ragan the CO from Slayton told us any cat more than a quarter mile from a farm he shot on sight. When they are that far out they are just up to no good.

[Dave S]

We have one locally that walks the same stretch of road. Usually no more than a couple hundred yards from home. Several times we've seen him with his catch for the day and not once has it been a bird.

I agree feral cats kill their share of birds, but this one in particular seems to target the gopher/mouse/vole population.

[Gordie]

I would not do this these days. But there was a time when group of buddies would get several boxes of 6 shot shells for their 12ga. shotguns, a spotlight, and 1-2 cases of beer.

Then head out for a night of, closing beady little eyes in road digs. If them eyes look as thou they could aid the critter in killing pheasants? CLOSE THOSE EYES!!!!!!

back in the day we called them prarrie lions

[Archerysniper]

I saw one yeasterday coming out of the ditch with a young pheasant drapped over it's shoulder like a trophy.

[123fish]

Did you use up one of his nine lives?

[Archerysniper]

I used up all nine of them at 1300 fps

[jentz]

In Kandiyohi county just last spring a fellow was Brought before a judge,Fined for cruility to animals.For just what is going on here.

I guess times have changed.

[Tom7227]

In Kandiyohi county just last spring a fellow was Brought before a judge,Fined for cruility to animals.For just what is going on here.

I guess times have changed.

That's not good enough. Facts? Outcome? Guy have any prior record of this sort?

[Archerysniper]

Not a 100% on this but they are not listed in the game laws wich makes them unprotected and was not shot on over or within the right of way of the road on land I have permission to hunt.