Someone shot my cat

[flying belgian]

My granddad had a farm and I would go out there and target practice, being an urban boy. I had my shotgun loaded and lying on my bed at home ready to go but had to go somewhere first, leaving the house.

When I got home the dog had been shot in the rear leg (next door neighbor friend playing with the gun) and the floor had a shot pattern of fresh pellets and detents into the wood. Got her to the vet and fixed up. That dog did just fine on 3 legs and one saturday I went to a dog show/competition of some sort...forget.....and I got a base ball bat award for having the only 3 legged dog in the show.

Around here barn cats come and go. I am glad to see them and I don't bother them even though they sleep on my tractor seats and hoods and leave muddy paw imprints. Between that and Tom Kat mouse/rat killer I am pretty much rodent free with no wiring harnesses chewed up in my equipment.

I don't mind the muddy paw prints but I do mind when they sharpen their claws on my vinyl tractor seats leaving holes.

 

[olgentdc]

Exactly. Keep your animals at home, or they’re no longer your animals. To pretend your cat is the only one out of millions that doesn’t hunt rabbits or chickens is BS and everyone knows it. I have to deal with roaming cats non stop and have for decades, it pizzes me off people think its no big deal if their cat roams all over other peoples property, killing whatever they can catch. Take some responsibility for your pets.

MjMj, I am glad You Live far AWAY FROM ME

 

[olgentdc]

I am in no way in favor of wounding animals but I'm GUESSING she may have wandered somewhere she was not appreciated, and it probably wasn't the first time.

You say she will be an "indoor cat" now, perhaps she should have been before?

Unless she was shot ON your property, some one may have been dealing with a "nuisance" on THEIR property.

There's no reason a "neighbor" should have to put up with the filth and STENCH left behind by someone else's cats.

Woreout, I am Glad You Live Far from Me too . Matter Of Fact I am glad I dont have close neighbors ,,.. But I still can hear the yuppis shooting their guns after dark.

 

[olgentdc]

Our county is overrun with ferrel cats. The local humane society will not take them. Shooting the wild ones is the only way to control the population.Unfortunately,there is no way to diffentiate between wild and tame.I hate to shoot cats too. But sometimes that is the only recource.

Our County built Animal control When I was a Commissioner in 2005 ,, There were 35000people here, Most Were farm raised with a farm mentality, ,, and No Spay and neuter programs ,, Our Trustees were always paying out for wild dogs taking down calves ... I was Blessed with 2 fellow Commissioners that wanted to straighten things Up and a willing Council that funded these needs ,,. For 3 yrs straight we spent 60 ,000 per Yr. for spay and neuter dogs and cats ,,. In My 4th Yr. we finally opened a Animal shelter ,,. That held animals some 21 days for redemption or adoption before they were put down .. It IS A TUF Job !,.. My last yr. as Commissioner was in 2022, Spay and Neuter was running around 30,000dollars per yr. And We still had to kill quite a few animals

 

[olgentdc]

zuhnc
I would never shoot a cat. 2 cats allow me to sit in my chair sometimes.
I installed 2 cat doors. One door allows the cats to get into the garage and the other door allows the cats to go outside.
There are times my neighbors cats come over and terrorize my cats. Our male cat sits in the garage late at night looking out the cat door. HE must think he is protecting his territory. I'm lucky the neighbor's cat doesn't know how to use a cat door.
What does a person do when a neighbor's at becomes a problem?
Cats are Cats.
Again I wouldn't shoot anyone's cat. Sad someone shot your cat.

I dont think i ever shot a cat or ever saw reason to ,,. Sadly I have killed several on accident , One followed a snake thru the haybine ,,My wheels got a few accidently too ,,... My front porch has about 8-10 out there living under the porch , My Sara gives them a quarter scoop of feed per day,.. I will find them patroling the hayloft and the pastures and corn fields looking for mice , vols and even snakes ,With Cats like that , There are few mice , and it has been yrs since i saw a rat ,,. Furthermore I NOw keep all feed in Barrels or in the grinder . These Cats are ferral by nature but will allow My Sara to LOVE on them. And sometimes the hunters bring Her gifts ,,, LOL ,, Which She quickly asks me to dispose of the carcass from Her porch.

 

[zuhnc]

I think most of us replying to this thread at least tolerate cats, and are willing to use a non-lethal means of "asking" the cats to leave their property.

A few would go out of their way to run over a cat in the road, simply because of their intense dislike for cats.

I have neighbors' dogs on my property sometimes, and sometimes in the same field as the horses. I chase them off the property toward where I KNOW they live. As I stated, ALL my neighbors know we have outdoor barn cats, but one in particular seems to not like cats, but I would not go so far as to say that neighbor shot the cat; I just don't know.

