Stray Cats 101

March 2nd, 2010

Springfield, MA

I love my cat.  Here she is.  

She is clean, nice and she talks quite a bit.  What she does not do is kill birds.  She would like to but I don’t give her the chance.  

In our part of the country feral cats kill lots of birds.  Lots of birds.  Thousands upon thousands.  One feral cat can kill up to 20 birds per day.  This is not a good thing.  I’ve had several wild felines plant themselves in my neck of the woods.  My neighbors and I have worked together to trap and relocate 3 of them over the past two years.  

We used this:  
 

You set this trap by pulling down the solid metal piece, placing some fragrant meat (I always use a can of tuna) on the floor of the trap and then putting it where you last saw the elusive, crouching, scraggly feral cat.  It doesn’t take long.  A few hours.  Overnight.  And then she is there.  Not happy, I warn you, not a happy camper as they say.  

There are several organizations in our area that will take feral cats and attempt to tame them.  It is possible.  Essentially all cats, even those who are accustomed to the wild, can be tamed.  Cats are domestic animals (one of only a handful of animals in the world that can be fully trained to live with humans.)   

Talk to your local animal shelter.  They will give you support, and even show you how to use the Havahart trap.  Some shelters have traps that you can borrow and then bring the cat in with.  

Your bird population will thank you by thriving.  Our gardens and trees need to the birds and they need the safety of a world without wild cats pouncing from every corner.  Keep your cats close, clean and away from temptation.