# Bill introduced to allow shooting of Feral Cats



## HuntingCrazy (Sep 8, 2007)

What do you guys think of this new Utah bill being introduced?
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=13997075

I know this was an issue in Wisconsin a few years back, but I don't know what ever became of it...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7475469/ns/health-pet_health/









Meow!!!

.


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

I think it is a great idea...why do some people feel like it is ok to treat cats and dogs different than hogs. It is illegal in most states to release hogs into the wild, yet since cats are more "cuddly" it is frowned upon to harvest a few when harvesting hogs doesn't warrant a second thought. Just another animal that doesn't belong in the wild and as far as I am concerned is no different than the banana peel in the compost heap. If I saw a garfield cat in the hills or on my property and had ammo to burn then it would be magpie fodder.
I understand we don't want to shoot someone's house cat, but if it is in an area where you can legally discharge a weapon and it doesn't have a collar on...BLAM!


----------



## iheartgame (Aug 16, 2010)

I think it is a great idea. I personally don't wanna shoot a kitty cat but something needs done about feral animals. 

What about feral horses I heard once they were going to make them a game animal just like deer and elk. Anyone know what the deal is on this?


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

> Oda says that would include any method that kills the animal with minimal suffering. He says that includes shooting, clubbing or decapitating some animals.
> 
> Animal Advocacy Alliance of Utah's executive director Anne Davis says that feral animals are intentionally protected by the current law.
> 
> Davis says there is no humane way for people to kill a feral animals. To control populations, the animals should be fixed.


I honestly didnt know that you werent allowed to shoot feral cats and dogs (not that I have killed any) But it doesnt make sense to let them roam free and kill game animals and spread diseases so i would agree with the proposition.

As far as clubbing an animal.... My dad used to club raccoons to save the fur (if he couldnt drown them), and that was the most awful death I have ever seen. 

But Anne Davis is up in the night if she thinks that spaying and neutering these animals is the answer! Can you imagine the cost associated with doing that?! Maybe she is going to pay for it herself? :mrgreen:


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

I would consider clubbing animals a very humane way of killing them...one firm whack across the back of the head and they aren't coming out of that coma! I've clubbed lots of rabbits and after about 10 seconds of twitching they were stone-cold.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

stablebuck said:


> I would consider clubbing animals a very humane way of killing them...one firm whack across the back of the head and they aren't coming out of that coma! I've clubbed lots of rabbits and after about 10 seconds of twitching they were stone-cold.


Maybe my dad wasnt as good at it as you were Stable. I remember gobs of blood pouring out of the raccoon. And now that I think back on it.... it was when they were in snares, thats why he clubbed them and didnt drown / asphyxiate them


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

yeah if you miss the back of their head it isn't super pleasant...broken skull = good...broken back = not good...


----------



## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

When did it become illegal??


----------



## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

Cat-The other white meat....Missing your cat,look under my tires......I didn't know it was illegal to kill 'em either except in city limits.....I had a nuisance cat that would sit on my porch and meow last winter,I did everthing I could think of to get the thing to vacate to no avail. I waved the dogcatcher down and explained the situation and she informed me they don't cach them if I caught it they would come remove it.I told her thats fine I would just kill it and she tells me it was illegal,I told her only if you catch me.That cat didn't howl on my porch after that night.


----------



## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Inferred admission of felonious activity? I'd probably edit your post.


----------



## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I've always thought it was legal to dispose of feral cats.


----------



## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

*Bill to be able to shoot feral animals*

I just ran across this and think that it would be the best thing that law makers could do to help out the wild bird population. I did not know that it was illegal to shoot a feral animal out when you are hunting? I hope this will pass because on most of my upland game hunting experiences I see more field lions than I do birds. :evil:


----------



## blackbear (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Bill to be able to shoot feral animals*

Didn't even know it was illegal :O•-: 
To me, bagging a feral or non-native critter is a better trophy than a big buck or a limit of birds. Goes to show you who the true conservationists are...


----------



## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

So the Humane Society of Utah says it's inhumane? Ha ha.....they just don't want the competition, they can get over 100 bucks per cat brought in, if they can find the owners... :|
Now they'll just have to go around and pick up the dead ones... :mrgreen:


----------



## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

I bet *goob* has a recipe for kitty cat kicking around somewhere in his Iron Chef kitchen.


