death from below Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 From a previous(now closed) post. I've never read in the general defra licences anywhere that states we can shoot feral cats in England as they are classed as vermin.......could someone enlighten me.(purely out of interest as even if I had seen one, which I haven't since I was a kid, I wouldn't pop it anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 Other mammals The following mammals can be controlled by legally approved methods all year round - see British Association for Shooting and Conservation for more information. * Fox * Rat * Mice (except dormice) * Rabbit * Grey squirrel * Mink * Weasel * Stoat * Feral cat http://www.naturenet.net/law/seasons.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 I can't find the relevant statute at present, but I will be able to on Monday. I've tried the usual pieces of legislation (Animals Act 1971, Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, Pest Act 1954 etc). Google brings up all the usual bleating from the Cat Protection League, but nothing concrete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmooney Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 You are all lucky you have them on a statue over there. This is a seriously hot topic on American BBs. They have no classification here so some shoot on sight and others won't in case it's little Suzy's pet kitty. Lots of owners let theirs roam free so it almost impossible to tell which are loose pets and which are true feral. I actually had a loose cat run across the road in front of me about a week ago. It was carrying a rabbit! Part of the issue we have is that it's estimated they kill about 4 million songbirds a year here (not to mention crapping in the flower beds). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 My wifes cat catches full grown rabbits and brings them home and he is a fairly prolific preditor(no game round our way so he doesn't pose a problem to the local land owner). You would be want to be very sure a cat was ferral before you shot it or you could be inviting a world of hurt. If the cat is taking rabbits so what saves on vermin control. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullbore Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 My wifes cat catches full grown rabbits and brings them home and he is a fairly prolific preditor(no game round our way so he doesn't pose a problem to the local land owner). You would be want to be very sure a cat was ferral before you shot it or you could be inviting a world of hurt. If the cat is taking rabbits so what saves on vermin control. Dave It will probably kill song birds too, and the thing I fail to grasp is why do cat owners think it is perfectly ok to let their cats roam free but throw fits of apoplexy when dog owners let a dog off leash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 I have no doubt it kills song birds. It even brings home fully grown pigeons. It is legal to let your cat roam free. I beleive in a public place it is a legal requiremnt to have a dog under control and for most (non shooting) people that means a lead. To be honest I almost never have my dogs on a lead but then I deliberately walk them where it is safe for the dogs, people and other dogs. i.e. in the fields at the back of the house or other similar areas. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 I am pretty sure in Australia, (not much help here I know), that in certain terrotries cats feral or not were put on curfew, and if seen out after dark were shot, it was to do with protecting local bird populations etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 The main problem with shooting feral cats, is to be able to prove they are "feral". We had a major problem with feral cats at a factory I owned, which was about 1 mile from the nearest house. We bought in a specialist company and they recommended that we posted notices in the local newspaper and in local shop windows to warn that on specific nights we would be trapping cats (which would then be euthanised). Any cats found with collars would be released. A large number of baited traps were set out over a couple of nights and 32 cats were caught and none had collars. The traps were checked at two hourly intervals to remove the cats and release the hedgehogs, that found the bait irresistible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiho Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 iv shot a feral cat it was in my uncles pheasant pens (luckily it hadn't yet killed out) so i shot it with his 12bore an now its dead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek.snr Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 best thing if you do shoot a feral,is to bury it straight away ,to stop the spread of any disease it may be carrying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 Won't bore you with the details but occasionally we shooters were asked to clear feral cats when they became a hygiene problem. One good way of telling which was and which wasn't was to look at the neck. Domestic cats don't have to kill to survive and because the ferals do, their necks became thick with muscle not at all like its domestic cousin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 Well I've just spent a rather wasted hour on the Welsh Assembly site, absolutley no info at all on feral cats, plenty of talk about feral cat control though on the web, most pest controlers seem to trap them check they're feral and take them to be put down by a vet a few just shoot or gas them once trapped, One cat site even said they are classed as vermin and have to be controlled by law, but this can include trapping nuetering & releasing or TNR as thet call it, but cannot find any offical site that say's it's ok to shoot feral cats. maybe if I'm board later on I'll have another look, unless Baldrick comes up with something in the meantime:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malinois Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 The problem is that cats do not come with the word FERAL printed on them. If you hot a cat that turned out not to be feral and the owner found out then you could legally be prosecuted for criminal damage. Part of proving criminl damage is that you are reckless as to whether such damage occurred. In the prosecution they would say "Are then any houses near where you shoot. Ho far from the place where you shoot is the house. Could you REASONABLY expect the cat to have been from one of those houses" If they can prove that you did not use that thought process and you were reckless. Then you are guilty of criminal damage. Having said that, they have to catch you and prove it was you that shot the cat. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windknot Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 In Germany any cat found more than 200 metres from the nearest dwelling may be legally shot. An idea to adopt, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 The main problem with shooting feral cats, is to be able to prove they are "feral". We had a major problem with feral cats at a factory I owned, which was about 1 mile from the nearest house. We bought in a specialist company and they recommended that we posted notices in the local newspaper and in local shop windows to warn that on specific nights we would be trapping cats (which would then be euthanised). Any cats found with collars would be released. A large number of baited traps were set out over a couple of nights and 32 cats were caught and none had collars. The traps were checked at two hourly intervals to remove the cats and release the hedgehogs, that found the bait irresistible. How did you get on with putting an advert in the paper? did you get any bad feedback? Seem's a professional way to do it but possible not without a backlash? Did you get any hassle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 In Germany any cat found more than 200 metres from the nearest dwelling may be legally shot. An idea to adopt, perhaps? Ideal..... In fact perfect......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 I must admit to hating cats with a passion-non of the farms where i shoot keep cats and any cats i encounter on remote sites get the same treatment.I think that its way past the time when all cats should wear a collar with a bell on it (ideally the size of big ben) to give songbirds a chance and cats should be kept indoors during peak breeding season.I have 3 nest boxes in my garden and every year next doors ******* cats sit and wait for the fledglings to leave before killing them.My neighbour says that its just nature-i say ******** cos cats are not native to this country.Last year a cat wiped out my robins chicks and started on the young bluetits before i saw it and sent it running-guess what?-little tiddles wont be doing it this year if i catch him-feral or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy111 Posted April 26, 2009 Report Share Posted April 26, 2009 Ideal..... In fact perfect......... Got that wrong....................Purrfect I have shot quite a few on the shoot I look after, no collars, but I know of another keeper who will shoot any cat seen, collars or not, if seen on their shoot land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Deal with cats the same way you'd deal with 'do as u likeys'...dig a deep pit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmooney Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Deal with cats the same way you'd deal with 'do as u likeys'...dig a deep pit! Over here we call it the "Three S's" "Shoot, shovel, and shut up" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 I like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 the only time you get an issue is if you don't do the job properly and it takes itself home. Then be prepared for all sorts of flack, unless you know its feral odds are its someones pet and they do get upset if they know someones taken pot shots at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Before anyone jumps down my throat, This was 25 years ago.A farmer asked me and my dad to clear his tractor barn of ferals as one had attacked him and mauled him badly. he paid me and my dad £5 per cat and supplied us with a silenced .22 pistol each, I was horrified when my dad shot the first one but soon got into the swing of it!!!! We got 35 in the end. Im not sure what the legalities where in those days. I shot one recently on a farm while lamping, Miles away from and towns, no collar and had a rabbit in its mouth....didnt like the hmr much!!! Very tatty thing torn ears, part missing tail and weighed as much as a fox and stunk to high heaven!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted April 27, 2009 Report Share Posted April 27, 2009 Windbknot, you got it in one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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