Joseph Fuerst

I've stayed out of this thread....it was titled 'speaking of dogs' and I
had nothing to say or (I thought) to read. In recent scrolling...I see the
thread has splintered into animal rights, shelters....I know not what else!

I apologize if you've covered this already, but you you tell me if feral
cats pose some risks to my children? Last spring, a cat was camping out in
my back yard. Didn't notice it much with a new baby and all....until it
began making yowie in the night (i.e., copulating).
My neighbor....a fanatic about animals......agreed to trap the cat. She
took her to the local shelter (She also, took the 2 kittens we found
crawling around, they were adopted to homes.)
, paid for neutering and shots...and brought her back!

She, my nieghbor who rants about NEVER allowing outdoor cats, released
this cat back to our neighborhood. She provides food and water, and knew
the cat took shelter under our deck In an innacccessible area.) She even
had the nerve to ask if I'd disasseble our deck and put a bed of straw for
the cat's warmth this winter!

Well, a different neighbor has placed a "have-a heart" trap (in prominent
view, mind you %) ).
This neighbor says this cat poses risks to my children. She is not
trustworthy in other areas, in addition to wanting people to take sides and
openly feud!

IF this cat poses risks to my children, I would like to discreetly trap it
and get it to the shelter. But I need accurate info....anyone?
Thanks!
Susan
> Here in several of the Northern California counties there are groups that
> are working hard to eliminate or at least reduce the ferel cat
populations.
> they trap them, neuter them and then find ranchers that will allow them to
> be turned loose on their land. There is one sheep ranch on the coast in
> Sonoma County that has taken a couple hundred of the cats. Of course, he
> has several thousand acres, so they aren't a problem for him.
>
> There is also a group in Santa Rosa who has been trapping the ferel cats
> that run around the city (the city is built over several creeks that have
> been routed through underground canals), neutering them and then turning
> them back loose right in the city.

rumpleteasermom

I personally believe the cat poses no more threat than the other
wildlife. You have squirrels and such right?? If your kids leave
her alone, the cat will leave them alone. If she has been spayed,
there will be no more kittens.

The only other risk is rabies. But that is a risk with other
critters too. And perhaps your neighbor got her the vacs while
getting her fixed.

All in all, I would not let this start a feud. Oh yes, and tell the
neighbor that the cat does not need any straw. Cats are pretty self-
sufficient, she'll make a home without it.

Bridget


--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., "Joseph Fuerst" <fuerst@f...> wrote:

>
> IF this cat poses risks to my children, I would like to discreetly
trap it
> and get it to the shelter. But I need accurate info....anyone?
> Thanks!
> Susan

Lynda

There are several areas that could be of concern. Was the cat vaccinated
for rabies? If you are in an area where she will be exposed to rodents,
then that would be a concern. Another concern would be fleas. Obviously
you can't deflea her or do anyother routine "maintenance." Fleas can carry
lots of bugs and they love to breed in places such as where this cat has
choosen to live. The third concern, particularly with children is that your
yard has presumably become her bathroom. I can never remember what the heck
the name of that "thing" that cats carry is but it is the reason small
children and pregnant women shouldn't be changing litter boxes.

Also, of concern would be whether or not you have other pets that would be
negatively impacted by her presense--fleas, distemper, etc.

Lynda
----- Original Message -----
From: Joseph Fuerst <fuerst@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 5:16 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Re: Feral cats was breeding animals


> I've stayed out of this thread....it was titled 'speaking of dogs' and I
> had nothing to say or (I thought) to read. In recent scrolling...I see
the
> thread has splintered into animal rights, shelters....I know not what
else!
>
> I apologize if you've covered this already, but you you tell me if feral
> cats pose some risks to my children? Last spring, a cat was camping out
in
> my back yard. Didn't notice it much with a new baby and all....until it
> began making yowie in the night (i.e., copulating).
> My neighbor....a fanatic about animals......agreed to trap the cat. She
> took her to the local shelter (She also, took the 2 kittens we found
> crawling around, they were adopted to homes.)
> , paid for neutering and shots...and brought her back!
>
> She, my nieghbor who rants about NEVER allowing outdoor cats, released
> this cat back to our neighborhood. She provides food and water, and knew
> the cat took shelter under our deck In an innacccessible area.) She even
> had the nerve to ask if I'd disasseble our deck and put a bed of straw for
> the cat's warmth this winter!
>
> Well, a different neighbor has placed a "have-a heart" trap (in prominent
> view, mind you %) ).
> This neighbor says this cat poses risks to my children. She is not
> trustworthy in other areas, in addition to wanting people to take sides
and
> openly feud!
>
> IF this cat poses risks to my children, I would like to discreetly trap
it
> and get it to the shelter. But I need accurate info....anyone?
> Thanks!
> Susan
> > Here in several of the Northern California counties there are groups
that
> > are working hard to eliminate or at least reduce the ferel cat
> populations.
> > they trap them, neuter them and then find ranchers that will allow them
to
> > be turned loose on their land. There is one sheep ranch on the coast in
> > Sonoma County that has taken a couple hundred of the cats. Of course,
he
> > has several thousand acres, so they aren't a problem for him.
> >
> > There is also a group in Santa Rosa who has been trapping the ferel cats
> > that run around the city (the city is built over several creeks that
have
> > been routed through underground canals), neutering them and then turning
> > them back loose right in the city.
>
>
>
>
>
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>

