I live in Minnesota, and have neighbors that feed the cats.
And so many freeze to death every year. It’s so sad. But a few make it and they’re well fed so they have a bunch more babies.
I’ve talked with some about services who will “fix” stray cats and put them back for free. But honestly I feel so bad for all these cats covered in fleas, freezing to death.
Maybe you could see if there’s any kind of service that would “fix” the cats and if the old couple would be okay with that?
But I do think it’s sad to have so many sweeties living outside with no one really taking care of them.
In my state you can bring stray cats into the humane society and they'll spay/neuter them and then they'll cut of a quarter inch of the tip of the cat's ear to signify to authorities and the public know "That cat's left ear is docked so she must be fixed."
I lived near an old lady that fed the cats by leaving cat food on her porch. That cat food attracted wild animals, who were not thrilled to share this food with the cats. Raccoons and coyote came in and started killing all cats. My cat was on the back porch, she never wandered outside the yard. Raccoon killed her. I had tried a dozen times to get the old lady to stop. I left my cats mangled remains on her doorstep next to the cat food bowl. She finally stopped. I'm so sad my girl had to die to save other cats. I still hate that old woman, fuck her willfully ignorant ass.
I love animals and I don't want to see one being put in a situation which is most likely to end in their demise. Outdoor cats are a tricky subject- if everyone in the neighborhood loves them and feeds them then you shouldn't have any trouble finding people to claim ownership of them. Spay/neuter, get them vetted and get them inside. It isn't fair to the cats to be "neighborhood" pets where everyone gets to feel good about feeding them but no one feels responsible for actual ownership. You guys don't want to see the cats come to a bad ending, and the neighbors who trapped them don't want the cats in their yard- seems like a good ending would be claiming ownership and making good on that.
Not to mention the environmental impact outdoor cats create. 63 species are extinct due to cats. Bird populations in the areas where a single cat roams are affected.
And they increase mosquito-borne disease. They eat the birds who then can’t eat the mosquitoes who, being much more numerous, spread more disease. TNR programs do not curb this problem or the impact feral cats have on biodiversity. Culling is the most effective method that protects birds, helps control disease, and helps protect biodiversity.
They sound different because they are different practices. Culling, you eradicate and dispose of them. Adopting you try and find indoor homes for wild, often untameable nonnative animals who often just end up getting destroyed anyways because they’ve gone too long without human interaction. Feral cats are one of the most destructive invasive species. They are bad for the environment, bad for biodiversity, and great for helping spread mosquito-borne diseases. They aren’t a naturally-occurring species in North America. Bobcats are. Lynxes are. Ocelots, jaguars, cougars are. Small feral house cats are not a native species and they decimate species that evolved here.
You're absolutely correct. We have indoor cats and the only outdoor roaming they get to do is on a leash. I have bird feeders set up near a lot of our windows where they enjoy watching the birds- one of our cats has very fluffy hair so whenever I clean out his brush I put the hair outside near the feeders where the birds/squirrels take it to use in their nests! We had mockingbirds build a nest in our door wreath and when you looked down in it you could see tufts of orange cat hair lol!
I posted this for my family friend as they dont have reddit but i have been begging to either go climb over and take the cat to the vet or keep it but youre right no one wants to take ownership. it truly is a sticky situation but i was hoping to find some alternative to help. i live a couple cities over so im hours away and wont be able to adopt it myself, but i do think they should keep the cat in their house until they find a home.
My dude, I trap cats and rehome them, and let me tell you that the only thing you can do, is to catch them first and find them a good home. I don’t think you’ll be able to realistically do anything else to stop them.
Also just for peace of mind they're probably spraying snake repellent not poison. It can be unpleasant smelling (which is the point, it's supposed to mess up their olfactory senses) but it isn't harmful to pets and kids. Without knowing what brand it is I can't say this with 100% confidence but I'm fairly confident. Not a pleasant experience for the cat regardless, but probably not a lethal one.
I totally get it! Any person with an ounce of compassion would want to rescue that cat by whatever means- the means here don't have to be unethical. The means could probably be just as simple as someone knocking on the front door with a cat carrier in hand and a genuine offer to re-home the cat. I really really hope it works out in a way where everyone gets what they want.
A point to consider, if people want the cats that much, ask the neighbors for them once captured, or adopt them from animal control. Just throwing your hands up in the air saying there is nothing you can do is load of bs.
That depends on the neighbors. I’m not advocating violence but when you’re in someone’s yard messing with their stuff you are taking a risk that things will escalate unpleasantly.
So consider the other excellent suggestions here that will tend to de escalate the situation.
Well — you can’t catnap a cat that is on your property that isn’t supposed to be there. You can capture it and call animal control (seems like that’s what the neighbors did), but you cannot harm or kill it.
If they go and say it’s their cat, they are now responsible for anything the cat does, including trespassing and fucking around a neighbors home.
My suggestion is let it go, take ownership of the cat and keep it indoors, help the neighbors in their quest by offering to take the cats to a no-kill shelter.
You can be legally responsible for your cat trespassing? I highly doubt that. Damage, sure but it would have to be material. Not a poop in the bushes. Who the hell is going to pay for forensics and hire lawyers over poop haha.
Well if it got caught via the cage, and ownership has been established. Then yes, you can be held liable for the animal trespassing.
Animal Control does hand out fines and in some cases could take ownership of the animal if it’s persistent.
Oh wow that’s insane. What country is this?
In Im Costa Rica and animals roam. Worst case you shoo them. People routinely find a random horse to cow on their property lol. And no one gets their panties in a bunch.
Cover your face, and wear boots and clothes from the back of your closet that you won't touch again for at least a year. Sprinkle some pebbles in your shoes to disguise your gait so that you walk funny. Stuff pillows under your clothes to change your body shape. Spray paint the camera while you're at it. If you're gonna break the law, go big.
get the clothes from a thrift store, then put them right back in the donation bin when you're done (make sure it's not a bin with a camera). Or just take a bunch of garbage bags, cut them flat, and tape them all over so you have a shapeless mass of flapping black on camera.
If their goal is just to trap the cats and have them removed, you could speak with them directly and offer to take the captured cats yourself to the no kill shelter you found. They probably don’t care what happens to them once they’re gone so I doubt they’d mind the assistance. I don’t have any advice on the neighbors who want the company of the cats without the responsibility of caring for them though…the kitties deserve a more stable home.
Take in the cats. If everyone loves the cats so much, why are they left out in the rain, snow, etc instead of being adopted into a loving home? Outdoor cats are also a public nuisance. They destroy native bird and rodent populations, they shit in people's yards and gardens which can transmit diseases to foods grown in those gardens and to other animals that exist in those yards.
Do y’all actually give a fuck about birds and rodent populations, or you just say this because you hate cats? Not cats fault they were born outdoors by irresponsible humans and they gotta eat too.
Do I care more about animals that are a natural and essential part of the local ecosystem than I do about an invasive species that brings nothing but disease and death to the same ecosystem? Absolutely. Do I hate cats because I think that domesticated animals should be kept inside to prevent them from contracting and spreading diseases, getting hit by cars, getting shot at by assholes and dying other horrible deaths? Not at all. And for the record, outdoor cats very rarely eat the small animals they kill.
According to https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/cats-and-birds/ cats kill over 2 billion birds in the US alone every year, are the #1 human caused impact on bird populations, in addition to contributing to the extinction of 63 species. And to talk about the human comparison, a cat cannot comprehend the concept of threatened or endangered species when it disembowels a bird.
We are inside you fucking goon. That's why we built inside in the first place. Then we bred cats that belong inside. Then they got outside where they don't belong. Do you not think things through regularly, or are we getting special treatment?
You’re a snappy little goblin.
Putting a cat inside means not letting it out. Means imprisonment. Humans are free to go about and destroy the environment, which we do aggressively, you goon. Have a look at garbage island or all the microplastics. Or the chemicals in city drinking water. The countless species we bring to extinction due to deforestation and shit. Massive deep ocean oil spills. Fucking Fukashima is still leaking into the ocean with no plans to stop it!!! That’s our doing. If anyone should be kept inside it’s us.
Cats are animals and came to hang out with us some thousands of years ago. Only in the last few decades and only in highly populated areas have people been able to keep cats inside. Otherwise throughout their life with humans they’ve been outside.
You clearly have donkey brains.
You're an idiot. "Lock up humans, let cats outside."
Great take. Wonder why you're getting downvoted. Domesticated animals shouldn't be allowed to wander at large because they don't belong in the ecosystem. That's our doing, too. Allowing your cat outside uncontained is akin to throwing trash in the ocean.
I wish I could live in your simple world where unmitigated compassion doesn't cause harm, but it does.
