a delicate question about feral housecats, flowerbeds and ratshot.

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greybeard

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Thought about putting this in 'gardening' but since the subject matter is more closely related to firearms...

Wife has several flowerbeds we've worked hard on this year, but we have a couple of feral cats around that have decided to make the beds their toilet and they're killing plants with their poop and digging. I don't mind the cats being here, they keep the mice at a manageable level but the plant killin has to stop. Wife is tired of going out to weed the beds and having to deal with the shhet clumps too.
Dog catcher/Animal control in this part of the county is not an option.

My first option:
I know they make some granules you sprinkle around that is supposed to repel the cats. Does it work?

Second option:
.22 rat shot. We used to use it to kill rats in my uncle's and grandfather's corn cribs, but we didn't care what harm or injury or death it caused. I'm not really interested in killing cats tho, or even seriously injuring them.
How much penetration power does .22 ratshot have? What's it's range?
What's the realistic chance I have of it keeping them out of the flowerbeds by this option without grievous harm and excessive pain?


(no, I don't want to trap them and haul them off to make my problem someone else's problem. That's how they became my problem to begin with)
My 2nd to last option:
.22 lr/20 ga buckshot. I really really truly don't want to do this.

Last resort:
A new wife that doesn't care about flower beds. (A bit extreme just over a bit of catshheet)


:hide:
 
greybeard":2fnf4occ said:
Thought about putting this in 'gardening' but since the subject matter is more closely related to firearms...

Wife has several flowerbeds we've worked hard on this year, but we have a couple of feral cats around that have decided to make the beds their toilet and they're killing plants with their poop and digging. I don't mind the cats being here, they keep the mice at a manageable level but the plant killin has to stop. Wife is tired of going out to weed the beds and having to deal with the shhet clumps too.
Dog catcher/Animal control in this part of the county is not an option.

My first option:
I know they make some granules you sprinkle around that is supposed to repel the cats. Does it work? Not any ive ever used

Second option:
.22 rat shot. We used to use it to kill rats in my uncle's and grandfather's corn cribs, but we didn't care what harm or injury or death it caused. I'm not really interested in killing cats tho, or even seriously injuring them.
How much penetration power does .22 ratshot have? What's it's range?
What's the realistic chance I have of it keeping them out of the flowerbeds by this option without grievous harm and excessive pain?
Wont work

(no, I don't want to trap them and haul them off to make my problem someone else's problem. That's how they became my problem to begin with)
My 2nd to last option:
.22 lr/20 ga buckshot. I really really truly don't want to do this. Trap them put trap IN A GRABAGE BAG CHINCH UP THE OPENING OVER THE TAIL PIPE OF YOUR TRUCK AND IN 10 MIN PROBLEM SOLVED THEY JUST LAY DOWN AND GO TO SLEEP

Last resort:
A new wife that doesn't care about flower beds. (A bit extreme just over a bit of catshheet) I don't recommend the aforementioned way of handling the cats as a way of replacing the wife


:hide:
 
GB. I detest feral cats. I have shot several with a 22-250 at long range while they were out hunting. Obviously, that is too much fire power for shooting out the window or around the corner of the house. A 22 rimfire seems perfect. Why are you opposed to that?
 
greybeard":33yunfh9 said:
My 2nd to last option:
.22 lr/20 ga buckshot. I really really truly don't want to do this.

Last resort:
A new wife that doesn't care about flower beds. (A bit extreme just over a bit of catshheet)
Yes, it is a delicate topic and it depends on how much value you place on flower beds.
Since you brought it up, if you can afford it, you might want to move that last option up a couple notches.
Some of dem there newer model year trophies do bring a lot to the table... not to mention chandeliers.
But Cialis is getting expensive and I know a fellow claimed trouble swallowing viagra and ended up with a stiff neck. :eek:
 
Not terribly opposed to killing them. As someone else here said, "I've killed more (feral) dogs than Walt Disney" and I kill beaver at the drop of a hat, but they're causing big problems.
You won't understand it Ron, but I figure I got enough blood on my hands already that I'm gonna have to account for in front of my Maker one day and the older I get, the more that realization weighs.
M-5..The last feral cat I caught and tried to handle even with elbow length chem gloves gave me a bloody run for my money and with all the blood thinners I take now, don't want to repeat it.
Other than that, the ground here is harder than a hooker's heart right now and I don't like diggin holes if another option exists.
 
greybeard":35ylwsw9 said:
You won't understand it Ron, but I figure I got enough blood on my hands already that I'm gonna have to account for in front of my Maker one day and the older I get, the more that realization weighs.

Since man was given dominion over all animals i believe that includes keeping the populations in check too.
 
greybeard":1hixtjup said:
Not terribly opposed to killing them. As someone else here said, "I've killed more (feral) dogs than Walt Disney" and I kill beaver at the drop of a hat, but they're causing big problems.
You won't understand it Ron, but I figure I got enough blood on my hands already that I'm gonna have to account for in front of my Maker one day and the older I get, the more that realization weighs.
M-5..The last feral cat I caught and tried to handle even with elbow length chem gloves gave me a bloody run for my money and with all the blood thinners I take now, don't want to repeat it.
Other than that, the ground here is harder than a hooker's heart right now and I don't like diggin holes if another option exists.

I think I do or at least I have an appreciation. You and I have reached an age where we are assessing our mortality. I no longer sport hunt and I was an avid hunter. I will continue to protect and be a proper Shepard but I will not kill for thrill again.
 
That aspect did cross my mind Skeeter swatter, but the local Chinese place has already been under investigation for allegedly serving "the other other almost white meat".
 
Mothballs doesn't, usually, work.

I would go for the pepper, both kinds, give it a try. Or best solution, so far, would be motion activated sprinklers, small ones. And when they shoot water at the cats, the flower beds get a small drink at the same time. Yes, I'm being serious.
 
.17HMR ballistic tips fired from a scoped bolt action Savage never fail and would be my only consideration. If you go this route, just be aware of the backdrop. I used to think those bullets didn't go through an object the size, shape, and with the exact same constitutional makeup of a full grown cat's thoracic cavity until I busted out a window while narrowly missing the air-conditioning unit.
 
We put up little hot wire fences around the veggie garden this year just to keep the dogs out. Its only about 10 inches off the ground, and not even hot...they won't go anywhere near it. They know the rest of the hot wires on the place will fry their hair off, so they avoid anything that looks like a hot wire fence. I would think if you hooked up a little pet fencer to it, you would zap enough of them really good and your gardens would be less of a litter box.

Or just get a heeler. Ours will kill a cat at the first opportunity. Good thing they kill rodents too!
 

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