Unwilling cat owner

[sleek]

When I was a state park ranger in a new park that had a huge feral cat population we quickly learned a .22 rarely ever killed the cat quickly. Most ran off and the risk of having a park guest find a dead or injured cat was a concern. We were instructed to use a shotgun, close range. We had bait stations, trip lights, and blinds. Most weeknights the park was empty of visitors that first year. And while we did not relish the work, it needed doing. None of the cats were particularly healthy or well fed.

Eric's nightmare with the pellet gun highlights how dang tough a cat is. Even with lethal hits, they often survive long enough to get away before expiring.

When it comes to cats, overkill is the only humane way to do it.

Indeed that was a nightmare I will get my shotgun handy and probably do this unpleasant work tonight. The cats now have strewn garbage across my yard at night, and my dogs are eating it. I will have dead cats before I have ill pups.

[Eric Krewson]

If you have garbage thrown about you probably have coons as well.

[Deerhunter21]

Dont use shotguns on racoons! you'll ruin the fur and that right there is a good project, im currently making a racoon hat.

[sleek]

Hopefully I dont have any cons, but I do suspect a snake has been getting to my chicken eggs.

The cat is no longer a problem as of tonight. I pray that solves my problem. Now I need a beer to make myself feel better. I really fikin hate doing things like this.

[Deerhunter21]

im sorry that you had to do that. my grandpa has a way of getting rid of your snake problem. put a golf ball in each nest and the snake will eat that. they wont be able to digest that and they will die.

[sleek]

im sorry that you had to do that. my grandpa has a way of getting rid of your snake problem. put a golf ball in each nest and the snake will eat that. they wont be able to digest that and they will die.

I gave the cat as much respect as I could. I thought about relocating it elsewhere but I do t want to burden the bird population with a female. It didnt want to let me near it anyway. It took shots, first laid it down, but it was struggling, 2nd to the head at point blank did it the favor it needed.

I'm a bit sensitive about killing animals, especially cats as my dad, who I will probably never speak to again, once made me watch my pet cat that I loved, get killed by him with a pump pellet rifle. It was an awful experience as a young kid, to watch your cat go from happily eating food on a tree stump to running around hissing with God knows what coming out of its mouth, as it got hit time after time with a pellet gun. The only reason he did it was my step mom ( who was abusive ) told him the cat bit her once. I to this day have no idea why the hell he made me watch him do that to my pet, that I raised from a kitten, but it made a lasting mental impact on me.  The cat didnt deserve to die, it didnt deserve to die that way. I just hope I did this cat better than my dad. It was a choice between my dogs health, and this cats life.

Sorry for the vent there, I'm not all together.... together entirely.We were told to be good stewards of the earth, it's a difficult task, and when a life is involved, it gets difficult.

[Hawkdancer]

That sort of thing sticks with you!  PTSD takes many forms,  the respect to the animal is what counts!
Hawkdancer