Advice for finding a hunting cat needed.

[rosse]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I don't think so. People have asked about mousers on here before, it's just that killing mice is more socially acceptable.

As for cats catching birds. It holds true for most birds. Cats don't hunt blue jays or mocking birds, unfortunately the birds are caught when they repeatedly dive at the cats. A cat that normally isn't good at catching birds can often get a mocking bird. (even I've caught one as a child because it kept diving at me)
Whether I like it or not, my backyard is mocking bird free.

The only birds ever back there now are a pair of doves (smart enough never to land on the ground), a pair of king birds when it was warmer (aggressive bird, but smart enough to leave cats alone), and a pair of cardinals who have been here for a few years.

Some cats will occasionally swipe a bird out of it's nest. It's not as common, though, because birds usually nest in smaller branches. They're more likely to catch young birds learning to fly that have landed on the ground. (Practically every year I have to shoo a cat away from some baby birds and encourage the bird to fly - this year it was some baby house wrens)



Still. You don't get a cat so it can kill things for you. You get a cat because you want to have a pet. Having a pet shouldn't be the afterthought "oh they look kind of cute, too".

If the OP eventually wants a cat, so be it. As long as they provide it with the best care possible, it's better than a cat dying in a shelter.

To the OP: You have a lot to learn about cats. Go to the library and pick up some books about behavior and care, talk to a vet (you'll need to provide vet care, be committed to spending a few hundred, at least, a year on it) about care and costs. Don't look stuff up online. You'll just see cute videos and pictures that will distract you.
After you've done proper research, then make up your mind. Getting any sort of pet is a commitment. If you get a cat that can hunt and helps your problem, good for you. But don't count on it. Only get a cat if you can live with it simply being your cat.
They make great companions - less demanding than a dog (no need to walk a cat). They'll often give you some personal space.

Who knows? Maybe if the OP spends time properly researching and if they do get a cat, maybe they'll become another unintentional cat lover and rescue a couple more.

Thanks for the info, money isn't really an issue. I can afford a few hundred bucks to keep a healthy animal and keep it fed properly. I do like the idea of less demanding then a dog yet will still play when they are around.

 

[rosse]

Originally Posted by JustJayde

This is a bad and somewhat CRUEL plan for all animals involved.

A cat will not change the bird situation but the birds WILL pick on the cat - especially if they are nesting. If you have ever had a bird or multiple birds attack you - you would realize it hurts like hell and not subject an innocent cat to this just because the birds are annoying you!

If you want a cat just to have a cat, keep it away from the birds and treat it well and enjoy it's company but getting one just to try and kill off these birds is NOT cool.

ALL animals have something they dislike, that they find makes a habitat unlivable. Find out what mockingbirds DISLIKE and then put those objects/plants/foods/etc in your yard. You can not physically harm the birds legally but you CAN make YOUR yard a "not so welcome" place for them.

Unfortuntly, even the act of making things "not so welcome" is a crime!! The rules are very strict for protected species in Florida, even though they have been out of control population wise the last 10 years. These birds became protected a long time ago.

 

[rosse]

Originally Posted by AbbysMom

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...2061437AAJt4vv

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...-from-foe.html

It seems like the birds will harm the cat.

Thanks for the links, the second article was pretty interesting.

Still, I've talked to a friend today who I've known to have cats his entire life, and he said he had a "Mankz" that delivered a bird a week. He lives in a nice wooded neighborhood directly across the street from a wildlife reserve.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by RossE

Thanks for the info, money isn't really an issue. I can afford a few hundred bucks to keep a healthy animal and keep it fed properly. I do like the idea of less demanding then a dog yet will still play when they are around.

Then research

With good care you'll have a cat for a long time. Like any sort of relationship (

) you don't jump into it. If from research you decide that you actually would enjoy having a cat, so be it. If you go through a decent shelter, they'll have pretty thorough paper work for you. Going through a "pound" (high kill rate city shelter for animal control) might mean less paperwork, but more cost towards getting a cat healthy.

It's far better to encourage a person to educate themselves than call them names.

 

[rosse]

Thanks for the info everyone, I'm headed to look right now. Here are the cats they have available. Most of them are young, I was hoping to get an adult.

Cats in my area

There are a few at the bottom that are older like "Stanley" but was hoping to find a female as the male usually arn't known for stalking as much.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by RossE

Thanks for the info everyone, I'm headed to look right now. Here are the cats they have available. Most of them are young, I was hoping to get an adult.

Slow down a bit, don't get ahead of yourself.

You need to know/have a vet ready. Research food a bit. Any cat you get will have to be a house cat (only) for a few weeks - you can't just bring a cat home and let them straight outside, they'd run away. Since it will be a house cat you have to be prepared with a litter box and litter, etc.

Again, research and talk to a vet first. Ask about the risks associated with indoor outdoor cats, vaccinations for your area, microchipping, etc.

 

[ruthyb]

To be honest it seems like you haven't taken any of our advice on board, why bother posting here if you choose to ignore what we are telling you?

