Hunting Feral Cats

[Makalakumu]

Do you think that hunters should be able to shoot feral cats on sight?

Check this article...

This is a big issue in my state. The people who proposed this law have recieved death threats!

Wisconsin takes step to OK wild cat hunts

MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) -- Although Wisconsin residents have voiced their support for a plan to legalize wild cat hunting, some legislators and cat lovers say they will continue their fight.

The proposal would allow licensed hunters to kill free-roaming cats, including any domestic cat that isn't under the owner's direct control or any cat without a collar, just like skunks or gophers -- something the Humane Society of the United States has described as cruel and archaic.

Outdoor enthusiasts approved the proposal 6,830 to 5,201 at Monday's spring hearings of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, a citizens' advisory group.

The results, released Tuesday by the state, get forwarded to the Natural Resources Board for its consideration. Ultimately, though, any measure would have to be passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jim Doyle.

Two state senators -- Scott Fitzgerald and Neil Kedzie -- are promising they'll do everything they can to keep the plan from becoming law.

Kedzie, who chairs the Natural Resources and Transportation Committee, called the issue "a distraction from the main tasks we have at hand."

"I don't see a whole lot of momentum for it," Kedzie said. "It's not the responsibility of the DNR to regulate cats."

Fitzgerald, co-chairman of the Legislature's powerful Joint Finance Committee, said he will "work against any proposed legislation to legalize the shooting of feral cats."

At least two other upper Midwestern states, South Dakota and Minnesota, allow wild cats to be shot -- and have for decades.

Every year in Wisconsin alone, an estimated 2 million wild cats kill 47 million to 139 million songbirds, according to state officials. Despite the astounding numbers, the proposal has been met with fierce opposition from cat lovers such as Ted O'Donnell.

O'Donnell, who gathered more than 17,000 signatures in an online petition to oppose the plan, was joined at Monday's meetings by scores of other animal lovers who held pictures of cats, clutched stuffed animals and wore whiskers.

Even Karen Hale, the head of the Madison Audubon Society, one of the largest pro-bird groups in the country with 2,500 members, voted no. She said the proposal was just too controversial, even though wild cats have reduced the state's bird population.

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Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[Ray]

Personally, I've never hunted. I don't have a problem with deer, duck, etc hunting and I don't have problem with hunting wild cats.

How do you make a cat go "woof" and stay?

 

[ginshun]

The referendom or whatever it was passed in my county, but I think the state DNR head has gone on record saying that it will not be allowed, regardless of what the counties say, citing that there were just too many questions left unanswered about it. I don't really care either way. I am an avid hunter, but I don't really have much of a desire to cook and eat cats, so I probably wouldn't hunt them anyway.

I think that there are valid points on both sides. When cats actually are feral, and living in the woods, there really are not too many predators that would/could hunt them. They are also supposedely a danger to many songbirds, some of which are rare species.

Then on the other side, how do you know that it is a feral cat and not just somebodies pet out roaming? Some would say that it doesn't matter I guess, but I personally don't want to shoot some little kids pet.

I guess I don't have a very strong feeling on it either way.

 

[The Kai]

I guess that's the thing how do you know some cat hater would'nt use this law as an excuse to dust your pet??

 

[BrandiJo]

that is horrible *goes and hides my 4 cats*

 

[FearlessFreep]

How do you make a cat go "woof" and stay?

Well, I know that to make it go 'woof' you douse it with lighter fluid and light it with a match and it goes 'woooff!'

 

[Ray]

How do you make a cat go "woof" and stay?

Well, I know that to make it go 'woof' you douse it with lighter fluid and light it with a match and it goes 'woooff!'

Yes, you're right! And a six inch spike through its head into the floor makes it stay.

 

[BrandiJo]

that is aweful you wouldnt think of doing that to a dog, so why is a cat any different. I could never even dream of hurting a cat let alone hunting one

 

[Makalakumu]

I'm so with you on this one. Cruelty for animals is one thing. Getting rid of exotic species that are altering the environment is another. Hunting feral cats in an ecosystem that hasn't evolved to handle their predation pressure could actually be a positive thing. Like any hunter, though, I would be pissed if people were just using the new regulations to go out and torment the poor creatures with all sorts of unspeakable torture. If you are going to kill them, do it quick.

As far as eating them goes, well, if they can end up in asian woks, they can end up in my stew pot. I'd try it once and if it tasted like crap, probably not do it again...which would probably prevent my ever hunting the little critters again. I don't believe in killing anything if one is not going to eat it. I imagine a cat would probably taste a lot like squirrel...