Some of you feel that I would be well within my rights to shoot any of my neighbors' dogs when they appear; I wouldn't do that because I know where they live and would just shoo them back home.

I have no mice or rats, and a lot fewer moles and voles with the cats around. We do know that if a cat roams around and a coyote or fox or wolf gets one, it is one of the hazards, and if a cat hasn't been around for a couple of weeks, probably what happened. But getting shot? That is just deliberate harm.

The cat is recovering nicely, and is learning to walk on three. Another week in confinement and then the stitches and staples out. Then getting her and the other indoor animals to play nicely!

I am going to consider this thread at an end, at least for me, so will probably not post but once more in a couple of weeks with the final progress report.

Again, thanks all for the support. zuhnc

 

[Caryc]

"Some of you feel that I would be well within my rights to shoot any of my neighbors' dogs when they appear; I wouldn't do that because I know where they live and would just shoo them back home."

Who ever gave him that advice is dead wrong. Just because a neighborhood dog appears on your property that gives you absolutely no right to shoot it. Do that and you can be in a world of hurt. I know you, the OP, said you would not do that. I just don't want anyone else to listen to the stupid advice.

 

[Rich'sToys]

There was a time many years ago where if a dog was on your property chasing your cattle or sheep, you DID have a right to shoot it. It was up to the owners to keep them home.

Of course, that was a long time ago, before dogs were people too.

 

[Caryc]

There was a time many years ago where if a dog was on your property chasing your cattle or sheep, you DID have a right to shoot it. It was up to the owners to keep them home.

Of course, that was a long time ago, before dogs were people too.

Well, there are plenty of leash laws here in the U.S. You're supposed to keep control of your dog. But that still doesn't mean that if a dog gets loose and runs on your property that you have the right to kill it.

Attacking cattle or sheep, now that's a different story.

 

[DoubleO7]

Attacking cattle or sheep, now that's a different story.

Does simply chasing or constant harassing such livestock fall into that category??

 

[ss55]

Does simply chasing or constant harassing such livestock fall into that category??

Proportional to the problem: chasing livestock - chase them away; killing livestock - it is possible they can be killed, depending on local laws of course. I think the OP said he lives in a residential area.

 

[used red MN]

A lot of “to do” just about a cat. One should learn never to chime in on a post about critters, there are a lot of folks that live by the “cats/dogs are people to”

 

[GChief]

cats/dogs are people to

QFT

 

[da.bees]

A lot of “to do” just about a cat. One should learn never to chime in on a post about critters, there are a lot of folks that live by the “cats/dogs are people to”

Only the breed I happen to own.

 

[wore out]

A lot of “to do” just about a cat. One should learn never to chime in on a post about critters, there are a lot of folks that live by the “cats/dogs are people to”

I remember a time when this site was "country" and "SSS" was the advice usually given when someone mentioned "free range" dogs and cats intruding on the property of others.

It's not so"country" here anymore!

 

[old]

I remember a time when this site was "country" and "SSS" was the advice usually given when someone mentioned "free range" dogs and cats intruding on the property of others.

It's not so"country" here anymore!

Yes now days to many dime store cow boys that think they know how country life is

 

[Caryc]

A lot of “to do” just about a cat. One should learn never to chime in on a post about critters, there are a lot of folks that live by the “cats/dogs are people to”

Until they start attacking pets or livestock on someone else's property. When they are roaming around on someone else's property they are just stray animals.

 

[NY 986]

A lot of “to do” just about a cat. One should learn never to chime in on a post about critters, there are a lot of folks that live by the “cats/dogs are people to”

How we treat animals such as cats and dogs says a lot about how we are as people. Pretty hard to imagine a situation where a cat needs to be shot. Birds very seldom allow cats or people close enough to harm them. A bird probably has more to fear from a sizeable snake versus a house cat.

 

[DeltaRed]

How we treat animals such as cats and dogs says a lot about how we are as people. Pretty hard to imagine a situation where a cat needs to be shot. Birds very seldom allow cats or people close enough to harm them. A bird probably has more to fear from a sizeable snake versus a house cat.

You've never seen my cat. I have seen her(several times) catch a bird in the air. As high as 6 ft.She is a small cat to boot.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I remember a time when this site was "country" and "SSS" was the advice usually given when someone mentioned "free range" dogs and cats intruding on the property of others.

It's not so"country" here anymore!

A lot of people think coyotes, possoms, squirrels, wood chucks, skunks, racoons, moles, chipmunks, mice, prarrie dogs, gophers and rats are just varmints and have no qualms about killing them.
They also hunt pheasants, ducks, geese, bear, deer, elk and moose.
There are also still at lot of people who trap muskrats, mink, beavers, fox, otters and other critters.
And people don't give any of that a second thought.
But if it's a cat...