----------



## bwood (Jan 5, 2011)

*Re: Bill to be able to shoot feral animals*

I think lots of hunters or their dogs take out the field lions given a chance. The scary thing about this is when people start using it to take out your dog that happened to get loose or is running big out hunting. 'Didn't see anyone around and it wasn't wearing a collar'.


----------



## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

.45 said:


> So the Humane Society of Utah says it's inhumane?


So how many do the humane society kill?


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Loke said:


> When did it become illegal??


I guess we both missed that memo??


----------



## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

I'm in the same boat as everyone else. I didn't know it was illegal. Ive never killed a feral cat myself. I have just heard some of the bird dog guys on UBD say their GWP's bring back dead cats, so I always thought it was OK to shoot the little bastards. :lol: I think the whole "cats get to roam free" laws are such BS. Anyone that owns cats and lives anywhere close to a field BE WARNED if this law passes. And don't be surprised if kitty gets shot or snared.


----------



## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

I have no problem with the riddance of feral cats, My dogs and I have even participated in it. My question is this....why does the bill have to specify clubbing and decapitating? I think that would cause the Humane society to get all worked up to fight this legislation.


----------



## cornerfinder (Dec 4, 2008)

This problem has been at my attention for some time. viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13912&hilit=darn+cats


----------



## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Treehugnhuntr said:


> Inferred admission of felonious activity? I'd probably edit your post.


Yes, I would also.

Practice the SSS Rule. o-||


----------



## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

Treehugnhuntr said:


> Inferred admission of felonious activity? I'd probably edit your post.


I didn't say I killed the cat,just it didn't howl on my porch anymore.


----------



## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

a letter to the editor of the standard examiner i submitted today... will see what they publish.

A different perspective on Representative Curt Oda’s Bill.
Let me state up front that animal cruelty is abhorrent and animal torture is worse. Each of us is the sum total of his or her collective experience and most people’s collective experience with cats is positive thus shaping warm and protective feeling for cats in general. A soft, fluffy kitten engenders very positive and protective feelings, a long trusted feline may be an important member of the family. These feelings are generally transferred to feral cats – cats that by definition have either partially or totally reverted from domestication to a wild state. We do not generally feel that feral cats pose significant risk to people or other animals. Feral cats in agricultural or wild settings have nothing in common with tame, soft and cuddly domesticated cats and in some circumstances they pose a specific risk to people and other animals. I raise bird dogs. I also raise birds to train my dogs. On one occasion as I was out training in an agricultural setting with Ruger, my outstanding German Shorthaired Pointer, he went on point. I expect my dogs to hold point while I move forward and flush the bird which he did and a rooster exploded from the brush about 5 feet in front of him. About 50 yards later, he went on point again and as I moved forward to flush the bird, a feral cat launched out of the brush, affixed itself to my right knee and proceeded to bite me 4 times in a radial pattern around the kneecap whilst ripping the back of my leg with his claws. Then to my utter amazement jumped down and ran off leaving me with shredded pants (literally – I still have the shredded section of the pants hanging above my workbench), blood running down my knee and leg into my boot with Ruger still on point. In hindsight, I should have put Ruger on the cat and killed it then – but the risk of having a feral cat get a claw in your dogs eye is too great (a dog that cost a thousand bucks in which you have hundreds of hours of training) – long story short, I could not find the cat and eventually had to undergo the rabies, tetanus and antibiotic shots. The rabies immunoglobulin portion of these shots consists of the medical version of a caulking gun stuck in your buttocks and thighs, pumping your muscle tissue full of a peanut butter type crud which is then massaged into your muscle tissues – yes it is painful. Thankfully the other 8 rabies shots you can take in alternating shoulders for a cost of $2000 bucks (1990’s dollars). I now train my dogs to flush on command which reduces my risk of cat attack but increases their risk and that risk is substantial. Over the past years, my dogs have killed over 6 cats (I have never intentionally gone out hunting feral cats – each instance was in the context of dog training) in and around Willard Bay dog training area and other places. For Ruger the process is quick and efficient as he is quite large and a single bite across the back dispatches the cat. However for KC who is much smaller, the cat is caught and then a vicious battle ensues with biting, clawing, scratching, shaking and mauling. It is not pretty and for all you people who dump your unwanted pets out here thinking that Farmer Jones needs another cat – this is directly your fault! During the pheasant hunt, I now have a personal policy – if a cat comes out in the course of the hunt – given a clean and safe shot, the cat goes down. This is far better than the potential alternative which is a feral cat/dog altercation in which my dogs have a risk of serious injury. Over the years, upwards of 5 to 10 cats have been dispatched in this manner – each of which could be construed as a felony offense.
As mentioned previously, I also raise birds for dog training purposes. I used to employ soft nylon nets to cage the birds. However, feral cats used to chew their way through the nets and kill my birds. Not just one bird, but a killing spree. On 2 occasions, I heard the ruckus and caught the cat in the bird pen. What do you do with a cat that has killed over 20 birds in your pen and is flattened out, hissing and spitting directly at you? Call animal control? No, you protect yourself and your property. You whack it with a shovel and kill it – which could be a felony offense! You have no way of knowing what diseases this thing may have and you have direct evidence of its destruction. A feral cat is no different than any other pest or varmit. I have since put up metal fencing to protect against cats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, etc but this has drawbacks as well since metal has no flexibility and you lose some birds when they fly and hit it. Cost of doing business. So, what about pigeons? Winged rats. No one would give a second thought about the eradication of mice and rats because the popular view (see cats above) is that they are disgusting, filthy rodents that cause damage and spread disease. Well pigeons poop. They poop all over barns, hay, and equipment causing damage, spreading disease and making a huge mess. Cattle don’t particularly like eating pigeon poop even as a condiment on hay or silage. We don’t need a pigeon police to remove pigeons from the barn. We need an efficient, economical and a ‘within the law’ method of pigeon/bird control. We need to be able to protect ourselves, dogs and property from animals, feral or otherwise without becoming felons.
So, in a historical context I could be considered a multiple felon under current law for simply protecting myself, dogs and property. Thus, I believe that Representative Oda’s bill has merit to be explored.


