cat shootings

[missydog1]

Could this happen in Puna?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckDVpihCPq8

Luckily the family adopted this stray instead of shooting it.

[spunky]

Quoteby MarkP: The "Cat Murder" rhetoric is pretty standard hyperbole.

Seriously???? And how do you justify that position in this case? Been to Kauai lately? Know any of the people affected? Or are you just playing arm chair quarterback from the comfort of your anonymous post.

and Terracore
Quote: My guess, and that's all it is, is that this $5k reward for a non-existent crime is a publicity stunt...

Both of you gentlemen sound like cold heartless bastards. I have friends on Kauai and can assure you this is NOT a publicity stunt.

Am dumbfounded that you condone the killing of animals. Where's your humanity? Cats roam. It's what they do. I've had pets my whole life on this and other Hawaiian islands. Have never encountered such hatred for cats as I have in this chatroom. Disgusted by the lack of humanity and the assumption that this situation is not serious.

[Hunt Stoddard]

I agree with spunky and others. Anyone shoot one of my cats while he's walking across their property is going to have more than cats to deal with.

[terracore]

I can agree with both sides of the issue, but let me see if I have everything straight:

1) The $5,000 reward is not a publicity stunt. Because publically advertising large cash rewards is not done to bring awareness to an issue.

2) It is the farmer's responsibility to keep all the neighborhood animals from attacking their livestock by making their farm an impenetrable fortress, and the stray pet's owners have no responsibility.

3) Stray pets have immeasurable value, and farm animals have none.

4) Should a stray animal somehow breach the farmer's defenses, and he shoots an animal that is killing his livestock, the angry villagers will come out with their torches and pitchforks to show the monster what humanity is.

[DickWilson]

While I don't have any problem with pet cats that roam. The ferals that people feed are a problem. I have to trap ferals at work and have taken as many as 11 in one week to the humane society. They defecate on the property, damage the goods in the warehouse and spray every where. Trapping and neutering these animals does nothing to reduce their impact. I am fully aware that this is a one-way trip for these cats, but I am not the one feeding these animals and bringing them into the area of our business. I have spoken to the woman who does the feeding and her attitude is well just clean up the mess. Well I do, straight to the humane society. Having to have two traps set 24/7 and making the 22 mile round trip is a real pain, but I am slowly but surely getting rid of these pests.

dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"

[MarkP]

Terracore, you forgot one:

5) The rareness of endangered species, rather than indicating a need to take steps to reverse their decline, absolves cat owners of responsibility and is justification for ramping up the population of invasive predators.

The anonymous killing of animals is exactly what cat owners and feral cat feeders do when they allow cats to roam. I am dumbfounded that such people condone and embrace the senseless killing of wildlife for what is essentially their hobby.

[oink]

I used to have quail living on my property which I loved to see. A neighbor introduced a passel of barn cats onto their property and I saw them on my lot frequently. The quail disappeared. In retrospect I should have eradicated the cats when they trespassed regularly. I wouldn't bother a probable pet that shows up once in a blue moon. Thankfully the people moved and took the cats. The people who replaced them still have the barn (and horses) but if they have barn cats they must be fewer in number as I don't see them. The quail have yet to return.

My then 87 YOA mother lived in a residential subdivision and had a neighbor that was a cat person with several free roaming cats. They constantly came over and did their business in her yard. Apparently they didn't like using their own yard. This disturbed my mother greatly as she liked working in her garden and disliked finding the "deposits". She tried all kinds of methods of discouraging the cats, at some expense. Nothing worked effectively. I offered to address the problem many times but she was too afraid of offending her neighbors. This caused her considerable distress over a very extended time, thus also causing me stress. It still causes me stress as I feel I should have resolved the situation, relieving her distress, regardless of her declining my offer. I consider such inconsiderate cat people true azzholes. Thankfully they eventually moved, taking the problem with them (Yes I'm still pissed about that situation).

Anyone that doesn't recognize the damage loose and feral cats do to the environment are in serious selfish denial or are deranged. I think there are a lot of cat nuts that are deranged.

I've decided now that if I see the same cat stalking my property three times over a short period of time it's game on.

PS: I've had pet cats that I loved as has my mother.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[MarkP]

It is often stated how having a pet can sooth a person and have a positive impact on their health. I recall watching my father becoming apoplectic on more than one occasion when the neighbor's dog would tear up our garbage. I guess it depends on whose health you care about.

[dmbwest]

I like cats.

I've even got the feral ones trained to run from me. All it took was a few handfuls of gravel and running at them.

Now, no more stink in my yard or on outdoor furniture.

If I hear them at night, I bang on the wall and I can hear them run ... LOL.

[deserteagle50ae]

I don't like cats,but my dobermans sure do.