[Closed] Hypothetical Cat Question...

No, but I wouldn't grass you up :O)

First, take your Sudocrem....

No

Only if owners of these cats are then allowed to turn said rifle on yourself.......

get a Supersoaker.

What offense would that hypothetical man be committing if he shot a cat on his own land to prevent it killing rare and protected birds?

Are cats protected by law?

"Hypothetical Cat" sounds like some sort of nerdy superhero character.

peterfile - Member

"Hypothetical Cat" sounds like some sort of nerdy superhero character.

Haha, he could potentially dress like a 1950s jazz funk gangster... In theory! And carry an air rifle 🙂

get a dog.

It's not the cat's fault it's been let outside and someone has set up a bird buffet in their garden.

Don't do hypothetical.
What's the real situation?
Why punish a cat for doing what comes naturally?

I think it would be Criminal Damage, same as if a farmer shoots a dog without reason.

Get some of those ultrasound cat/dog scarers?

Cats are classed legally as free spirits , hence the owners cannot be pursued if they cause a road traffic accident where as dog owners can , thus by this reasoning their owners are not irresponsible.

Where as if the hypothetical person in question were to use a rifle against a cat he would legally be classed as a Bellend

I think that about covers the legal side of things 😉

You could always try pressing charges against the cat. Oh, wait...

Pet cats are not part of natural ecosystems.

Only if owners of these cats are then allowed to turn said rifle on yourself.......

Butt first, rammed right up there, grit in the vaseline.

Shibboleth - Member

What offense would that hypothetical man be committing if he shot a cat on his own land to prevent it killing rare and protected birds?

Are cats protected by law?

Tell you what, try ring up up the RSPCA and asking them the same question, remember to record and post the reply here 😉

Don't do hypothetical.
What's the real situation?

Just use your imagination... Maybe start by removing the word "hypothetical"... 😉

Why punish a cat for doing what comes naturally?

If the cat was doing what came naturally, it would be chasing mice in North Africa, not killing goldcrests in my wood!

You are luring protected birds into what is effectively a "kill zone" where you know there are likely to be lots of predators (cats)

I'm going to report you to the RSPB

[/devilsadvocate]

So, you like rare birds and need a place to store your bear trap collection also, eh?
[img] [/img]

It's your garden, do what you want..... 😉

DrP

Just use your imagination... Maybe start by removing the word "hypothetical"...

Where as if the [s]hypothetical[/s] person in question were to use a rifle against a cat he would legally be classed as a Bellend

If the cat was doing what came naturally, it would be chasing mice in North Africa, not killing goldcrests in my wood!

and where would the birds be if you hadn't enticed them in?

I'm not enticing them, I'm simply replacing an environment that has been systematically stripped from the country by past generations...

Why shouldn't somebody provide food and habitat for rare native birds?

[i]and where would the birds be if you hadn't enticed them in? [/i]

I've got visions of the OP stood round other bits of countryside offering free millet to thrushes. "Go on, give it a go you know you want to, no charge for the first bit."

And then when he has them hooked he forces them to live in his wood and be at the mercy of the local cats.

Cats are okay. 1 per town I reckon. The rest should be culled.

I'm not enticing them, I'm simply [u]enticing them into my preprepared killing field by[/u] replacing an environment that has been systematically stripped from the country by past generations...

So any local news of cats being shot in longridge, and we tell plod to begin enquiries with local graphic designers and point them to this thread, hypothetically of course

Domestic cats are protected by law, but how would you distinguish between a domestic cat and a wild one?

The native British wildcat has been extinct for over 150 years... Even I'd struggle to make that argument stick with the local magistrate!

The cat's just helping you keep a healthy stock of birds.
The weak frail and old ones don't go to some retirement home for elderly and infirm Goldcrests. The cat's just helping them on a journey.

Supersoaker with chilli oil/water in it. Cats like to lick themselves and have good memories by all accounts. All good till you get a cat that likes a night on the tiles followed by a curry.
Humane solution IMHO.

Lion dung.

a man spent a lot of time, effort and money turning his garden into the ideal habitat to encourage rare songbirds

I'm not enticing them,

ummmmm

Shibboleth in action: http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/9917562.Owners_horror_after_pregnant_cat_shot_twice_with_air_rifle/

Anyone with information should call Merton police on contact police on 101 or Merton CID on 020 8649 3118

I guess that would be illegal then.