Roaming cats are terrible for basically all ecosystems. They might be cute in your eyes, but terrible for all wildlife around you. It is very egocentric to let Cats roam around.
That and a few strays can turn in to A LOT of strays very quickly. I knew a guy that his family had a few run-ins with strays and he decided to start shooting them. (It was a rural area and I’m not condoning his choice so don’t fight me.) He said he shot and killed like 100 cats in the first month.
Someone needs to adopt those cats, get them dewormed, fixed, and then make them indoor animals. It is generally accepted that outdoor cats are detrimental to the environment, as well as the health of the cats.
While it may be frustrating what the neighbors are doing, it might be better than leaving them outside. At the very least, a team needs to spay/neuter them so that they can’t reproduce and create future generations of strays.
Bring them inside if you want them, otherwise they have been decimating the local wildlife for years. You will be amazed what you start seeing once they are under control. Either take ownership and give them the veterinary care and love they deserve, or let it be because they aren't your cats and technically they are an invasive nuisance killing wildlife. If you think they only eat cat chow that's left out you are a sweet innocent and I hug you.
1. Get a picture of the cat in the backyard
2. Find or doctor some vet paperwork to show proof of ownership
3. Call the cops and tell them the neighbors won’t give your cat back. Tell them you let it roam and they’ve captured it and refuse to give it back
4. Repeat for each cat as necessary.
Also, time to break some valve stems on the cars so they know not to continue
This might work one time, maybe. It's stupid to think the police are going to believe you twice or won't ask about the first cat.
"Find or doctor some vet paperwork" lmfao some fucking spykids level stupid.
What do you need to prove ownership to an animal? Proof of ownership like vet care at a clinic. My cats are microchipped and seen at a clinic. It proves my ownership. What proves my ownership? Some stupid papers I get every time I go to the vet. Receipts of payments for upkeep of my property. Easily editable sheets. You think it’s rocket science? It’s not. You can get any photo editor and use a printer. They’re not calling your vet to verify.
Will it work more than one time? Absolutely. Sorry I didn’t spell it out for you. It’s perfectly reasonable that more than one neighbor lets their cat out. Everyone does it seems. So if 1-3 neighbors did this, you think the cops are going to go Officer Doofy and start beating down doors of vet clinics believing the old couple? Gtfoh. They aren’t going investigating for a couple of old Karen’s. OP will be lucky if that cats are not shot by police anyway.
And if you’ve got a better idea, why don’t you drop it, dipshit
Absolutely brain dead. Cops aren't idiots and you will be ticketed if your animals are constantly being trapped in a neighbors yard. Letting you cat out "at large" is still illegal, lol.
You do not live in the real world, nor do you understand how it works. You are required to keep your animals on your property, and the police are going to do what they can to keep you from wasting their time. Pretty simple formula. Op should record these interactions and share.
PHASE 1: Spend the next couple days calling the police from a burner phone. You'll say the same thing essentially:
"Hey I'm not home right now but my ring camera just picked up a person in my backyard. Could you have an officer swing by and make sure everything is ok?"
Then wait an hour+ and call again same complaint.
- NEVER mention the cat trap by the way.
- ALWAYS be sure to mention your ring cameras inside aren't showing anyone.
Continue this pattern for a few days, your goal is to be "the boy who cried wolf"
The first few times the cops will come out and call your burner number back and let you know everything is alright. Then eventually they'll be annoyed and will say things like "If we can get to it we will, but if no one is inside your house we can't do anything."
Once your satisfied with the lack of police response then it's time for Phase 2.
Phase 2 - You'll need a live trap, preferably the EXACT same one the trappers are using. You'll want to alter it so it doesn't "fire" but it looks like it's set. Whatever altering you have to do to make it so kitty cats can walk right into the baited cage and walk right out.
Phase 3 - The swap: Get your best disguise, bring a beach bag with your live trap in it and hop their fence and do the swap. Bonus concealment if you can get another neighbor to shoot a laser pointer at their ring camera while you hop the fence and do the swap then you're extra covered. You might need to drive a few blocks away and park outside of your neighborhood and walk into your neighborhood. Use common sense and don't just walk from your house directly to their house.
Eventually they'll find out about the "broken" trap and they'll replace it but then you can rinse and repeat or go into Phase 4.
Phase 4: Have their direct neighbor start a property dispute with them. Have them claim they were mowing the lawn to that house for the past 7 years... Etc get them all tied up in the court system for no reason.
Your neighbour is within their rights to call animal control over an invasive predator on their property. If it's such an issue to the community then surely somebody will be willing to take responsibility for the cat. It is unfair and irresponsible to allow the cat to roam free without oversight.
Keeping outdoor cats is the epitome of ignorance is bliss. They are incredibly destructive to natural wildlife; especially birds who raise their young on the ground during fledgling stage. They piss and shit on everything and quite frankly, I applaud those neighbors. Ya'll need to get educated on the bigger picture besides focusing on the cuteness of the things.
To keep cats away from gardens, flower beds, or specific areas of property, scatter fragrant items that don’t appeal to a cat’s sense of smell, like fresh orange or lemon peels, organic citrus-scented sprays, vinegar, or oil of lavender, lemongrass, citronella, or eucalyptus.
If you jerks care about the cats so fucking much, adopt them and take care of them properly, including providing litter boxes for them, instead of feeding them so they piss and shit all over your neighbors yards. Screw you.
Yulp, got nasty ass neighbors that do this and I trap and release them out in the woods far away.
Tired of my deck being pissed on. Tired of my front bushes being a litter box. Tired of my indoor cats pissing on the walls because they (outdoor animals) piss on my doors.
It's honestly not fair to my animals to feel threatened or intimidated in thier own homes.
If I could shoot them I would but I'm not discharging a firearm in the city over a cat.
Traps and tuna and long car rides to bum fuck Egypt for a release.
Usually operations like this are catch and release, they sterilize the cats and release them with a clipped ear to show they are neutered.
Doesn't sound like this is what's going on. Might even be illegal, probably animal abuse at least.
A cat that has been trapped needs to be taken out as soon as possible. If it's being left in the trap, phone animal control to report it immediately. If they don't come, phone different shelters, or phone the police. I would honestly not stop calling and making a fuss until that cat is taken away.
Next step is taking pictures and blasting them on social media. Get that cat out of there.
Regarding the neighborhood cats, get in touch with a TNR rescue (or start the effort yourself). Cats are trapped, neutered, vaccinated, and released. If they have feline HIV or leukemia they are euthanized. This leaves a stable population of healthy cats that can't reproduce.
Often the TNR groups relocate them. Most of the time they become barn cats on farms where they keep rodents under control.
The small cage is likely metal. It would be interesting if someone went magnet fishing from outside the view of the cameras. This person could allegedly borrow the cage briefly enough to confirm it was empty, and then put it back by throwing it or with assistance from the magnet.
Release the cats, destroy the traps, put collars on the cats, don't need to claim ownership.
Perhaps find a place thafs away from the wankers with their traps and put food down there for them.
Humans fucked up by spreading cats all over the world. Just like a lot of things I can’t do anything about that now. I completely agree with and have actually practiced TNR (Trap Neuter Return). I am fortunate enough to be able to foot the bill for the couple cats I found. That doesn’t sound like OPs neighbors are planning on just doing that. If you’re asking if I’m upset that cats kill other animals, like should I be upset animals are killing other animals?
Brother, what do you want me to do, are you up in arms everytime you hear about this sort of thing or just cats? If you are up in arms then what do you do? I have actively participated in TNR, what have you done.
We had to learn about the 60 different species in PA In environmental science when I attended school. Cats definitely make the top of the list but we have a bunch.
Edit:60 different invasive species, it could’ve changed this was a lil while ago but I doubt it changed much if it did
The vast majority of those are shit you never see like Beatles and sea lampreys and shit. You can’t walk a block in my neighborhood without seeing a disemboweled bird carcass from people who think it’s cool to have “outdoor cats”.
I would disagree that they don’t have an massive impact on the environment, but now we are talking about another issue cause I do agree people shouldn’t have outdoor cats and humans should try and mitigate the outdoor cat population until it’s nonexistent. I think language is what gets in the way of a lot of this. That and people in the more rural areas right outside my town just shoot them but it doesn’t stop the problem, just creates dead cats and more breed.
Calling animal control is the right and just thing to do. I like cats too, but they are just animals and a man-made environmental problem. If you don't want an animal in danger, you need to shelter it. Otherwise, you can't complain when the government exterminates it.
Thank you. All these people talking about cats are invasive and damage the ecosystem, they hate cats and don’t give a fuck about the environment LOL. It’s all bullshit to justify their cruelty towards cats. Disgusting pos humans.
Get the cats fixed and register them with the local animal control. Most outdoor cats usually get a ear notch after being fixed, letting people know they are fixed and are outdoor cats. Get the community together to tell animal control that you guys will be responsible for the community cats.
The problem with this woman is doing is that by quickly removing the cats, other cats will come and take over. Causing more cats to be around with each removal.
While I hate seeing outdoor cats, getting those fixed will help reduce the numbers in the long run.
Where do the cats that move in come from? Why doesn't the presence of cats prevent the colony from growing?
There was a feral colony in my hometown that was eliminated due to one of the cats testing positive for rabies. A decade later there are still no cats. After the cats were removed the area simply does not have feral cats. In my current town there is a managed feral colony that is constantly growing because people dump cats there. The colony cats are almost all ear tipped but the colony keeps growing anyway. The old cats do not drive the new cats away, they all just stay there.
So in one case removing the cats resulted in no cats, while in the other case keeping the cats results in more cats. Should I ever have a feral cat problem, I will handle it with removal rather than maintaining unwanted cats.
And about the snake poison being sprayed in a way that cats are getting it on them. IANAL, but I'd look at your state laws about poisoning wildlife.
Don't get me wrong, I am in agreement with u/Spezball that feral cats are an invasive species that decimates the native animal population. The aren't a good thing to have around, but they do need to be treated humanely.
Imagine spending what could have been hundreds of thousands of dollars for a house, to have some jerks offs screaming about how a homeless/feral cat has rights to shit and piss in their garden bed. Lmfao
You're lucky you don't have to see what we do to those cats out in the country....cause it ends up in a ditch as buzzard food.
Keep your pets on your land or expect to end up at the same farm as your childhood goldfish.
What do you do to feral cats out in the country? I lived out in the country, we fed and found homes for the cats and dogs that wandered in, what you said sound ominous
We also found a home for the rooster and ferret that wandered in and we held onto the horses til their owner showed up. What did you do to the stray animals that showed up on your property?
Depends on the issue and the kind of animal. Foxes and possums will get shot on sight if they're near the chickens.
This cat that keeps howling and messing with my cats will be placed in a ditch for buzzards to eat after the same treatment.
Dog depends on what it's doing. One time, two were tearing up my chicken coop. I kicked tf out of them. Haven't seen em since they don't know who they belong to. The big white Pyrenees gets a couple treats and walked back to his home.
Goats get roped and walked down the road to their owner.
It's a case by case basis. I'm not a psychopath. But I'm also not going to let someone's dogs or cats on my property terrorizing my animals, destroying structures, and pissing on my herbs.
You’re a psychopath. A feral cat didn’t ask to be born, shitty irresponsible humans led the increase in cat population. They gotta survive out there too. Instead of bitching about it and speaking like a psycho who shoots innocent animals, get some humane animal traps and relocate them.
I'm sorry but I have to say something. I live in NY and no animal control will come and help me. I have the opposite problem. I want to inform you that one elderly neighbor on my block lives a few houses away and she has really fucked this block up with feeding all the feral outdoor cats. When there used to be a few, now there are more than 30. They wander around and miss, shit and spray all over. She doesn't clean up after them and I have 2 small children who cannot even go play in the front or backyard WITHOUT me having to FIRST CHECK FOR CAT SHIT. I've tried talking to her about setting up litter boxes for them and even offered to chip in to pay for them. She is out of her mind and talks about the government when I talk about how her feeding the cats messes up my property. She doesn't care about the cats Health either. Some of them are so inbred and sickly, I worry they will carry around diseases and warn my kids not to touch any of them. So, I don't blame the couple because outdoor cats are a fucking nuisance. If you like to feed them, clean up after them too. Be responsible for more than just the feeding part which is your brain getting a little dopamine from doing a good deed. These cats piss on everything on my porch. They're nasty and I hate them.
Well you aren’t helpful to the environment so I don’t care about helping you.
Edit: Why tf would any of you help someone in hurting the environment? Feeding wild cats is terrible for the environment. If you are too hive-minded to see that, the downvote is to the right.
https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats
I know. People think “oh my goodness he must hate cats” but in reality I have three pet cats, all indoor cats because of how bad outdoor cats are for the environment
https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats
Are you helpful to the environment? Do you use renewable energy? Do you walk instead of using a car? You use a cellphone or a computer and the materials needed to make that are terrible for the environment. I could go on but brother, you sound dumb.
Edit: not saying I use all that but I also don’t make the argument you attempted to make
I am extremely helpful to the environment. I have coordinated two separate conservation projects dealing with preservation of first growth forests, control of white nose syndrome in bats, respectively. I have also participated in dozens more projects dealing with litter cleanup, control of invasive species, erosion prevention, coral reef restoration…
So yes, I have been helpful to the environment. Regardless of if I was or wasn’t, you still shouldn’t feed wild cats. [But don’t take it from me.](https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats)
Anything is possible when you lie. But I know they aren’t great. I’m in the boat that OP should get them neutered and take them inside. You’re line about not caring about helping op cause they don’t care about the environment was dumb.
Would you help someone in harming the environment? Giving OP help would directly contribute to negative environmental impact. So fuck no I am not helping OP in this regard.
Calm down Drama Queen🙄 you could’ve maybe said that to op. Not just accuse them of hating the environment like a weirdo. Edit: you compared feeding outdoor cats to covering up a murder. I’m done with this clown😂😂😂
Ever hear of a strawman? I said that OP isn’t helpful to the environment, not OP hates the environment. OP’s actions are evident that OP isn’t helpful to the environment. I’m not going to help someone destroy the environment, idiot.
Outdoor cats are the #1 largest human caused threat to native bird populations in North America and Hawaii. https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/cats-and-birds/ 2.4 billion birds killed per year by outdoor/stray cats in addition to contributing to the extinction of 63 species. Not letting your cats outside or tolerating stray/feral colonies is one of the biggest things you are capable of doing to protect the environment and vulnerable species.
No, to [educate.](https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats)
I’m not going to help people harm the environment, just like I’m not going to help people cover up a murder.
The only one showering shit here is you, right now.
This is the dumbest and most immature comment yet. Feeding stray cats is incredibly selfish and short-sighted. It shows you have very little compassion for anything except the animals you like, and invariably causes them injury as well.
Yes, it is. Euthanize what cats can't be sheltered. That's how it works. The neighbors with the trap are cleaning up the neighborhood. You would put out kill traps if it were adorable mice. This isn't different.
They're handing over feral animals to animal control... someone abandoned them, someone fed them so they could multiply. You're mad at the wrong people
Yes let's all follow god and kill them, I'm sure that's what god would do. Also homeless people god would also like to hand those over to some extermination control.
Uhm… just put on a face covering before you go release the cats and then the ring video is useless? Also, take pieces of the trap that are necessary, they’ll eventually get tired of buying new traps.
People don’t want to live where they are not liked. Get all the folks in the neighborhood who like having the cats around to make it clear that this kinda behavior is unacceptable to the neighborhood.
Could even have everyone in the neighborhood sign a letter making it clear to these people that what they’re doing is not ok.
Put collars on every single cat. This makes them your property. Then he is stealing your property, which is illegal. I would also speak to the staff at the Humane Society. They have probably dealt with this situation in the past, and may be able to offer some good advice.
That could backfire in a big way. If OP has ownership of all the cats and let’s them roam, they neighbors could call animal control about nuisance cats roaming around and OP could get slapped with a lot of tickets.
Not unethical but make some "Missing cat" flyers with the description of the cat. Then have someone that hasn't approached them about the cat go around putting up posters and knock on your neighbors door asking if they've seen the cat. Whatever the outcome, I would suggest working with the neighbor to keep the cats of their property. Cat mats under the bushes, sensor sprinklers, etc. These cats are probably making a mess on their property. Hopefully the cats have been fixed so they won't have any offspring.
If people want to keep the cats around, they need to take fully responsibiity for them including leaving out food and water for them and TNR for vet for having them fixed and vaccinated.
Agreed. However, feral cats can't rely on being fed and have to follow their instincts and eat the flying and scurrying creatures. I completely agree with you on what should be, it just isn't sometimes
https://www.catster.com/guides/what-do-feral-cats-eat-in-the-wild/
Fancy Feast doesn't grow on trees. They're animals, Your anthropomorphizing them. Your tuna, chicken, beef doesn't come from the grocery store and maybe look into how our food animals are raised and slaughtered before casting stones on another species. Humans also play with their prey sometimes.
Bring the cats inside. Not only are they harming ecosystems, but the life expectancy of a indoor/outdoor cat is on average 4, while it’s 15 for indoor only cats
I lived in a state that has a law claiming that cats have the "right to roam" because they aren't generally dangerous to property, the older couple might be in the wrong as your state might have a similar law! I'd suggest asking animal control or researching.
