Cats stalking my release cage what can I do??

[bamababies]

I plan to open the doors tomorrow morning for my release of Dude and Girlfriend, I have 1 HUGE concern, I saw a cat next to the cage just watching and before I could get over there to run it off, I noticed Dude going down the cage wall next to where the cat was, as if to say HI:shakehead I thought about getting my son's red rider bb gun and stinging its tail. But what if Dude has already gotton use to this cat :dono I kept them away from my dog and cat all winter (6 long months)... Have I done something wrong?? Dude paces the cage wanting out but now it worries me about the dang cat. Any suggestions on what might make Dude scared of this cat instead of him being curious?

[CrazySquirrelLady]

water guns will deter the cat. cats hate water. squirt that fiend.

dunno about the squirrel. He sounds NR if he plays with kitties.

[bamababies]

He has never played with cats, but he is very curious about everything. I am guessing he feels safe in the cage, but I have also notice a few wilds around their cage checking them out, one sits on the privacy fence just watching them. I just can't help but wonder if that could be their mom??? Never know. I have several neighbors that let their cats run around :frustratedx The dog pound never seems to pick them up, but my cocker spaniel got out and they locked her up Monday. Anyway I might have to wait a little longer before I open the release cage and try to caught those cats and take them into the pound myself. I hate to do that but those cats kill my birds at the feeder so i had to stop feeding any birds. And now with my babies ready for the trees those cats have got to go!!!

[acorniv]

:osnap :grouphug :osnap

This is why I will not release from my house, and sought out someone to release for me. That is what I strongly suggest you to do, because that cat is following his instincts and he will be back. You've got yourself a squirrel that doesn't fear predators as it should. He doesn't have a red rider bb gun tinfoil to protect himself, even if he had the fear. He has his legs, and his voice, and whatever you've taught him, and that is it.

You kept your dog and cat away all winter, which is FANTASTIC!!! :thumbsup :thankyou :thumbsup (this is my pet peeve, as I personally know two who refuse). However, was there EVER a breech of that? I've got 4 cats, and I know how it goes. It happens no matter what you do. My cats are all from my days when I fostered injured and abuse cases for the Humane Society, and they're super bonded to me. My little Lulu never leaves my side ( so much for the myth of aloof cats). She desperately wants to be in the room with me when I take care of the squirrel. :nono Mokus endured the winter in an unfinished (so unheated) room, and my cats endured the winter not being allowed to go into this, one of their favorite rooms, and our rules were iron clad. We kept a heavy box in front of the French door when we weren't in it, and tied the door knobs together when we were, but my little Houdini Lulu figured out how to get the thing untied from the other side of the door. I'll be cleaning out the previous days dishes, and hear the click of the door, and have to drop everything and

CH!! CH!! CH!! CH!! CH!!

I wave my hands ( flap my squirrel tail) as I go get her and toss her or one of her cohorts back into the main house. By my doing this, Mokus has learned cats = danger.

In the wild, that call has a very specific meaning - "Danger below - move UP HIGHER". They make this call to warn each other - and with any luck it also warns the predator ( though not much, I suspect). Once they're released, Dude and Girlfriend will need to use that call for each other, and they will need to understand it when they hear it from other wilds. There is also a call for danger above ( ie: hawks), but in your house, you just need to know the one.

I'm really sorry this happened - I know your heart must have sunk. Sounds like you've done a super job so far, and probably were feeling really positive about where you're at. But I hope you'll make a little U-turn and that someone here who doesn't have roaming neighbor cats - or let their own dog come with them to feed the pre-release squirrels etc will offer to give your pair a safe release. :grouphug

[Fireweed]

That's a situation, isn't it? tinfoil

Do you know where the cats are coming from? Talk to those people first--tell them to keep the cat inside. Deter the cat with water guns or loud noises or whatever you can think of without actually hurting him. If they keep coming around and the owners don't care, I'd trap them and bring them to a no-kill shelter/rescue--but only as a last resort. NOT the pound. They don't deserve to die because of their owners irresponsibility! :nono

As for your squirrel: every time you see the cat near the cage or even in the yard start acting crazy and freak out--make it obvious that you HATE the cat and are even scared of it. Yell, scream, flail your arms about, do whatever it takes to make sure your squirrel retreat in fear. You don't want him to be curious--you want him to run away and up high.
Do this until he is afraid of the cat. You're essentially going to train him to be afraid of cats... If you are consistent with this, it shouldn't take too long for him to pick up the fact that cats are not friends. Do not release him until you are sure he's afraid of them (or at least retreats from them). If he never learns to retreat, you have a problem. But try 'training' him first and at the same time, a) try educating your neighbours about all the wildlife cats kill and how unsafe it is for the cats themselves to roam and b) deter the cats with as many humane methods as possible.

Good luck! :thumbsup

[bamababies]

When I noticed the cat I did start yelling a ran over and run that cat off, Dude ran back up to the nest box when he heard me so maybe that is a good thing. Girlfriend will sit up on top of the nest box when the cats have came around smacking her tail and growling. I dont understand why Dude has to be curious.

As far as I know my cat never got near the babies while they were in the house, They were kept in my room with the door locked until I came home from work, and i was always around. (I hibernate in the winter:D ) my little deaf dog walked past the cage a time or two but never tryed to investage. But the few time Gracie walked past their cage they would growl at her (she could not hear them so she never even looked their way)

I do not know who's cats those are around there I have seen and there is a no kill shelter about 30 miles from my house. I just bought some land out in the country and have thought about building another release cage out there I have not seen any cats out there, but I read somewhere that squirrels should be release within 5 miles of where they were found. Anyone every heard of this.:dono

[kastillo]

I try to shoot the feral cats with a one pump daisy bb gun. Most times I miss because they are not very accurate. But when I connect, the cat knows it. doesn't injure them, especially from the distance you have to shoot.
All the cats around here dart off as soon as they see ya. You just have to be quick.
Also, and this is really elaborate, I've lined the outside of my release cage with an electric fence, the lowest shock available. I ran an electric cord from it all the way up to and inside my house. I can watch from the kitchen widow, and if I see a feral close to the fence, I plug it in, it zaps em, they run off, and I unplug it. It teaches them a lesson for a couple weeks, and when they come back I do it again. Takes about 3 good times before they don't go back around the rc.

[kastillo]

I think as long as the squirrels are released near YOU, and in an environment that supports squirrels it will be ok.
All my squirrels I've release were from all over the county, released in my backyard, and are doing fine.

[bamababies]

:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou I am going to deal with the cat problem and try opening the release cage in another week or so, if I can't get rid of the cats then I guess I will start on another release cage on our land in the country but we are only out there on the weekends. I have not seen any squirrels out there but I do have 3 large acorn trees, peach trees and cedar trees. I am sure there are squirrels in the area, they seem to be everywhere. There are coyotes and dogs out there.

I am coming to the conclusion that no matter where I release them I am going to worry some predator might get them :shakehead I just love those little destructive manic fuzzy heads :Love_Icon

[sid'smommy]

When my cat got too close, or the squirrel acted curious, I would shake the squirrel call like crazy. It scared both of them into hiding. Eventually they got used to it... but it worked well for a month or so. If you dont have a squirrel call, you can get one of those pulsating jet sprinklers, and turn it on when the cat is unexpecting. It will scare the crap out of it...especially that hissing sound it does when it first comes on :)

[bamababies]

I am going to see if my boys still have that super soaker water gun, that thing can get some distance. Might soak Dude in the process but if it works it might save his life.:jump

[acorniv]

Wow. I've never felt so disappointed in animal lovers in my entire life.

#1 I can't believe the attitude towards cats here. If any of you heard the same things said about squirrels, you'd feel just like I do right now :shakehead :pissed Cats are not dogs. That is why animal control does not impound them for walking around loose. There is no law against their walking around loose. They have every bit as much right to walk through your yard as a squirrel does. There is no law that says a cat must stay in his yard, or in his home. Very few cats can successfully be trained to leashes for the same reason squirrels cant be. They're not dogs, and they don't think like dogs, and there is no kind and reasonable justification for expecting them to. As for keeping them inside, seaking from the position of someone who rehabilitated abused and injured cats for the Humane Society; there is every reason in the world for cats to be indoors only. I have four and none are allowed out. I can offer a hair curling list to anyone who cares to try to convince their neighbors to do it, but the fact is, many people have compelling reasons not to do that. And those who do are inclined declaw - a practise that is is so inhumane it is outlawed in many countries, and the SPCA and Humane Society would like it to be here. It leaves the animal defenseless, unable to properly toilet and in many cases DIRE PAIN for the rest of its life. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. At the Humane Society, I've seen MANY declawed cats that were picked up outdoors and turned in.

#2 Squirrels may live in your world, but they don't think like you, nor think like yo hope they do. They think like squirrels. Here's a squirrel rule:

YOU ARE THE COMPANY YOU KEEP.

If you are their trusted support and friend, that shaggy thing that stands at your side while you feed them, is an accepted part of your posse. So no matter how benign your Lassie is around the squirrel, he's a THREAT. Because out in the wild, squirrel sees Butch, mistakes him for Lassie, and, hoping you're just a short distance behind, and runs to him. But he's not Lassie, and you're nowhere in sight, so CURTAINS for the squirrel. And not a nice way to go.

Rehabbing, only to release into an environment full of nasty surprises for a misled squirrel is nothing short of animal cruelty. It takes a LOT of thought to get a squirrel from injury to health and out the door. You all know that. You all do that. but some of you skip the most important lesson of all - how to keep them safe from predators once they're out there.

What makes me angriest? Some of you know better. I know (have personally seen this) of more than one member who has said she'd NEVER let her dog anywhere near her squirrel, and yet, there they are, when you visit, and there they are in photos and videos. Well, I've got news for you. Mother Nature behaves the same whether you have rehabbed with integrity or not.

IR and others here have said from time to time that they really don't like humans very much. Well, right now, I don't like virtually anyone who has written on this thread. And I won't, until you take these words to heart. Get your selves educated about how squirrels live, because every thing they think and every thing they do is calcuated to keep them alive and if you're not listening, then you, as their caretaker, are their greatest enemy.

[Baxied]

I am a cat lover (not owner), but I do shoot the cats that come in my yard with a BB gun. They are always at the edge of the woods on my property and never close enough for me to do real damage. It only stings and they get the message.

[island rehabber]

I am very concerned about your cat situation, bamababies, and urge you to find another release site. Those cats live in your yard, and their yard, and the other neighbors' yards. It's THEIR 'hood, too. They will be back regardless of what you spray at them or fire at them. And with your one little guy's lack of fear, it's a bad situation that will only get worse. Sorry....

The main reason, in my opinion, why people let their cats out: The litter box. Outside cats poop outside. And some even will only pee outside. What would you rather do -- change a litterbox once a week, or twice a day? Not justifying it, but people are inherently lazy -- myself included, as I used to have an indoor/outdoor cat. Now I have two indoors and I'm a slave to that litterbox. :shakehead :tilt But my girls will never kill anything except a catnip toy and that's fine with me.

[acorniv]

I am a cat lover (not owner), but I do shoot the cats that come in my yard with a BB gun. They are always at the edge of the woods on my property and never close enough for me to do real damage. It only stings and they get the message.

1) nature doesn't recognize property rights. That means the cat doesn't know he's on 'your' property, and your squirrels don't know not to leave it, and go two doors down to where the cat lives.

2) your squirrels don't have bb guns.

So you haven't made anyone safer. What you have done is shoot an innocent animal. Distance doesn't matter if you hit a testicle or an eye.

Actually, I've just spent some time researching this online. It's FAR worse than I thought.

From a gun afficienado site: BB guns are unreliable and you have no way of knowing how much damage you're doing, at ANY distance

From various vet sites and SPCA sites, and from numerous neighbor relations and cat friendsly sites, the horror stories are absolutely endless, but they share one theme - the cat goes home, exhibits strange behavior, and the owner and vet can't figure it out, until the cat either dies, or at some point xrays are done, and they find bb's imbedded in the cat's testicle, mouth, skull, ear canal, ribcage, etc etc etc, causing pain, disability and various medical conditions.

It is universally regarded as animal cruelty and in many areas is against the law, And in every area, the cat's owner person can sue, and there are loads of suggestions for figuring out how to identify the shooter.

If you think you don't see the animal again because of a little 'sting' ? Well, the SPCA in New Jersey addresses almost word for word, what you wrote:

http://www.njspca.org/articles/NJSPCA_articles_BBgun.htm

[astra]

#1 I can't believe the attitude towards cats here. If any of you heard the same things said about squirrels, you'd feel just like I do right now

nature doesn't recognize property rights.

They have every bit as much right to walk through your yard as a squirrel does. with all due respect, a few things to consider:

1. no one here will ever intentionally hurt another animal, not squirrels only.
Very often a lot of people look for a variety ways to keep cats and dogs away from their releases without hurting them. Some people do become desperate, and that should be understood not judged and reproved.
This kind of condemnation and disapproval should be directed at those who are to blame for such situation - their owners.

2. Although, cats may not know "property right," they do have some understanding of a 'territory.'

3. Cats have no business to be free-roaming outside.
They are not natural predators.
They do not belong in the wild.
In some areas cats can be considered to be invasive species.
Wild animals, including squirrels and birds, really are not wired by nature to deal with domestic cats. Of course, they learn some, but still - that's why cats are to blame for very large numbers of killed wildlife every year.
That's why cats do not have any right to walk through my yard like squirrels.

Domestic cats belong indoors.
Just recently there was a huge article with statistics reports on how many birds and small wildlife cats kill every year.

If people weren't lazy to deal with litter boxes and accepted the fact that cats scratch (and may scratch things), all cats would be kept indoors and there will be NO sad and tragic situations.
But as long as people let their cats roam, there will be those who will not like it.

Again, this is not to advocate the massacre of free-roaming cats.
Just to remind that cats are not natural predators and do not belong outside.
Whatever happens to a free-roaming cat is the fault ONLY of its owner. And no one else.
People here always try everything else to deter them, but if they become desperate it may be not pretty, but it can be understood.
It's hard to deter predator instincts.

It is especially evident on a farm.
Good farmers do not want to hurt wildlife either.
But if all else fails to protect their chicks and cattle, they do resort to the desperate measures.
I do not like that either, but... I do understand that they have to make a choice. Not an easy choice.
But while situations on farms cannot be really completely avoided and prevented because wolves, foxes and such are wild animals who belong in the wild, backyard problems can be avoided.
Which brings me back to where I started - domestic cats do not belong in the wild.

I do not know the answer...
I do not know what the "right" solution is....
But I do know that I will not judge and condemn someone, who, having tried everything, will consider other measures... this might be a time to suspend one's judgement...
The only person I condemn and speak against is a cat owner who lets his/her cat free-roam outside causing problems for everyone and tragedies for birds and local small mammals, as well as his/her own cat.

:peace

[island rehabber]

:goodpost:goodpost

[Jackie in Tampa]

I am a cat lover (not owner), but I do shoot the cats that come in my yard with a BB gun. They are always at the edge of the woods on my property and never close enough for me to do real damage. It only stings and they get the message.yep and the hard headed ones get trapped and hauled off...
damn it... squirrels are nature and they own the trees... cats are a luxury, domesticated by man for mans benefit...
if neighbors leave their luxury items outside, no telling what will happen to them...
they do not belong outside where they can kill....
or be killed!
not a cat hater, just a sq lover!!!

[CrazySquirrelLady]

You can bring them up here and release them if you like. I can put a release cage in the woods, and take care of them for you if you like. i know it is a long trip for you, and someone closer can release for you if you like, but I just wanted to offer. So if you want, load em up and bring their cage. I will let them go in the woods here where no one lives at all.

Maybe they would be safer here, no cats around.

[Baxied]

Acorniv, I've had a seriously bad month and don't need you to come on here and judge me for peppering my lazy neighbors domestic cat in the behind when it is on my property stalking my squirrels and birds. Maybe next time it darts in front of me in the street I won't slam on the brakes and give myself whiplash to avoid squishing it. I have every right to be driving my car in the road and at least that way I won't be liable. :devil

[CrazySquirrelLady]

Acorniv, I've had a seriously bad month and don't need you to come on here and judge me for peppering my lazy neighbors domestic cat in the behind when it is on my property stalking my squirrels and birds. