This is a VERY sensitive subject. I know most of the people on here will not agree with this, which is why I'm here to try last-ditch efforts.
My parents live in a rural mountain town. They have a small (3 cat) semi-feral colony that they have TNR'd and feed regularly. They also have 3 house cats that are indoor-outdoor (though mostly indoor at this point). About two years ago, they had a cat show up at their house that was obviously well-fed and cared for. They did not feed him, gave him some pats, and off he went. They assumed he was just a wanderer and that was that. Well, he showed back up, and this time, was not so nice. He attacked two of the semi-ferals, hurting one to the point where my parents had to medicate his food for a bit due to an injury inflicted by the other cat.
They located the cat's owners, who lived down the road from them, and informed them that the cat was attacking their cats and what were they going to do about it? Owner told them that he is an indoor/outdoor cat and to "tell him to 'shoo'." Shooing the cat did not, and does not, work. He has been back at least 3 more time, each time inciting fights with my parent's cats.
My parent's neighbors have had similar issues with the same cat, including having to take one of their cats to the vet after an attack and receiving a hefty $700 vet bill. The cat was turned into the local shelter at one point, but was chipped and returned to the owner.
My parents are at their wit's end. They have tried shooing the cat. They've trued loud noises. They have even tried BB guns and pellets guns. No dice, the cats always comes back to their property and fights their cats. They don't leave food out for the semis anymore, they feed them at set times and pick up the bowls immediately, so the cat isn't coming for food. He is simply coming to be mean.
My stepdad loves cats, but he is done. He said the next time he sees the cat, the cat has "got to go." So here I am, asking if there is anything else, anything AT ALL, they can try. They talked about sending him back to the shelter, but since he is chipped, he will always be retuned. The owners seem to just not care- the obvious fix would be to keep the cat indoors, but they obviously are not willing to do that.
I know this is a long and emotional post, but at this point, what choice do my parents have? They can't jeopardize the health and well-being of their own cats simply because of neglectful owners.
My parents live in a rural mountain town. They have a small (3 cat) semi-feral colony that they have TNR'd and feed regularly. They also have 3 house cats that are indoor-outdoor (though mostly indoor at this point). About two years ago, they had a cat show up at their house that was obviously well-fed and cared for. They did not feed him, gave him some pats, and off he went. They assumed he was just a wanderer and that was that. Well, he showed back up, and this time, was not so nice. He attacked two of the semi-ferals, hurting one to the point where my parents had to medicate his food for a bit due to an injury inflicted by the other cat.
They located the cat's owners, who lived down the road from them, and informed them that the cat was attacking their cats and what were they going to do about it? Owner told them that he is an indoor/outdoor cat and to "tell him to 'shoo'." Shooing the cat did not, and does not, work. He has been back at least 3 more time, each time inciting fights with my parent's cats.
My parent's neighbors have had similar issues with the same cat, including having to take one of their cats to the vet after an attack and receiving a hefty $700 vet bill. The cat was turned into the local shelter at one point, but was chipped and returned to the owner.
My parents are at their wit's end. They have tried shooing the cat. They've trued loud noises. They have even tried BB guns and pellets guns. No dice, the cats always comes back to their property and fights their cats. They don't leave food out for the semis anymore, they feed them at set times and pick up the bowls immediately, so the cat isn't coming for food. He is simply coming to be mean.
My stepdad loves cats, but he is done. He said the next time he sees the cat, the cat has "got to go." So here I am, asking if there is anything else, anything AT ALL, they can try. They talked about sending him back to the shelter, but since he is chipped, he will always be retuned. The owners seem to just not care- the obvious fix would be to keep the cat indoors, but they obviously are not willing to do that.
I know this is a long and emotional post, but at this point, what choice do my parents have? They can't jeopardize the health and well-being of their own cats simply because of neglectful owners.
