Advice for finding a hunting cat needed.

[rosse]

AmberBobCat,

just checked out your webpage, are those bobcats that you own? They are really cool looking. Can you keep them inside or will the destroy your house? What is the price range? How are they when you play with them?

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Originally Posted by RossE

AmberBobCat,

just checked out your webpage, are those bobcats that you own? They are really cool looking. Can you keep them inside or will the destroy your house? What is the price range? How are they when you play with them?

Yes, 5 bobcats and a cougar. But, don't even think about owning one. You have never owned a cat and a wildcat would not be for you. The bobcats are inside and outside, but go outside in a secure enclosure only, they do not run free. My cougar lives outside in a secure enclosure all the time now. He is much to big to be in the house at approx 230 pounds.
As for your bird issue and the noise. Have you tried sleeping with ear plugs?? I work all shifts and when working nights, I have to sleep during the day. So I wear ear plugs to block any noise, such as someone cutting the grass or using snow blower.

 

[rosse]

BTW if you go to the website I linked to above and scroll way down to "Ella" I'm pretty sure that's the one I saw that I liked. Tell me what you think.

 

[rosse]

Originally Posted by AmberThe Bobcat

Yes, 5 bobcats and a cougar. But, don't even think about owning one. You have never owned a cat and a wildcat would not be for you. The bobcats are inside and outside, but go outside in a secure enclosure only, they do not run free. My cougar lives outside in a secure enclosure all the time now. He is much to big to be in the house at approx 230 pounds.
As for your bird issue and the noise. Have you tried sleeping with ear plugs?? I work all shifts and when working nights, I have to sleep during the day. So I wear ear plugs to block any noise, such as someone cutting the gras our using snow blower.

So basically bobcat isn't a starter cat is what youre saying.

I do know that wild bobcats are all over my area.

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Originally Posted by RossE

So basically bobcat isn't a starter cat is what youre saying.

I do know that wild bobcats are all over my area.

No, a bobcat is not even a cat for most people who have had cats for a very long time. I support responsible private ownership, but it is a lot of work and takes great patience and understanding to live with these cats. One thing is for sure, you can NEVER win an argument with a bobcat. You try and you will lose. I am dedicated to my life with these great cats. I give up a lot of my time and freedom for them. That's how it has to be in order to share your life with a wildcat.

 

[white cat lover]

IMO many cats, if they haven't lived outdoors previously in their life, will not survive long if turned outdoors. There are many dangers outside: humans (poisoning, etc), cars, dogs, wild animals....the list goes on. I've known many people to get a cat who was raised indoors, trying to turn in into a farm cat or indoor/outdoor cat....only to have said cat killed shortly after letting it outdoors, as it didn't have the capabilities needed to survive.

Yes, I have outdoor farm cats. But I also live in the country in a rural area. Most of my cats have grown up outdoors. Most of them also do not hunt. The one who likely lived indoors most of his life & was adopted from the humane society (he was around 13 years old) is about the only one of mine who hunts.

Not feeding a cat to get it to hunt does no good. The cat will leave as there is no food around, and they won't be able to hunt enough to feed themselves (lack of energy causing an inability to hunt).

That said - my cats don't touch birds. They are often driven away from their food by the birds. I've had 5 cats eating from a food dish only to have two little birds drive them off.

 

[sharky]

RossE

You have stated that it is ILLEGAL to use a sound deterant what about a SCENT deterent...

You are NOT at all ready to have a cat !!!! Please start reading a few cat books ... Get a vet ...

I do believe you should NOT even give a remote thought to a WILD animal or "wild" cat... Plust I do believe you are not allowed to in your state... Plus if you were you need Permits , Special enclosures , special food and LOTS of special care and skills

 

[justjayde]

You say you can't make your Yard less prime real-estate for the birds ((You can plant what ever you want, put out ornaments etc )) yet you think it's ok to get a cat to kill them or scare them off? How is that any LESS illegal than planting or putting decorations in the yard that might make it less welcoming. Sorry nope - that is the biggest load of hooey I have heard in a while. Seriously. Not only that but by posting your intent on a public forum? I hope someone local to you reports you to the wildlife people for planning to kill or scare the birds off with a cat and you get nailed for it

amazing what screen captures can do for proof of intent.