 

[cosabella]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Then research

With good care you'll have a cat for a long time. Like any sort of relationship (

) you don't jump into it. If from research you decide that you actually would enjoy having a cat, so be it. If you go through a decent shelter, they'll have pretty thorough paper work for you. Going through a "pound" (high kill rate city shelter for animal control) might mean less paperwork, but more cost towards getting a cat healthy.

It's far better to encourage a person to educate themselves than call them names.

Unless it's all just a ruse. Someone who starts a thread by saying he's only getting a cat to kill birds isn't going to change his strategy.

Moreover, what kind of life is this cat going to have once he realizes it can't perform the intended purpose? OP doesn't even want the cat living indoors. He hinted at starving the poor thing to "encourage" it to hunt.

I feel sorry for the poor hapless cat that becomes OP's hired "assassin." Life at the shelter is hard, but in this situation, it's like jumping out of a frying pan and into the fire.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by Cosabella

Unless it's all just a ruse. Someone who starts a thread by saying he's only getting a cat to kill birds isn't going to change his strategy.

Moreover, what kind of life is this cat going to have once he realizes it can't perform the intended purpose? OP doesn't even want the cat living indoors. He hinted at starving the poor thing to "encourage" it to hunt.

I feel sorry for the poor hapless cat that becomes OP's hired "assassin." Life at the shelter is hard, but in this situation, it's like jumping out of a frying pan and into the fire.

A lot of people come on here with misconceptions - such as cats peeing on stuff because they're mad, cats acting out because their mad/revengeful, and various other behaviors that indicate health problems. Luckily a lot of them can eventually be convinced to take their cat to the vet.
Several people have come on here and been talked out of declawing. Others have been encouraged not to wait on providing immediate vet care.

There has even been one person that thought they only needed to feed their cat every other to every few days that had their mind changed.

If you give up and just deem it not worth the trouble to encourage a person to educate themselves you're part of the problem and not part of the solution.

(Another thing, that many may not realize, men and women have different communication styles. I'm accounting for that a lot here.)

 

[ruthyb]

Originally Posted by Cosabella

Unless it's all just a ruse. Someone who starts a thread by saying he's only getting a cat to kill birds isn't going to change his strategy.

Moreover, what kind of life is this cat going to have once he realizes it can't perform the intended purpose? OP doesn't even want the cat living indoors. He hinted at starving the poor thing to "encourage" it to hunt.

I feel sorry for the poor hapless cat that becomes OP's hired "assassin." Life at the shelter is hard, but in this situation, it's like jumping out of a frying pan and into the fire.

People like this really annoy me! x

 

[icklemiss21]

I care for feral cats, I feed them but they are true ferals who have never had a home. They will pounce on a bird if it happens to be on the grass but they do not actively hunt birds, squirrels and rabbits in the field seem to be fair game though. I don't like it, but its nature - however, as good a hunter they are, they don't try to catch birds and especially not aggressive birds and the birds that are around there enjoy dive bombing them, the geese from the lake even gang up on them and chase them around and the cats are much quicker than the geese.

I agree that there must be other ways to help with the problem, but honestly, you could have much bigger problems than some noisy birds (I know they can be annoying, I am forever chasing away a pair of pigeons who sits outside my window teasing my cats who all throw themselves at the window but are not allowed outside to try and get them - and they are noisy enough but I would never think of allowing my cat to kill them)

If you are going to have an outdoor cat, help a feral / barn cat that would be homeless anyway but I honestly think you will find you are dealing with a vet bill when the mockingbirds attack the cat in groups.

 

[amberthe bobcat]

If this is the ONLY reason why you want to get a cat, please DO NOT get one. You would not make a responsible loving owner.

 

[rosse]

Originally Posted by Cosabella

Unless it's all just a ruse. Someone who starts a thread by saying he's only getting a cat to kill birds isn't going to change his strategy.

Moreover, what kind of life is this cat going to have once he realizes it can't perform the intended purpose? OP doesn't even want the cat living indoors. He hinted at starving the poor thing to "encourage" it to hunt.

I feel sorry for the poor hapless cat that becomes OP's hired "assassin." Life at the shelter is hard, but in this situation, it's like jumping out of a frying pan and into the fire.

Nowhere did I say the cat wouldn't be allowed inside, in fact I said the exact opposite. And I never said anything about starving the cat to force it to hunt.

You should consider re-reading everything.

 

[ruthyb]

Originally Posted by RossE

Nowhere did I say the cat wouldn't be allowed inside, in fact I said the exact opposite. And I never said anything about starving the cat to force it to hunt.

You should consider re-reading everything.

And yes I have re-read everything, its people like you that contribute to the unwanted cats, if you get a cat, you basically want a menace cat who may go around terrorizing other peoples cats and causing mayhem. Then when the cat gets too difficult to care for because it is a menace it will be dumped! Sorry if I sound harsh but no shelter in their riht mind would give you a cat if you just want to make it hard and menacing. The lady who previously owned my cat Harvey tried to do this with him and the poor cat has terrible issues now and its very hard. You have come here to a site that is full of cat lovers who try our damndest to protect our cats and you wonder why you are getting harsh answers!