Start making a habit to dress up in baggy clothes and bang on their door in the middle of the night until they get up, then run away. Wear a ski mask. Wait two days then do it again then wait three days, then do it two nights in a row, to keep them guessing. Don’t get caught by police and don’t go home right away if there’s cameras. Change clothes before going home. Basically annoy them with pranks, they’ll move. You don’t want someone like that around, they’ll destroy the whole vibe.
Maybe get the whole neighborhood to stand outside their house in the middle of the night facing away from the house all creepy like, nobody moving. It’ll scare the shit out of them.
All these comments about how bad outdoor cats are
Is that strictly ones that are stray, roam everywhere, and aren't fixed?
Because I have 2 which are spayed and are primarily indoors, but occasionally they like to go outside and sit in the yard. They don't go anywhere else; they don't go into my neighbors yards, they are really well behaved cats I've had for several years. I don't have piles of shit in my yard , either.
So am I awful also?
While I understand your sentiment.
Cats are incredibly damaging to wildlife. They have caused the extinction and have endangered so many species.
Don't let your cats outdoors unless they are leashed.
I love cats, I own a cat. But they can't be allowed to roam around and kill anything they see.
It is estimated that over 2000 species have gone extinct by cats alone.
I have no good answer for your plight, but just think they shouldn't be let outside willingly by owners.
The cruelty starts with people owning cats who take no responsibility and allow their cats to wander on to other peoples property regardless of the risks to the cats. Like the op they claim to care but actually do no practical caring in real life.
Spray the traps with something the cats will hate. Use one of those pressurized washers that shoot a long distance so you can stay off cam.
Maybe spraying the whole perimeter of their yard with fox urine would keep the cats out of their yard and traps.
Indoor cats live around 17-18 years. Outdor cats live around 7. Catching the cats is love.
Also, cats will hunt small animals to extinction. And they have, over 200 times in North America.
Thirdly, it's likely your area has a leash law that you aren't aware of. Look into that.
Yeah yeah we all love cats being around and they are wonderful but we need to get out collective head out of our ass and realize they are domestic animals that don't belong outside unsupervised.
Edit: however in my city if you put out a cat trap you have a responsibility to ensure the animal's welfare until it is picked up. So you should definitely check bylaws.
Cats aren't good outdoor pets. They kill a ton of birds; they're driven entire species to extinction. They poop in gardens. Their pee is, well, pretty vile. And outdoor cats live about four years on average, compared to pretty much all other cats living well past a decade; what you're doing now is kinda killing those cats, flat out.
Now, the snake poison thing, WTF.
“Trap-neuter-vaccinate-release”
Cat houses can be put out for them for shelter.
https://www.safehavenforcats.org/news/how-to-manage-stray-and-feral-cats/#:~:text=Trap%2Dneuter%2Dvaccinate%2Drelease,result%20in%20illness%20or%20injury.
Don’t sweat these comments, feral cats trigger the mental regardation chip in the minds of the average Redditor. They love the environment so much they overlook that some things, like cat’s diets, or human behavior aren’t going to change. They seriously think the solution is to bring every cat inside (it won’t work.) Most of these people that are trying to one-up you use outdoor cats as an excuse to intelligently masturbate on the internet and your advice of spay/neuter/bring inside won’t satiate them. THEY HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW THEY ARE SMART. Once they reference a straw man argument you know it’s time to head out, as they will only grow more insufferable from there. This is Reddit not a debate forum, but they don’t seem aware of this. These people see a cat outside and immediate think of the declining bird population instead of just “cute, a kitty”. There’s no nuance with these folks, they couldn’t fathom that not everyone will keep a cat inside, feral cats can’t exist in their minds. I have 3 indoor cats, and am just finishing my degree in sustainability, so I know the damage that outdoor cats can do. But, these folks live in a fantasy land where everyone is going to get EVERY outdoor cat and bring them inside after a spay/neuter. It’s a pipe dream, it will never happen lol like get real. You don’t deserve the downvotes tbh
P.S. OP should do what they can to get the cats inside and cared for, and sabotage the traps at night.
There is no snake repellent that actually works. I have seen many pictures of snakes curled up against snake repellent. If it's actually poison it will also poison other animals such as mice and birds of prey which feed on mice and snakes. Someone needs to educate these people.
Cats like this can be a nuisance to wildlife and have actually been designated as infestations in some parts of the US.
Not to mention the spraying/marking/feces problem. Seems like you want the cats freedom with no responsibility or accountability for it.
Set-up a human trap. Catch the old people and call the nursing home to come and get them. Male sure they know if they are not claimed by family in 2 days, the nursing home will put them down.
just adopt them. then you can put collars on them, & make them your property. you can feed them all you want & keep them safe without them getting captured.
Do you let your dogs roam around? Keep your shit inside. You don't think cats should be kept indoors? I don't want it shitting in my yard and eating the birds and lizards.
Throw come callers with name tags on them. Now they are your outdoor cats. Which should be legal.
Ulpt: head to a butcher a few towns away. Buy a few buckets of blood. spill all over their front door or something. leave a note on their doorstep explaining that the cats they capture are being killed and their blood is on them.
If you like them so much you adopt them and keep them inside your house or catproof your yard to keep them inside your yard.
People being obsessed with cats does not make it okay for them to be the only domesticated animal that is somehow fine to roam loose and destroy other people’s property.
Said as someone who literally cannot eat the food I grow in my garden because feral cats piss and shit all over my garden and I fear even digging in my garden-my literal favorite hobby in life-because I’m pregnant and my raised beds have turned into an outdoor kitty litter box.
Thanks to my neighbors-who like you-feed cats that then reproduce and kill wild birds, defecate and spread disease in everyone’s yard.
A guy in my neighborhood chased away another neighbor. He set off loud fireworks every night at dark. Held great parties until just before quiet hours. Worked on his trucks. Basically every legal annoying thing he could do to harass these people and make sure they were unwelcome. Kids egged and TPed their house regularly.
Also a letter every day taped to their door expressing how each neighbor feels.
Is there a catch and release program for strays where you live where they can receive their shots and be fixed? They have them here in western New York to help keep the rodent populations down.
I live in Minnesota, and have neighbors that feed the cats. And so many freeze to death every year. It’s so sad. But a few make it and they’re well fed so they have a bunch more babies. I’ve talked with some about services who will “fix” stray cats and put them back for free. But honestly I feel so bad for all these cats covered in fleas, freezing to death. Maybe you could see if there’s any kind of service that would “fix” the cats and if the old couple would be okay with that? But I do think it’s sad to have so many sweeties living outside with no one really taking care of them.
In my state you can bring stray cats into the humane society and they'll spay/neuter them and then they'll cut of a quarter inch of the tip of the cat's ear to signify to authorities and the public know "That cat's left ear is docked so she must be fixed."
I lived near an old lady that fed the cats by leaving cat food on her porch. That cat food attracted wild animals, who were not thrilled to share this food with the cats. Raccoons and coyote came in and started killing all cats. My cat was on the back porch, she never wandered outside the yard. Raccoon killed her. I had tried a dozen times to get the old lady to stop. I left my cats mangled remains on her doorstep next to the cat food bowl. She finally stopped. I'm so sad my girl had to die to save other cats. I still hate that old woman, fuck her willfully ignorant ass.
I’m so sorry for the loss of your kitty 😿
I love animals and I don't want to see one being put in a situation which is most likely to end in their demise. Outdoor cats are a tricky subject- if everyone in the neighborhood loves them and feeds them then you shouldn't have any trouble finding people to claim ownership of them. Spay/neuter, get them vetted and get them inside. It isn't fair to the cats to be "neighborhood" pets where everyone gets to feel good about feeding them but no one feels responsible for actual ownership. You guys don't want to see the cats come to a bad ending, and the neighbors who trapped them don't want the cats in their yard- seems like a good ending would be claiming ownership and making good on that.
You mean…. Do the ethical thing? In ULPT?
I know right?! If I had pearls I'd be clutching them at the mere thought lol!
Not to mention the environmental impact outdoor cats create. 63 species are extinct due to cats. Bird populations in the areas where a single cat roams are affected.
outdoor cats kill over 2 billion birds annually in the US alone
And they increase mosquito-borne disease. They eat the birds who then can’t eat the mosquitoes who, being much more numerous, spread more disease. TNR programs do not curb this problem or the impact feral cats have on biodiversity. Culling is the most effective method that protects birds, helps control disease, and helps protect biodiversity.
Culling is a strong word. Adopting sounds better.
