Coyote Food - You Are Responsible

[Jim Dixon]

JD, while I agree with your thoughts on responsible cat ownership, delivering it in a rather caustic manner is not conducive to initiating a thoughtful discussion.

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Everyone has their own bar when it comes to what is and isn't anything, including, "caustic". Myself, I'm not one to feel sorry for a criminal because as a child s/he was frightened by scary movie, spanked for peeing on the cat, or whatever. I am to the point. I have no room for plitical correctness, hugging a crook, junkie, or under-worked, overpaid public servants (they named themselves "officials"). Nor do I believe that everything has to be positive and to ignore what anyone designates as being negative. On the other side, I believe it is OK to be angry at anything, look at and examine the non-positives because if we don't, sooner or later, we fall victim to them.

My limited freedoms of speech aside, I think your reply is excellent, to the point, positive and politically correct. Nice job - really!

[Jim Dixon]

What exactly is "page theft"?

I believe "page theft" was used to describe the contents of the original post. The page-theft commenter had missed the bottom of the post that gave all the references to the data used in the original post. Once that was realized, the "page theft" post then changed. Original post is a big post - easy for folk to start reading and end up perusing.

j

[Puffie40]

In the original post, are you implying that cats are the main source of the coyote problem? The problem is more complex than that. Putting our cats under martial law, while eliminating other problems (New Zealand proposed outlawing cat ownership to protect their biodiversity - particuarlly birds) would not be the cure-all that solves the problem.

Coyotes eat a whole lotta other things - rodents and deer being the natural sources, but they are not above scavenging as well - roadkill and garbage (rotting meat, offal etc.) will always attract them.

On our farm, we have four cats - all of them spayed strays. We let them out and roam (if they ask) during the day, and make sure they are in at dusk. If we spot a coyote in the fields, we call the cats in (they know they are around as well and usually come in pretty quickly). That has worked out very well, as we have yet to lose one. They never stray more than 150 meters from the house.

Does that make me an unloving, uncaring owner? I beg to disagree. It takes a lot of work and vigilance to be a pet owner, but being on a farm is different that living in a dual area.

[my5cents]

So is it possible to turn a outdoor/indoor cat to a full-time indoor cat? Just curious if anyone has done that?

I've had dozens of cats. All outdoor cats, cat doors etc. Lots have disappeared, never lived on a busy street, I'm sure they became a lunch or dinner for a coyote.

Then after a period of not having a cat, a cat started coming around, begging for food. He was large and was the "boss cat" of the area. Seemed that everyone in the neighborhood "knew" him. We bought some cat food and gave him can when he came around (after weeks of not doing so and him coming around). He'd come in, he'd eat and he'd leave. Never stayed inside, was frantic to leave.

Winter came, he'd come to the door with snow frozen to his tummy (long haired tabby). He'd come in eat and thaw and leave, don't know where he slept.

Winter got real cold he came in and stayed, never upstairs, ate and went to the basement.

Realized he didn't have a home, since in this cold winter he was coming to our place and staying over night.

We sold the house and moved, the move was over several weeks as we took possession of the new one, weeks before we gave up possession of the place we sold. Cat hadn't been around when we moved.

Went back to check on things at the old place, and me personally hoping the cat would come by. He was there.

Put him in the car and took him to the new place. But we decided that he was going to be a house cat. Took a few months, but he got used to the house.

Got him a brother (kitten). The brother has never been outside.

Guess who now sleeps on the bed at night, on our lap watching TV, chases his little brother around the house ?

Wouldn't have it any other way.

To Jim Dixon : Some may not like the way you put forth your message, but it's the right message, thanks on behalf of cats.

[Jim Dixon]

In the original post, are you implying that cats are the main source of the coyote problem?

Of course not! The entire contents refer to information provided by experts, not couch-pros.

The problem is more complex than that. Putting our cats under martial law, while eliminating other problems (New Zealand proposed outlawing cat ownership to protect their biodiversity - particuarlly birds) would not be the cure-all that solves the problem.

Well, this is Canada, not New Zealand. Your point is about New Zealand cat laws?

Coyotes eat a whole lotta other things - rodents and deer being the natural sources, but they are not above scavenging as well - roadkill and garbage (rotting meat, offal etc.) will always attract them.

Thank you for that information.

On our farm, we have four cats - .............

Does that make me an unloving, uncaring owner?........

Even tho you're eluding you care and love your cats - yes.

It's not the cats fault if they get in to some poison, eat a poisonous plant, go flying with a Owl, or Eagle, or be lunch for ground animals, or decoration on cars, etcetera Responsibility falls directly on the owner.

The original post has all the info from experts, not bubba-gates-kittysales.com. If professional breeders, veterinarians, animal shelters and service providers to owners of cats, that they do not belong out doors. Sure, a lot of pe[s]t owners are going to fall in to denial and not even bother with the professionals suggestions. They are the one's that should not cry "coyote" -but do.

I wonder what dance municipal candidates will do this year of asked their stand on a 'responsible pet owners bylaw'

I'm all for less government - none at all if it would work, but as everyone knows, there are some people that need to be reminded, that they are responsible for their pets and need to take good care of them.
Dog lovers would never,m even if allowed to, let their dogs run any where, anytime.

The problem here in moving forward with a responsible pet owner bylaw is being held back by the fact that people don't have any cats - cats have people :)

j

Nothing personal - it's just one opinion.