 

[nekochan]

Originally Posted by RossE

I'm also thinking about a serval, which is a crazy looking mini wild cat. I live on 3 acres so neighbours/leash laws arn't an issue. Where I live no one will say anything, it's mostly older people. I just wonder about someone mistaking it for a real wildcat or trying to steal it, so I would want to keep it inside.

That is a VERY bad idea, and it's also probably illegal to release a wild non-native wildcat to the outdoors.

 

[addiebee]

I am not going to beat the issue here, but honestly Ross, you cannot know for sure if any cat you get will kill the mockingbirds. I agree... go to a birder site like whatbird.com and ask what can be done if anything.

I also agree that you would be subjecting the cat to a mockingbird onslaught. If they are determined and aggressive enough to drive away a hawk, what would they do to a cat? The jays and other birds here used to dive bomb and pick on my BF's cat. He would find the kitty hiding in the bushes. And he was a decent "mouser."

And then, if the cat IS a bird killer, it is not going to discriminate, and is likely... as others have said... to pounce on and kill desirable song birds. He or she may not stay in your yard. Some people don't take kindly to cats straying onto their property.

Bengals are a breed of cat; calicos are a type of marking, not a breed. Manx is also a breed but not exclusively a hunter more do than any other breed of cat. If you want a purebred, you are talking hundreds of dollars at a minimum for a pet quality animal.. and then, why let it be outside.

I would also be concerned about predators larger and meaner than your cat getting and killing IT if he/she is outside all of the time - such as coyotes and BIG cats (I know FLA has them.) Coyotes are very proficient cat hunters and like to EAT them. For that reason .... my kitties are indoor only.

I would encourage you to take your time and get a cat only when you've decided that you want one for a companion, not an exterminator. Then let the cat choose YOU! If you have the frame of mind that this will be a pet... I think you will find cats are quite a lot of fun, smart, determined, loving and goofy! BTW - I have seven of them... all of which were rescued from a high kill shelter on their death dates. And they are all DIFFERENT in personality.

ETA: I would also listen to what Hissy, LDG and others tell you; they are EXTREMELY knowledgeable about cats, ferals and the interaction of them in the environment. As well as health, welfare, et.c

 

[rosse]

Originally Posted by Nekochan

That is a VERY bad idea, and it's also probably illegal to release a wild non-native wildcat to the outdoors.

Agreed. I could also see the threat of someone trying to steal such a cat if the opportunity arose.

 

[rosse]

Originally Posted by AddieBee

I am not going to beat the issue here, but honestly Ross, you cannot know for sure if any cat you get will kill the mockingbirds. I agree... go to a birder site like whatbird.com and ask what can be done if anything.

I also agree that you would be subjecting the cat to a mockingbird onslaught. If they are determined and aggressive enough to drive away a hawk, what would they do to a cat? The jays and other birds here used to dive bomb and pick on my BF's cat. He would find the kitty hiding in the bushes. And he was a decent "mouser."

And then, if the cat IS a bird killer, it is not going to discriminate, and is likely... as others have said... to pounce on and kill desirable song birds. He or she may not stay in your yard. Some people don't take kindly to cats straying onto their property.

Bengals are a breed of cat; calicos are a type of marking, not a breed. Manx is also a breed but not exclusively a hunter more do than any other breed of cat. If you want a purebred, you are talking hundreds of dollars at a minimum for a pet quality animal.. and then, why let it be outside.

I would also be concerned about predators larger and meaner than your cat getting and killing IT if he/she is outside all of the time - such as coyotes and BIG cats (I know FLA has them.) Coyotes are very proficient cat hunters and like to EAT them. For that reason .... my kitties are indoor only.

I would encourage you to take your time and get a cat only when you've decided that you want one for a companion, not an exterminator. Then let the cat choose YOU! If you have the frame of mind that this will be a pet... I think you will find cats are quite a lot of fun, smart, determined, loving and goofy! BTW - I have seven of them... all of which were rescued from a high kill shelter on their death dates. And they are all DIFFERENT in personality.

ETA: I would also listen to what Hissy, LDG and others tell you; they are EXTREMELY knowledgeable about cats, ferals and the interaction of them in the environment. As well as health, welfare, et.c

I prob not going to pay for a breed, unless it's an exotic, which I'm also leaning against. As far as I know, no other predators are in the area. If thee were, racoon etc, I think they might actually help the song bird problem. Like I said, three acres of yard with plenty of trees, I don't know if a cat would want to wonder too far away.

 

[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

 

[rosse]

Just got back from a place that specializes in cats. They had a ton and if i wanted to adopt one this is probably where I would go. It's a little more money, but they are all ready to go. I saw a large cat that looked like a tiger, and the woman told me that she liked to be on top of things literally. It was only 2 years old. hey don't know exactly what it is but I'm guessing it has to be a mix between a domestic cat and some other larger cat. I didn't really get to close as they were getting ready to close but I told them I will probably come back tomorrow and get the cat. It looked like it was in great shape.