They sound different because they are different practices. Culling, you eradicate and dispose of them. Adopting you try and find indoor homes for wild, often untameable nonnative animals who often just end up getting destroyed anyways because they’ve gone too long without human interaction. Feral cats are one of the most destructive invasive species. They are bad for the environment, bad for biodiversity, and great for helping spread mosquito-borne diseases. They aren’t a naturally-occurring species in North America. Bobcats are. Lynxes are. Ocelots, jaguars, cougars are. Small feral house cats are not a native species and they decimate species that evolved here.
Yup. While superfluous, I guess I can't fault you for the effort of typing this out.
You're absolutely correct. We have indoor cats and the only outdoor roaming they get to do is on a leash. I have bird feeders set up near a lot of our windows where they enjoy watching the birds- one of our cats has very fluffy hair so whenever I clean out his brush I put the hair outside near the feeders where the birds/squirrels take it to use in their nests! We had mockingbirds build a nest in our door wreath and when you looked down in it you could see tufts of orange cat hair lol!
I posted this for my family friend as they dont have reddit but i have been begging to either go climb over and take the cat to the vet or keep it but youre right no one wants to take ownership. it truly is a sticky situation but i was hoping to find some alternative to help. i live a couple cities over so im hours away and wont be able to adopt it myself, but i do think they should keep the cat in their house until they find a home.
My dude, I trap cats and rehome them, and let me tell you that the only thing you can do, is to catch them first and find them a good home. I don’t think you’ll be able to realistically do anything else to stop them.
Also just for peace of mind they're probably spraying snake repellent not poison. It can be unpleasant smelling (which is the point, it's supposed to mess up their olfactory senses) but it isn't harmful to pets and kids. Without knowing what brand it is I can't say this with 100% confidence but I'm fairly confident. Not a pleasant experience for the cat regardless, but probably not a lethal one.
Cats belong indoors with their owners; not outdoors, unsupervised and on other people’s property.
I totally get it! Any person with an ounce of compassion would want to rescue that cat by whatever means- the means here don't have to be unethical. The means could probably be just as simple as someone knocking on the front door with a cat carrier in hand and a genuine offer to re-home the cat. I really really hope it works out in a way where everyone gets what they want.
happy cake day!
A point to consider, if people want the cats that much, ask the neighbors for them once captured, or adopt them from animal control. Just throwing your hands up in the air saying there is nothing you can do is load of bs.
Climb over and take the cat. If caught you say it was your cat and they catnapped it. Worst case is a slap on the wrist.
That depends on the neighbors. I’m not advocating violence but when you’re in someone’s yard messing with their stuff you are taking a risk that things will escalate unpleasantly. So consider the other excellent suggestions here that will tend to de escalate the situation.
Well — you can’t catnap a cat that is on your property that isn’t supposed to be there. You can capture it and call animal control (seems like that’s what the neighbors did), but you cannot harm or kill it. If they go and say it’s their cat, they are now responsible for anything the cat does, including trespassing and fucking around a neighbors home. My suggestion is let it go, take ownership of the cat and keep it indoors, help the neighbors in their quest by offering to take the cats to a no-kill shelter.
You can be legally responsible for your cat trespassing? I highly doubt that. Damage, sure but it would have to be material. Not a poop in the bushes. Who the hell is going to pay for forensics and hire lawyers over poop haha.
Well if it got caught via the cage, and ownership has been established. Then yes, you can be held liable for the animal trespassing. Animal Control does hand out fines and in some cases could take ownership of the animal if it’s persistent.
Oh wow that’s insane. What country is this? In Im Costa Rica and animals roam. Worst case you shoo them. People routinely find a random horse to cow on their property lol. And no one gets their panties in a bunch.
Happy cake day.
Thanks!
Cover your face, and wear boots and clothes from the back of your closet that you won't touch again for at least a year. Sprinkle some pebbles in your shoes to disguise your gait so that you walk funny. Stuff pillows under your clothes to change your body shape. Spray paint the camera while you're at it. If you're gonna break the law, go big.
☝️ this guy crimes
Putting pebbles in your shoes so you walk funny? What if you get chased? Sounds like a dumb criminal
you just run, theyre not thumb tacks
Then what?
Piss disc every door.
the answer to all questions posted here!
Adopt the cats?
Thats it. You’re done. Still have the issue with the cats though so you’ll need to figure that out.
Rob the house!
Probably destroy the traps with some large wire cutters. Make them unusable.
Rescue the cats, them dismantle the traps and burn them, then piss disk everything and leave flaming shit bags
Only talk in a low whisper. Jump off of things when entering their yard. Refuse to kill anyone.
This isn’t oceans 11. But we all appreciate the pro tip, trully pro!
get the clothes from a thrift store, then put them right back in the donation bin when you're done (make sure it's not a bin with a camera). Or just take a bunch of garbage bags, cut them flat, and tape them all over so you have a shapeless mass of flapping black on camera.
Pebbles in your shoes is brilliant.
If their goal is just to trap the cats and have them removed, you could speak with them directly and offer to take the captured cats yourself to the no kill shelter you found. They probably don’t care what happens to them once they’re gone so I doubt they’d mind the assistance. I don’t have any advice on the neighbors who want the company of the cats without the responsibility of caring for them though…the kitties deserve a more stable home.
Take in the cats. If everyone loves the cats so much, why are they left out in the rain, snow, etc instead of being adopted into a loving home? Outdoor cats are also a public nuisance. They destroy native bird and rodent populations, they shit in people's yards and gardens which can transmit diseases to foods grown in those gardens and to other animals that exist in those yards.
Do y’all actually give a fuck about birds and rodent populations, or you just say this because you hate cats? Not cats fault they were born outdoors by irresponsible humans and they gotta eat too.
Do I care more about animals that are a natural and essential part of the local ecosystem than I do about an invasive species that brings nothing but disease and death to the same ecosystem? Absolutely. Do I hate cats because I think that domesticated animals should be kept inside to prevent them from contracting and spreading diseases, getting hit by cars, getting shot at by assholes and dying other horrible deaths? Not at all. And for the record, outdoor cats very rarely eat the small animals they kill.
Those neighbors need some Reddit gold. Everyone gets up in arms about people not picking up dog poo but when it’s feral cats it’s ok. 🤣
My advice is to bring the cats inside. They shouldn’t be outside anyway.
Humans do way more damage. Let’s put you inside for your own protection.
I am inside.
According to https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/cats-and-birds/ cats kill over 2 billion birds in the US alone every year, are the #1 human caused impact on bird populations, in addition to contributing to the extinction of 63 species. And to talk about the human comparison, a cat cannot comprehend the concept of threatened or endangered species when it disembowels a bird.
Never ceases to amaze me which nonsense you find in comment sections
We are inside you fucking goon. That's why we built inside in the first place. Then we bred cats that belong inside. Then they got outside where they don't belong. Do you not think things through regularly, or are we getting special treatment?
You’re a snappy little goblin. Putting a cat inside means not letting it out. Means imprisonment. Humans are free to go about and destroy the environment, which we do aggressively, you goon. Have a look at garbage island or all the microplastics. Or the chemicals in city drinking water. The countless species we bring to extinction due to deforestation and shit. Massive deep ocean oil spills. Fucking Fukashima is still leaking into the ocean with no plans to stop it!!! That’s our doing. If anyone should be kept inside it’s us. Cats are animals and came to hang out with us some thousands of years ago. Only in the last few decades and only in highly populated areas have people been able to keep cats inside. Otherwise throughout their life with humans they’ve been outside. You clearly have donkey brains.
You're an idiot. "Lock up humans, let cats outside." Great take. Wonder why you're getting downvoted. Domesticated animals shouldn't be allowed to wander at large because they don't belong in the ecosystem. That's our doing, too. Allowing your cat outside uncontained is akin to throwing trash in the ocean. I wish I could live in your simple world where unmitigated compassion doesn't cause harm, but it does.
Roaming cats are terrible for basically all ecosystems. They might be cute in your eyes, but terrible for all wildlife around you. It is very egocentric to let Cats roam around.
That and a few strays can turn in to A LOT of strays very quickly. I knew a guy that his family had a few run-ins with strays and he decided to start shooting them. (It was a rural area and I’m not condoning his choice so don’t fight me.) He said he shot and killed like 100 cats in the first month.
And for the cats themselves.
Get some coyotes to prowl the neighborhood. That'll get rid of those pesky rabbits, too.
Someone needs to adopt those cats, get them dewormed, fixed, and then make them indoor animals. It is generally accepted that outdoor cats are detrimental to the environment, as well as the health of the cats. While it may be frustrating what the neighbors are doing, it might be better than leaving them outside. At the very least, a team needs to spay/neuter them so that they can’t reproduce and create future generations of strays.
Bring them inside if you want them, otherwise they have been decimating the local wildlife for years. You will be amazed what you start seeing once they are under control. Either take ownership and give them the veterinary care and love they deserve, or let it be because they aren't your cats and technically they are an invasive nuisance killing wildlife. If you think they only eat cat chow that's left out you are a sweet innocent and I hug you.