----------



## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

I would have to agree with Kingfisher, those animal cruelty laws while needed, are often way too broad and emotionally slanted and need to be rewritten with a little common sense added into them.

I would support the feral cat bill, in fact I would like it expanded to include any domesticated animal that had reverted back to a wild state.


----------



## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

luv2fsh&hnt said:


> Treehugnhuntr said:
> 
> 
> > Inferred admission of felonious activity? I'd probably edit your post.
> ...


God I hope you didn't set his tail on fire! :lol:


----------



## bkelz (Dec 3, 2010)

i think you would be doing a disfavor not to put them out of their misery. thats just the honest truth.

but the only problem is there is *ALWAYS* that one moron or idiot that goes over board and will become the feral-minator. :evil: and blow it all for the rest of us.


----------



## Narient (Jan 9, 2011)

The apartment complex I live in is surrounded by numerous feral cats. People just dump em thinking some of their neighbors will take them in. Most of my neighbors don't want to walk the quarter mile (exaggerating a little) to the dumpster @ 10pm at night so they set the trash bag out and take it in the morning. More than once, I've caught these critters tearing the bags open to get something to eat. I'd much rather be able to take a hunting-grade blowgun and put them out of my... I mean THEIR misery. :evil:


----------



## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

To be honest I tried the have a heart traps and taking the mangy strays to the pound but they would always end up back in the neighborhood.After the third time I started using more permanent methods to rid the neighborhood of the vermin. DISCLAIMER-No animal suffered with these methods. I don't care what kind of animal it is domestic,wild,livestock,feral or what species dispatching an animal with a firearm is not animal cruelty period,end of debate. I will never pay a vet 150.00+ to put an animal down when it can be done just as humanely with a ten cent .22 hollow point,I don't care what the law says.


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Did you see the latest on this bill? http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=14148100


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Narient said:


> The apartment complex I live in is surrounded by numerous feral cats. People just dump em thinking some of their neighbors will take them in. Most of my neighbors don't want to walk the quarter mile (exaggerating a little) to the dumpster @ 10pm at night so they set the trash bag out and take it in the morning. More than once, I've caught these critters tearing the bags open to get something to eat. I'd much rather be able to take a hunting-grade blowgun and put them out of my... I mean THEIR misery. :evil:


Do you live in Cottonwood Heights? I know of a place that has that same problem!


----------



## Narient (Jan 9, 2011)

No. I'm in WVC. I imagine it's not very uncommon, hence the law.


----------



## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Did you see the latest on this bill? http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=14148100


Isn't that ironic they want to throw a guy in prison and give him a felony record that will haunt him the rest of his life for shooting his own animal or a feral animal but turn around and threaten a state legislator.


----------



## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

Kinda funny.... She couldn't hurt a feral cat or feral animal... But she has no problem threatening a lawmaker.


----------