kayb85

If you have a sandbox, keep it covered. Other than that, I can't see
where the cat poses any health risks. Oh, and you don't need to put
out straw for the cat in the winter. The cat will be just fine on
his own.
Sheila

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., "Joseph Fuerst" <fuerst@f...> wrote:
> I've stayed out of this thread....it was titled 'speaking of dogs'
and I
> had nothing to say or (I thought) to read. In recent scrolling...I
see the
> thread has splintered into animal rights, shelters....I know not
what else!
>
> I apologize if you've covered this already, but you you tell me if
feral
> cats pose some risks to my children? Last spring, a cat was
camping out in
> my back yard. Didn't notice it much with a new baby and
all....until it
> began making yowie in the night (i.e., copulating).
> My neighbor....a fanatic about animals......agreed to trap the
cat. She
> took her to the local shelter (She also, took the 2 kittens we
found
> crawling around, they were adopted to homes.)
> , paid for neutering and shots...and brought her back!
>
> She, my nieghbor who rants about NEVER allowing outdoor cats,
released
> this cat back to our neighborhood. She provides food and water,
and knew
> the cat took shelter under our deck In an innacccessible area.)
She even
> had the nerve to ask if I'd disasseble our deck and put a bed of
straw for
> the cat's warmth this winter!
>
> Well, a different neighbor has placed a "have-a heart" trap (in
prominent
> view, mind you %) ).
> This neighbor says this cat poses risks to my children. She is not
> trustworthy in other areas, in addition to wanting people to take
sides and
> openly feud!
>
> IF this cat poses risks to my children, I would like to discreetly
trap it
> and get it to the shelter. But I need accurate info....anyone?
> Thanks!
> Susan
> > Here in several of the Northern California counties there are
groups that
> > are working hard to eliminate or at least reduce the ferel cat
> populations.
> > they trap them, neuter them and then find ranchers that will
allow them to
> > be turned loose on their land. There is one sheep ranch on the
coast in
> > Sonoma County that has taken a couple hundred of the cats. Of
course, he
> > has several thousand acres, so they aren't a problem for him.
> >
> > There is also a group in Santa Rosa who has been trapping the
ferel cats
> > that run around the city (the city is built over several creeks
that have
> > been routed through underground canals), neutering them and then
turning
> > them back loose right in the city.

rumpleteasermom

A lot depends on the area too though. We live in a semi rural area.
There are feral cats here. We also have housecats and a dog now
too. I try to keep the rabies vacs up to date but for the most part,
they have learned to live with each other. Flea stuff on my own cats
seems to keep the fleas down on all of them.

A lot of this has to do with attitude too. Do you think of that cat
under your deck as a pet or as a you would a squirrel? Would you
trap it if it was a squirrel? If you think of her as a pet, you may
need to make her a real pet, if you think of her as a critter, then
make sure your kids know that and treat her that way too.

The disease you are thinking of is Toxoplasmosis. It is not as big a
deal as they used to make it out to be. Go check it out here if you
are concerned:
http://www.cfainc.org/health/toxo-pregnancy.html

Bridget

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., "Lynda" <lurine@s...> wrote:
> There are several areas that could be of concern. Was the cat
vaccinated
> for rabies? If you are in an area where she will be exposed to
rodents,
> then that would be a concern. Another concern would be fleas.
Obviously
> you can't deflea her or do anyother routine "maintenance." Fleas
can carry
> lots of bugs and they love to breed in places such as where this
cat has
> choosen to live. The third concern, particularly with children is
that your
> yard has presumably become her bathroom. I can never remember what
the heck
> the name of that "thing" that cats carry is but it is the reason
small
> children and pregnant women shouldn't be changing litter boxes.
>
> Also, of concern would be whether or not you have other pets that
would be
> negatively impacted by her presense--fleas, distemper, etc.
>
> Lynda

kayb85

Another thought I had is that you don't have to tolerate an animal
coming into your yard if you don't want it there. Personally, it
wouldn't bother me, but I know that it would bother many people. If
it bothers you, trap it.
Sheila