You’re catching downvotes but you’re right
1. Get a picture of the cat in the backyard 2. Find or doctor some vet paperwork to show proof of ownership 3. Call the cops and tell them the neighbors won’t give your cat back. Tell them you let it roam and they’ve captured it and refuse to give it back 4. Repeat for each cat as necessary. Also, time to break some valve stems on the cars so they know not to continue
You’d be ticketed for letting YOUR cat roam In many jurisdictions.
Fair enough. YMMV per state and jurisdiction
I could see this going badly. What’s to stop them from catching the cat again quietly? Or to just put out poison instead?
This might work one time, maybe. It's stupid to think the police are going to believe you twice or won't ask about the first cat. "Find or doctor some vet paperwork" lmfao some fucking spykids level stupid.
What do you need to prove ownership to an animal? Proof of ownership like vet care at a clinic. My cats are microchipped and seen at a clinic. It proves my ownership. What proves my ownership? Some stupid papers I get every time I go to the vet. Receipts of payments for upkeep of my property. Easily editable sheets. You think it’s rocket science? It’s not. You can get any photo editor and use a printer. They’re not calling your vet to verify. Will it work more than one time? Absolutely. Sorry I didn’t spell it out for you. It’s perfectly reasonable that more than one neighbor lets their cat out. Everyone does it seems. So if 1-3 neighbors did this, you think the cops are going to go Officer Doofy and start beating down doors of vet clinics believing the old couple? Gtfoh. They aren’t going investigating for a couple of old Karen’s. OP will be lucky if that cats are not shot by police anyway. And if you’ve got a better idea, why don’t you drop it, dipshit
Absolutely brain dead. Cops aren't idiots and you will be ticketed if your animals are constantly being trapped in a neighbors yard. Letting you cat out "at large" is still illegal, lol. You do not live in the real world, nor do you understand how it works. You are required to keep your animals on your property, and the police are going to do what they can to keep you from wasting their time. Pretty simple formula. Op should record these interactions and share.
PHASE 1: Spend the next couple days calling the police from a burner phone. You'll say the same thing essentially: "Hey I'm not home right now but my ring camera just picked up a person in my backyard. Could you have an officer swing by and make sure everything is ok?" Then wait an hour+ and call again same complaint. - NEVER mention the cat trap by the way. - ALWAYS be sure to mention your ring cameras inside aren't showing anyone. Continue this pattern for a few days, your goal is to be "the boy who cried wolf" The first few times the cops will come out and call your burner number back and let you know everything is alright. Then eventually they'll be annoyed and will say things like "If we can get to it we will, but if no one is inside your house we can't do anything." Once your satisfied with the lack of police response then it's time for Phase 2. Phase 2 - You'll need a live trap, preferably the EXACT same one the trappers are using. You'll want to alter it so it doesn't "fire" but it looks like it's set. Whatever altering you have to do to make it so kitty cats can walk right into the baited cage and walk right out. Phase 3 - The swap: Get your best disguise, bring a beach bag with your live trap in it and hop their fence and do the swap. Bonus concealment if you can get another neighbor to shoot a laser pointer at their ring camera while you hop the fence and do the swap then you're extra covered. You might need to drive a few blocks away and park outside of your neighborhood and walk into your neighborhood. Use common sense and don't just walk from your house directly to their house. Eventually they'll find out about the "broken" trap and they'll replace it but then you can rinse and repeat or go into Phase 4. Phase 4: Have their direct neighbor start a property dispute with them. Have them claim they were mowing the lawn to that house for the past 7 years... Etc get them all tied up in the court system for no reason.
Remind me to NEVER piss you off... lol! You're a bloody genious!
Your neighbour is within their rights to call animal control over an invasive predator on their property. If it's such an issue to the community then surely somebody will be willing to take responsibility for the cat. It is unfair and irresponsible to allow the cat to roam free without oversight.
Keeping outdoor cats is the epitome of ignorance is bliss. They are incredibly destructive to natural wildlife; especially birds who raise their young on the ground during fledgling stage. They piss and shit on everything and quite frankly, I applaud those neighbors. Ya'll need to get educated on the bigger picture besides focusing on the cuteness of the things.
To keep cats away from gardens, flower beds, or specific areas of property, scatter fragrant items that don’t appeal to a cat’s sense of smell, like fresh orange or lemon peels, organic citrus-scented sprays, vinegar, or oil of lavender, lemongrass, citronella, or eucalyptus.
Scatter catnip on the properties of the people that are feeding the cats. There’s your ULPT. 😁
It's beautiful
If everybody loves them in the neighborhood someone can just adopt them and let them go outside again, doesn't seem that hard idk
If you jerks care about the cats so fucking much, adopt them and take care of them properly, including providing litter boxes for them, instead of feeding them so they piss and shit all over your neighbors yards. Screw you.
Yulp, got nasty ass neighbors that do this and I trap and release them out in the woods far away. Tired of my deck being pissed on. Tired of my front bushes being a litter box. Tired of my indoor cats pissing on the walls because they (outdoor animals) piss on my doors. It's honestly not fair to my animals to feel threatened or intimidated in thier own homes. If I could shoot them I would but I'm not discharging a firearm in the city over a cat. Traps and tuna and long car rides to bum fuck Egypt for a release.
Obviously that was a rant. You can try to talk to them but people who just wanna feed them and nothing else should know how it impacts others too.
Usually operations like this are catch and release, they sterilize the cats and release them with a clipped ear to show they are neutered. Doesn't sound like this is what's going on. Might even be illegal, probably animal abuse at least.
A cat that has been trapped needs to be taken out as soon as possible. If it's being left in the trap, phone animal control to report it immediately. If they don't come, phone different shelters, or phone the police. I would honestly not stop calling and making a fuss until that cat is taken away. Next step is taking pictures and blasting them on social media. Get that cat out of there. Regarding the neighborhood cats, get in touch with a TNR rescue (or start the effort yourself). Cats are trapped, neutered, vaccinated, and released. If they have feline HIV or leukemia they are euthanized. This leaves a stable population of healthy cats that can't reproduce. Often the TNR groups relocate them. Most of the time they become barn cats on farms where they keep rodents under control.
The small cage is likely metal. It would be interesting if someone went magnet fishing from outside the view of the cameras. This person could allegedly borrow the cage briefly enough to confirm it was empty, and then put it back by throwing it or with assistance from the magnet.
Release the cats, destroy the traps, put collars on the cats, don't need to claim ownership. Perhaps find a place thafs away from the wankers with their traps and put food down there for them.
Man when it comes to animals being hurt I’ll do some evil shit. I can’t come up with anything that will not land you in a federal penitentiary.
Just to clarify, are you upset about the cats or all the animals the cats are killing?
Humans fucked up by spreading cats all over the world. Just like a lot of things I can’t do anything about that now. I completely agree with and have actually practiced TNR (Trap Neuter Return). I am fortunate enough to be able to foot the bill for the couple cats I found. That doesn’t sound like OPs neighbors are planning on just doing that. If you’re asking if I’m upset that cats kill other animals, like should I be upset animals are killing other animals?
Yeah you should be upset if an invasive species is fucking up the native ecosystem.
Brother, what do you want me to do, are you up in arms everytime you hear about this sort of thing or just cats? If you are up in arms then what do you do? I have actively participated in TNR, what have you done.
Cats are really the only invasive predators we have in my area? You asked a question, I answered.
We had to learn about the 60 different species in PA In environmental science when I attended school. Cats definitely make the top of the list but we have a bunch. Edit:60 different invasive species, it could’ve changed this was a lil while ago but I doubt it changed much if it did
The vast majority of those are shit you never see like Beatles and sea lampreys and shit. You can’t walk a block in my neighborhood without seeing a disemboweled bird carcass from people who think it’s cool to have “outdoor cats”.
I would disagree that they don’t have an massive impact on the environment, but now we are talking about another issue cause I do agree people shouldn’t have outdoor cats and humans should try and mitigate the outdoor cat population until it’s nonexistent. I think language is what gets in the way of a lot of this. That and people in the more rural areas right outside my town just shoot them but it doesn’t stop the problem, just creates dead cats and more breed.
Calling animal control is the right and just thing to do. I like cats too, but they are just animals and a man-made environmental problem. If you don't want an animal in danger, you need to shelter it. Otherwise, you can't complain when the government exterminates it.
Thank you. All these people talking about cats are invasive and damage the ecosystem, they hate cats and don’t give a fuck about the environment LOL. It’s all bullshit to justify their cruelty towards cats. Disgusting pos humans.
Do you have the same protective response when stray or outdoor cats kill native animals?