Supersoaker for christs sake you nutter

Probably fair to say, not Shibboleth in action #disclaimer

Things you can legally do:

Ultrasonic Cat Repellent.
Squirt of water.
Better fences.

This is also worth a read:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/unwantedvisitors/cats/birddeclines.aspx

RSPB says that there is no evidence that cats are responsible for bird decline, since it is generally populations that don't come into contact with cats that are in decline, whereas regular garden bird species are actually increasing.

Therefore if you are really interested in conservation, as opposed to just having a preference for one fluffy animal over another, its probably worth not turning off all the local cat owners by abusing their moggies, as they're very unlikely to be supportive once you've done that.

Wee all over your garden. As you have a wood, you may need to ask for assistance, why not arrange a Pee Party with your friends. You supply copious amounts of beer, they supply the pee.

If you want to get angry about bird declines then look at what we [b]humans [/b]have done to the natural habitat of the UK. Your support is great but shooting an animal is not and illegal. You'd think if anyone would be anti-cat it would the RSPB but they aren't:

Despite the large numbers of birds killed, there is no scientific evidence that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations UK-wide. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease, or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds.

It is likely that most of the birds killed by cats would have died anyway from other causes before the next breeding season

We also know that of the millions of baby birds hatched each year, most will die before they reach breeding age. This is also quite natural, and each pair needs only to rear two young that survive to breeding age to replace themselves and maintain the population.

It is likely that most of the birds killed by cats would have died anyway from other causes before the next breeding season, so cats are unlikely to have a major impact on populations.

Are Goldcrests considered rare all of a sudden !?

They are all over the UK and are not exactly on the endangered list.

+1 Piemonster.

Goldcrests are beautiful little things; so bravo for encouraging them.

Mulling the idea to kill a family's pet though to protect what YOU have decided to do, is pretty lame.

MTFU and get a garden sprinkler/hosepipe, supersoaker 5000.

I have no idea where I read this, and it may well be an internet fallacy, but I read that cats are technically classed as wild animals, so if you leave tiddles riddled with air rifle pellets you'll be in trouble, in much the same way as if you got caught shooting fantastic Mr. fox with an air rifle, since it's classed as cruel and inhumane. If however, you reduce tiddles to his consitituent atoms with a 12' bore, in much the same way as you would do to fantastic Mr. fox, then you're ok, as that's humane killing.

Four-legged, bird-murdering sh*t machines.

That's what my late Dad used to call cats.

The native British wildcat has been extinct for over 150 years...

That depends on whether or not you include Scotland as part of Britain. they may be few and far between but we still have wildcats up here.

Four-legged, bird-murdering sh*t machines.

That's what my late Dad used to call cats.

That's a very balanced view to take. Did he own a dog?

Why do some people hate cats?

Why do some people hate cats?

Because they come into my garden, uninvited, and pooh in it.
I am not allowed to lift a dog over the fence to pooh in neighbours garden, i see no reason why their pet should be allowed to pooh in mine.

Here's my new one , I'm training it to go after birds early as you can see 😉
[IMG] [/IMG]

Because they come into my garden, uninvited, and pooh in it.

@firestarter

Brilliant, well done sir

Get an angry dog and tie said angry dog to a flimsy branch

[img] [/img]

I am not allowed to lift a dog over the fence to pooh in neighbours garden,[b] i see no reason why their pet should be allowed to pooh in mine.[/b]

Because the the Law allows cats to roam, but doesn't allow dogs the same luxury.

I forsee the words "thread" and "closed", and a number 2.

Obvious troll is obvious.

[img] [/img]

Because they come into my garden, uninvited, and [b]pooh [/b]in it.

Can't see the harm in it really ......

[img] [/img]

OP makes a very good point.

Why punish a cat for doing what comes naturally?

By that argument then the use of mouse traps, fly spray, ant powder etc should also be questioned.

In answer to the OP you need to give the cat a non-lethal reason not to come into your garden that outweighs the impulse to hunt. The answer to this is super soaker. Laced with chili will be unpleasant but not fatal as will lemon juice. Alternatively if you can just corner it and give it a good soaking then it will also avoid you.