Then again, I've got two cats for pets. I may have a little problem pulling the trigger on fluffy...

The bottom line is this, these cats can cause a lot of damage to local natural populations of animals. Hunting cats for food or sport could put a dent in the impact that these critters are having.

 

[ginshun]

Honestly, I spend a decent amount of time out in the woods, and I don't think that I have ever seen a random cat just running around out there, so I kind of question how big of a problem it really is. There really probably should be some studies done on it before they open a season. Actually find out how much they are really impacting the ecosystem. I don't even know, maybe some studies have already been done, I haven't really looked into it that closely.

As far as eating them you are probably right, I would give it a try and see what the things tasted like. Rabbit stew is pretty tasty, and I would think they would be pretty similar. Of course, almost any animal gets good and tasty if you leave it sit in a crock pot long enough.

 

[Makalakumu]

Honestly, I spend a decent amount of time out in the woods, and I don't think that I have ever seen a random cat just running around out there, so I kind of question how big of a problem it really is. There really probably should be some studies done on it before they open a season. Actually find out how much they are really impacting the ecosystem. I don't even know, maybe some studies have already been done, I haven't really looked into it that closely.

As far as eating them you are probably right, I would give it a try and see what the things tasted like. Rabbit stew is pretty tasty, and I would think they would be pretty similar. Of course, almost any animal gets good and tasty if you leave it sit in a crock pot long enough.

The damage is pretty well documented. Enough so that Minnesota has had an open season on feral cats for years. Also, alot of the articles I found, cited lots of numbers and statistics. I don't know why Wisconsin is straggling?

Madison Liberals!

As far as seeing cats roaming around, I think that closer to more populated areas, the number of cats will increase. Things start thinning out north of Wausau where you are located so that might be why you aren't seeing as many...

 

[Tgace]

http://www.allfunnypictures.com/pages/freecat.htm

 

[FearlessFreep]

that is aweful you wouldnt think of doing that to a dog, so why is a cat any different. I could never even dream of hurting a cat let alone hunting one

Yeah!? Well, how do you make a dog go 'meow'

 

[shesulsa]

I understand there is also a huge population explosion of rodentia in New York. Why don't they just toss the feral felines into a railcar and ship them on over? Sterilize approx. 75% of them so that just enough of them live to continue the rodent hunt. Then call open season on them.

What's that old saying? Kill two birds with one stone? I guess that would be two ... two ... ah fuggetabowdit.

 

[elder999]

Cat:the other white meat.

 

[Cryozombie]

We have a problem with them here too. Animal Control refuses to do anything except rent traps to people who want to catch them, take them in, and PAY out of their own pocket to have them put down or neutered.

But a box of subsonic .22 ammo is like $1.50 and pretty quiet too.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Cat:the other white meat

I remember sci-fi channel running a couple of 'creature weekend special' kinds of things. Two taglines from the commercials:

"Humans: The Other White Meat"
"Humans are about to find out that they taste like chicken"

 

[elder999]

Cat:the other white meat

I remember sci-fi channel running a couple of 'creature weekend special' kinds of things. Two taglines from the commercials:

"Humans: The Other White Meat"
"Humans are about to find out that they taste like chicken"

Actually, I'm pretty sure that humans taste more like pork.

....and, while I've never had cat to my knowledge, I have to admit that every time I've had dog, I had seconds...and, unlike cats, I like dogs. alot-alive, that is.

As for feral cats, I say shoot the little buggers; I've never understood how anyone could call something that would be trying to eat you if it were bigger a pet, anyway, and they breed like rodents.They need to be killed.:mp5:

 

[MA-Caver]

Feral cats run rampant around my apartment complex. They get into the dumpsters and strewn garbage all over the place. They've become pests and thus troublesome.
I like cats as a rule, but only when they're house cats and not feral. These are descendants from successful predatory animals. A domesticated animal gone wild is a hazard because they're more likely to be succeptable to diseases that they would've normally been inocculated for. Since they're feral they're also less likely to be afraid of man than a purely wild animal. Even though most of the feral ones around my apt generally take off running whenever a human approaches, I've had several stand their ground yowling and hissing at me. Perhaps it was female and had kittens nearby, dunno/don't care. But behavior like this puts small children at risk from a nasty bite. It also puts wholly domesticated cats at risk from contracting serious feline diseases if owners are the type to let their pets go outside.

If the "hunters" of these animals are going to be pegging away at them then hopefully they'll be responsible enough to pick up and bag the bodies for proper disposal.

 

[arnisador]

Hunting them doesn't seem the right, or safe, solution...but they are a real pain!