 

[wiccankittylove]

Originally Posted by hissy

In my opinion, you don't only not know anything about cats, but you don't deserve to have one either. Mockingbirds are fearless and cats won't even matter to them. They may fly away for a bit, but they will return. If you (as your post indicates) intend to starve a cat to get it to hunt- your cat will not have the stamina needed to hunt and will instead (hopefully) run off and find someone with a kinder heart to take care of it.
With all the uproar around about how many outside cats kill wild birds which is hooey) you are actually wanting a cat to kill these birds is ridiculous.

I have barn cats and have seen both mockingbirds and jaybirds chase my cats away from nests and favorite resting places. My cats are hunters but they are also looking for mice and rodents not birds. Find another way to rid your tree of mockingbirds- hang up windchimes or pieces of foil or something else but leave a cat out of the equation.

I'm sorry but saying someone doesn't deserve a cat based on your opinion alone isn't very nice, quite rude actually. People should be given a chance to research and be informed in a nice way about owning a cat, not just told off. If we really love cats shouldn't we be wanting to share the "adventure" of owning one with others?

 

[hissy]

Originally Posted by AmberThe Bobcat

No, a bobcat is not even a cat for most people who have had cats for a very long time. I support responsible private ownership, but it is a lot of work and takes great patience and understanding to live with these cats. One thing is for sure, you can NEVER win an argument with a bobcat. You try and you will lose. I am dedicated to my life with these great cats. I give up a lot of my time and freedom for them. That's how it has to be in order to share your life with a wildcat.

John, did you see animal planet the other night? they had this guy who lived in the projects of the bronx and he had a 500 pound tiger as a pet! Neither he or the tiger ever went outside and all was fine until he let an alley cat into the house that was sick. He nursed it back to health and then the tiger went to attack the cat and he stepped in to save the kitty. He saved the kitty but he got bit pretty bad and lost his tiger and he had to go to jail. It was amazing. He had this tiger from a cub and no one even knew it existed except his family. Simply incredible story!

 

[wiccankittylove]

Originally Posted by AmberThe Bobcat

And NO!!!!!!!!! You do not get a wild/exotic cat such as a serval (which is NOT mini by the way or "crazy looking") and let it run loose no matter how much land you live on. That is just dumb and EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just don't get a cat at all...period

I'm sorry but how could you yell at someone for an uninformed thought? t was just a thought, though a very naive one, but still a thought. This is nothing to say OP should get a cat, but a polite response of why she shouldn't etc. Would have been nice instead of yelling over a thought.

 

[amberthe bobcat]

Originally Posted by WiccanKittyLove

I'm sorry but how could you yell at someone for an uninformed thought? t was just a thought, though a very naive one, but still a thought. This is nothing to say OP should get a cat, but a polite response of why she shouldn't etc. Would have been nice instead of yelling over a thought.

Yell?? Who was yelling?? Bold letters just makes a point much quicker. Had you read the OP entire thread, I think you can see that yes, maybe this person does need a stern talking to or yes, yelled at. And how can I yell?? Because I have the knowledge to own the wild cats that I do, but have to fight to keep my rights to own such animals, because people such as the OP make stupid decisions like this-Get a wild cat and let it run free!! Had I been yelling, my entire text would have been in caps, not just the parts I want stressed.

Hissy no, I didn't see that on AP. I try not to watch them because of their bias against exotic animal owners. Hope that tiger went to a good home though, because that was no life for that cat. Just goes to show you, that BAN laws do NOT work. New York is a ban state and this guy still had a tiger. Make it legal to own such animals with good, fair regulations that support proper ownership.

 

[addiebee]

Originally Posted by RossE

So basically bobcat isn't a starter cat is what youre saying.

I do know that wild bobcats are all over my area.

Hmmmm..... you just said to me above that there ARE NO large wild predators in your area. And why would you applaud the destruction of desirable song birds? I mean if a cat is going to kill a bird, he is not going to discriminate between a mockingbird and an eastern bluebird.

I get the feelings from your post that you are not taking into consideration much of anything that anyone here is saying. Why rush out and get a cat? By your own admission you know NOTHING about them. School yourself, get your home set up, kitty-proof the place, get food, litter, litter pan, toys, etc. Just as if you were bringing home a baby or child. THEN go looking.

 

[sarahp]

RossE - if you truly want a cat as a pet, then go ahead and get one. If you are looking for one to control the bird population, then please heed what people have said. The mockingbirds are too high for the cat to get to, mockingbirds pester and injure cats, and there are other things you can try. There is no guarantee that any cat you get will even care about catching birds (if anything they will go for mice, and small, easy to catch rodents).

I think that everything that needs to be said has been said, so I will close the thread.