As an example, I currently have my Nomad pressure washer set up in the bathroom durign the day so I can fire it out the window at a neighbours Bengal cat that keeps comign along and bothering our Guinea Pigs. It spots me if I try and get at it from downstairs windows and flees - I want a more permanent deterrent.

Just read that article about the silly, hysterical woman whose pet vermin had been shot:

"it's normally a small step from animals to humans."

So once I become accustomed to shooting cats, I'm gonna start on those pesky kids scrumping in my orchard... Looks like I'll be starting a "What JCB" thread to bury all the bodies!

All I can say is that if I shot a cat twice with a high powered air rifle, it certainly wouldn't be making its way home! Very poor shooting.

It'd be a very small step from animals to humans if you deliberately shot a pet of mine.

For the OP:

[url= http://www.examiner.com/article/animal-abuse-a-prelude-to-social-violence ]http://www.examiner.com/article/animal-abuse-a-prelude-to-social-violence[/url]

Chilli/Lemon juice is unnecessary, just water will do the trick fine. Quick blast from a water pistol or the hose will be fine, you don't need to completely soak them.

An ultrasonic repellant will probably be better as it works when you're not around too. It has the advantage that it should also work on foxes too.

It'd be a very small step from animals to humans if you deliberately shot a pet of mine.

[img] [/img]

Classic STW

Thank you all

Especially you really sincere posters

This remind me of this great story

[url= http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Pet-cat-eaten-alive-python-Bristol-garden/story-11258334-detail/story.html ]Python eats Cat[/url]

Wilbur was a cat that had to be treated with kid gloves. The fact he was trapped like this would have been his ultimate fear.

"He was inside a giant serpent being digested.

"We couldn't say goodbye to him or bury him or any of the other things you would do if he had been run over or died another way.

" I haven't been this upset for 23 years, since my mum died. We don't have any children, the cats are our family. "

Mr and Mrs Wadey own three other cats and described Wilbur as a "miracle of fluffy nature"

Don't get me wrong, I've lost pets and know how upsetting it is. But there is quite a bit of hypocrisy going on here.
They don't like a snake doing what comes naturally to it but are happy enough for their cat to eat birds?
It was just a case of the hunter becoming the hunted.

"Anyone who is accustomed to despise the life of any living being is in danger of disregarding human life also." Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize 1952.

Utter codswallop. I'm a sociopath anyway, so none of these rules actually apply to me, but I've been shooting vermin most of my life, as have many people I know. And I only know a couple of people who have killed people on purpose. I haven't, although people who think it's acceptable to let their cats roam free would be high on my list...

If a man spent a lot of time, effort and money turning his garden into the ideal BBQ habitat to encourage friends round - friends that are protected by law - what is the legal position regarding birds that are allowed to roam free by their irresponsible Maker, which then sh!t on those garden tables, chairs and BBQ, in that man's garden?

Is he allowed to resolve the issue? With a rifle for example?

FTFY

Pigface - Member
Why do some people hate cats?

They are so supercilious. I don't like animals which think they are better than me...

And I only know a couple of people who have killed people on purpose. I haven't, although people who think it's acceptable to let their cats roam free would be high on my list...

They'd certainly be lower than internet trolls on mine. 😉

RM.

And I only know a couple of people who have killed people on purpose

don't worry dribbling, they'll be G4S employees workign for the Border Agency or soldiers.

alex222 > touché (-:

One soldier and one cold-blooded murderer. Neither of them progressed from shooting cats... 😉

[i]One soldier and one cold-blooded murderer.[/i]

if they worked for the IDF they could be the same person 🙂

If this hypothetical person had just spent a lot of money sorting their garden so the kids could play safely only for it to turn into the local cat shitter...

Annoying little crapping machines if you ask me!

On A serious note sprinkle some pepper around cats hate it

I used it on my borders to stop cat poohin there and drive it across to the neighbouring gardens 😉

"Anyone who is accustomed to despise the life of any living being is in danger of disregarding human life also." Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize 1952.

@ the apparent 'cat protection league' on this thread.

Do the cat-owners have impunity over the ignorance towards their cats' actions?

I accidentally leave rat traps where they like to poo.

I think I'm going to stop reading this thread before I get cross.