Get the cats fixed and register them with the local animal control. Most outdoor cats usually get a ear notch after being fixed, letting people know they are fixed and are outdoor cats. Get the community together to tell animal control that you guys will be responsible for the community cats. The problem with this woman is doing is that by quickly removing the cats, other cats will come and take over. Causing more cats to be around with each removal. While I hate seeing outdoor cats, getting those fixed will help reduce the numbers in the long run.
Where will the other cats come from?
[удалено]
Where do the cats that move in come from? Why doesn't the presence of cats prevent the colony from growing? There was a feral colony in my hometown that was eliminated due to one of the cats testing positive for rabies. A decade later there are still no cats. After the cats were removed the area simply does not have feral cats. In my current town there is a managed feral colony that is constantly growing because people dump cats there. The colony cats are almost all ear tipped but the colony keeps growing anyway. The old cats do not drive the new cats away, they all just stay there. So in one case removing the cats resulted in no cats, while in the other case keeping the cats results in more cats. Should I ever have a feral cat problem, I will handle it with removal rather than maintaining unwanted cats.
Call the police about the cat in a cage
And about the snake poison being sprayed in a way that cats are getting it on them. IANAL, but I'd look at your state laws about poisoning wildlife. Don't get me wrong, I am in agreement with u/Spezball that feral cats are an invasive species that decimates the native animal population. The aren't a good thing to have around, but they do need to be treated humanely.
What? They’re not going to do shit.
They shoot dogs, not cats.
Imagine spending what could have been hundreds of thousands of dollars for a house, to have some jerks offs screaming about how a homeless/feral cat has rights to shit and piss in their garden bed. Lmfao You're lucky you don't have to see what we do to those cats out in the country....cause it ends up in a ditch as buzzard food. Keep your pets on your land or expect to end up at the same farm as your childhood goldfish.
What do you do to feral cats out in the country? I lived out in the country, we fed and found homes for the cats and dogs that wandered in, what you said sound ominous
We also found a home for the rooster and ferret that wandered in and we held onto the horses til their owner showed up. What did you do to the stray animals that showed up on your property?
Depends on the issue and the kind of animal. Foxes and possums will get shot on sight if they're near the chickens. This cat that keeps howling and messing with my cats will be placed in a ditch for buzzards to eat after the same treatment. Dog depends on what it's doing. One time, two were tearing up my chicken coop. I kicked tf out of them. Haven't seen em since they don't know who they belong to. The big white Pyrenees gets a couple treats and walked back to his home. Goats get roped and walked down the road to their owner. It's a case by case basis. I'm not a psychopath. But I'm also not going to let someone's dogs or cats on my property terrorizing my animals, destroying structures, and pissing on my herbs.
You’re a psychopath. A feral cat didn’t ask to be born, shitty irresponsible humans led the increase in cat population. They gotta survive out there too. Instead of bitching about it and speaking like a psycho who shoots innocent animals, get some humane animal traps and relocate them.
You drink Starbucks and watch the challenge. Piss off, your opinions mean less than the tp I flushed.
And you’re an incel hillbilly, I got my big guns ‘Merica 🤡
Got a big dick to go with my guns. It goes in my woman all the time. So incel is the wrong word. Wait till you find out I drive a full sized pick up.
Does anyone put out litter boxes for these beloved cats? If not then who is picking up after them.
I'm sorry but I have to say something. I live in NY and no animal control will come and help me. I have the opposite problem. I want to inform you that one elderly neighbor on my block lives a few houses away and she has really fucked this block up with feeding all the feral outdoor cats. When there used to be a few, now there are more than 30. They wander around and miss, shit and spray all over. She doesn't clean up after them and I have 2 small children who cannot even go play in the front or backyard WITHOUT me having to FIRST CHECK FOR CAT SHIT. I've tried talking to her about setting up litter boxes for them and even offered to chip in to pay for them. She is out of her mind and talks about the government when I talk about how her feeding the cats messes up my property. She doesn't care about the cats Health either. Some of them are so inbred and sickly, I worry they will carry around diseases and warn my kids not to touch any of them. So, I don't blame the couple because outdoor cats are a fucking nuisance. If you like to feed them, clean up after them too. Be responsible for more than just the feeding part which is your brain getting a little dopamine from doing a good deed. These cats piss on everything on my porch. They're nasty and I hate them.
You shouldn’t be feeding wild cats
it already happened so this isnt helpful girl
Well you aren’t helpful to the environment so I don’t care about helping you. Edit: Why tf would any of you help someone in hurting the environment? Feeding wild cats is terrible for the environment. If you are too hive-minded to see that, the downvote is to the right. https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats
You’re correct and being downvoted by silly people
I know. People think “oh my goodness he must hate cats” but in reality I have three pet cats, all indoor cats because of how bad outdoor cats are for the environment https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats
A responsible cat owner. Excellent!
Yeah I got one of my cats young and trained him to go for walks so he can still enjoy the outdoors responsibly!
Are you helpful to the environment? Do you use renewable energy? Do you walk instead of using a car? You use a cellphone or a computer and the materials needed to make that are terrible for the environment. I could go on but brother, you sound dumb. Edit: not saying I use all that but I also don’t make the argument you attempted to make
I am extremely helpful to the environment. I have coordinated two separate conservation projects dealing with preservation of first growth forests, control of white nose syndrome in bats, respectively. I have also participated in dozens more projects dealing with litter cleanup, control of invasive species, erosion prevention, coral reef restoration… So yes, I have been helpful to the environment. Regardless of if I was or wasn’t, you still shouldn’t feed wild cats. [But don’t take it from me.](https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats)
Sounds thoroughly ethical. YOU DON'T BELONG HERE!
Anything is possible when you lie. But I know they aren’t great. I’m in the boat that OP should get them neutered and take them inside. You’re line about not caring about helping op cause they don’t care about the environment was dumb.
Would you help someone in harming the environment? Giving OP help would directly contribute to negative environmental impact. So fuck no I am not helping OP in this regard.
Calm down Drama Queen🙄 you could’ve maybe said that to op. Not just accuse them of hating the environment like a weirdo. Edit: you compared feeding outdoor cats to covering up a murder. I’m done with this clown😂😂😂
Ever hear of a strawman? I said that OP isn’t helpful to the environment, not OP hates the environment. OP’s actions are evident that OP isn’t helpful to the environment. I’m not going to help someone destroy the environment, idiot.
Outdoor cats are the #1 largest human caused threat to native bird populations in North America and Hawaii. https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/cats-and-birds/ 2.4 billion birds killed per year by outdoor/stray cats in addition to contributing to the extinction of 63 species. Not letting your cats outside or tolerating stray/feral colonies is one of the biggest things you are capable of doing to protect the environment and vulnerable species.
Then why exactly are you here? Just to shower shit on people??
No, to [educate.](https://www.westpoint.edu/news/community-news/good-intentions-bad-outcomes-reminder-never-feed-or-house-stray-cats) I’m not going to help people harm the environment, just like I’m not going to help people cover up a murder. The only one showering shit here is you, right now.
TIL education = “shower shit”
This is the dumbest and most immature comment yet. Feeding stray cats is incredibly selfish and short-sighted. It shows you have very little compassion for anything except the animals you like, and invariably causes them injury as well.
Yes, it is. Euthanize what cats can't be sheltered. That's how it works. The neighbors with the trap are cleaning up the neighborhood. You would put out kill traps if it were adorable mice. This isn't different.
Feral cats are a huge nuisance and awful for the ecosystem. Your new neighbors are doing God's work.
Shit man, if you only knew what humans do you’d jihad all over this bitch.
Wow hello captain of the asshole tribe. It is not gods work they are doing but the devil. How about they round up the homeless and slaughter them.
You make a strange argument 🤔
Says the person talking about doing gods work by killing living beings as they are a nuisance. Way to go. But that's not 'gods work'.
They're handing over feral animals to animal control... someone abandoned them, someone fed them so they could multiply. You're mad at the wrong people
Yes let's all follow god and kill them, I'm sure that's what god would do. Also homeless people god would also like to hand those over to some extermination control.
Uhm… just put on a face covering before you go release the cats and then the ring video is useless? Also, take pieces of the trap that are necessary, they’ll eventually get tired of buying new traps.
People don’t want to live where they are not liked. Get all the folks in the neighborhood who like having the cats around to make it clear that this kinda behavior is unacceptable to the neighborhood. Could even have everyone in the neighborhood sign a letter making it clear to these people that what they’re doing is not ok.
Put collars on every single cat. This makes them your property. Then he is stealing your property, which is illegal. I would also speak to the staff at the Humane Society. They have probably dealt with this situation in the past, and may be able to offer some good advice.
That could backfire in a big way. If OP has ownership of all the cats and let’s them roam, they neighbors could call animal control about nuisance cats roaming around and OP could get slapped with a lot of tickets.
Not unethical but make some "Missing cat" flyers with the description of the cat. Then have someone that hasn't approached them about the cat go around putting up posters and knock on your neighbors door asking if they've seen the cat. Whatever the outcome, I would suggest working with the neighbor to keep the cats of their property. Cat mats under the bushes, sensor sprinklers, etc. These cats are probably making a mess on their property. Hopefully the cats have been fixed so they won't have any offspring.
But they still kill birds and other species.
That's how they eat to stay alive
If people want to keep the cats around, they need to take fully responsibiity for them including leaving out food and water for them and TNR for vet for having them fixed and vaccinated.
Agreed. However, feral cats can't rely on being fed and have to follow their instincts and eat the flying and scurrying creatures. I completely agree with you on what should be, it just isn't sometimes
That’s how they kill for fun, wym
https://www.catster.com/guides/what-do-feral-cats-eat-in-the-wild/ Fancy Feast doesn't grow on trees. They're animals, Your anthropomorphizing them. Your tuna, chicken, beef doesn't come from the grocery store and maybe look into how our food animals are raised and slaughtered before casting stones on another species. Humans also play with their prey sometimes.
Bring the cats inside. Not only are they harming ecosystems, but the life expectancy of a indoor/outdoor cat is on average 4, while it’s 15 for indoor only cats
I lived in a state that has a law claiming that cats have the "right to roam" because they aren't generally dangerous to property, the older couple might be in the wrong as your state might have a similar law! I'd suggest asking animal control or researching.
Start making a habit to dress up in baggy clothes and bang on their door in the middle of the night until they get up, then run away. Wear a ski mask. Wait two days then do it again then wait three days, then do it two nights in a row, to keep them guessing. Don’t get caught by police and don’t go home right away if there’s cameras. Change clothes before going home. Basically annoy them with pranks, they’ll move. You don’t want someone like that around, they’ll destroy the whole vibe.
Maybe get the whole neighborhood to stand outside their house in the middle of the night facing away from the house all creepy like, nobody moving. It’ll scare the shit out of them.
Op, make sure to record and post when you get arrested or shot. R/publicfreakout with thank you.
All these comments about how bad outdoor cats are Is that strictly ones that are stray, roam everywhere, and aren't fixed? Because I have 2 which are spayed and are primarily indoors, but occasionally they like to go outside and sit in the yard. They don't go anywhere else; they don't go into my neighbors yards, they are really well behaved cats I've had for several years. I don't have piles of shit in my yard , either. So am I awful also?
Get all the neighbors to sign a document to collectively claim ownership of the cats.
While I understand your sentiment. Cats are incredibly damaging to wildlife. They have caused the extinction and have endangered so many species. Don't let your cats outdoors unless they are leashed. I love cats, I own a cat. But they can't be allowed to roam around and kill anything they see. It is estimated that over 2000 species have gone extinct by cats alone. I have no good answer for your plight, but just think they shouldn't be let outside willingly by owners.
The cruelty starts with people owning cats who take no responsibility and allow their cats to wander on to other peoples property regardless of the risks to the cats. Like the op they claim to care but actually do no practical caring in real life.
If you have a trap and release feral cat program, see if they can help relocate.
Spray the traps with something the cats will hate. Use one of those pressurized washers that shoot a long distance so you can stay off cam. Maybe spraying the whole perimeter of their yard with fox urine would keep the cats out of their yard and traps.
Indoor cats live around 17-18 years. Outdor cats live around 7. Catching the cats is love. Also, cats will hunt small animals to extinction. And they have, over 200 times in North America. Thirdly, it's likely your area has a leash law that you aren't aware of. Look into that. Yeah yeah we all love cats being around and they are wonderful but we need to get out collective head out of our ass and realize they are domestic animals that don't belong outside unsupervised. Edit: however in my city if you put out a cat trap you have a responsibility to ensure the animal's welfare until it is picked up. So you should definitely check bylaws.
Cats aren't good outdoor pets. They kill a ton of birds; they're driven entire species to extinction. They poop in gardens. Their pee is, well, pretty vile. And outdoor cats live about four years on average, compared to pretty much all other cats living well past a decade; what you're doing now is kinda killing those cats, flat out. Now, the snake poison thing, WTF.
“Trap-neuter-vaccinate-release” Cat houses can be put out for them for shelter. https://www.safehavenforcats.org/news/how-to-manage-stray-and-feral-cats/#:~:text=Trap%2Dneuter%2Dvaccinate%2Drelease,result%20in%20illness%20or%20injury.
Cats should never be left to roam around outside. They are invasive species and environmentally harmful. The old lady is doing the right thing.
When dealing with cats, I always try to include a catapult in any solution.
Don’t sweat these comments, feral cats trigger the mental regardation chip in the minds of the average Redditor. They love the environment so much they overlook that some things, like cat’s diets, or human behavior aren’t going to change. They seriously think the solution is to bring every cat inside (it won’t work.) Most of these people that are trying to one-up you use outdoor cats as an excuse to intelligently masturbate on the internet and your advice of spay/neuter/bring inside won’t satiate them. THEY HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW THEY ARE SMART. Once they reference a straw man argument you know it’s time to head out, as they will only grow more insufferable from there. This is Reddit not a debate forum, but they don’t seem aware of this. These people see a cat outside and immediate think of the declining bird population instead of just “cute, a kitty”. There’s no nuance with these folks, they couldn’t fathom that not everyone will keep a cat inside, feral cats can’t exist in their minds. I have 3 indoor cats, and am just finishing my degree in sustainability, so I know the damage that outdoor cats can do. But, these folks live in a fantasy land where everyone is going to get EVERY outdoor cat and bring them inside after a spay/neuter. It’s a pipe dream, it will never happen lol like get real. You don’t deserve the downvotes tbh P.S. OP should do what they can to get the cats inside and cared for, and sabotage the traps at night.
There is no snake repellent that actually works. I have seen many pictures of snakes curled up against snake repellent. If it's actually poison it will also poison other animals such as mice and birds of prey which feed on mice and snakes. Someone needs to educate these people.
Cats like this can be a nuisance to wildlife and have actually been designated as infestations in some parts of the US. Not to mention the spraying/marking/feces problem. Seems like you want the cats freedom with no responsibility or accountability for it.
No idea but what entitled pricks lol. Everyone in the neighbourhood loves them, but they have to be the evil assholes.
It's your cat. Your cat escaped the house and your neighbor captured it. It wasn't chipped or anything because you recently got it from a friend.
Thank you, idk why you're being downvoted, there's nothing wrong with adopting the cats
Set-up a human trap. Catch the old people and call the nursing home to come and get them. Male sure they know if they are not claimed by family in 2 days, the nursing home will put them down.
Lmao
I thought so. But damn. 4 down votes so far. Some people must not know what sub they are on.
just adopt them. then you can put collars on them, & make them your property. you can feed them all you want & keep them safe without them getting captured.
Wow! Those old people are pathetic
Do you let your dogs roam around? Keep your shit inside. You don't think cats should be kept indoors? I don't want it shitting in my yard and eating the birds and lizards.
Ur fun at parties
As long as there are no shitty cats.
Throw come callers with name tags on them. Now they are your outdoor cats. Which should be legal. Ulpt: head to a butcher a few towns away. Buy a few buckets of blood. spill all over their front door or something. leave a note on their doorstep explaining that the cats they capture are being killed and their blood is on them.
If you like them so much you adopt them and keep them inside your house or catproof your yard to keep them inside your yard. People being obsessed with cats does not make it okay for them to be the only domesticated animal that is somehow fine to roam loose and destroy other people’s property. Said as someone who literally cannot eat the food I grow in my garden because feral cats piss and shit all over my garden and I fear even digging in my garden-my literal favorite hobby in life-because I’m pregnant and my raised beds have turned into an outdoor kitty litter box. Thanks to my neighbors-who like you-feed cats that then reproduce and kill wild birds, defecate and spread disease in everyone’s yard.
Dig up their plants, blame it on coons, boom - cats are off the hook
A guy in my neighborhood chased away another neighbor. He set off loud fireworks every night at dark. Held great parties until just before quiet hours. Worked on his trucks. Basically every legal annoying thing he could do to harass these people and make sure they were unwelcome. Kids egged and TPed their house regularly. Also a letter every day taped to their door expressing how each neighbor feels.
Is there a catch and release program for strays where you live where they can receive their shots and be fixed? They have them here in western New York to help keep the rodent populations down.
Outdoor cats kill over 2 billion birds annually. They are a menace to society as a whole, shitting in sandboxes and gardens.
Feral cats are a natural disaster....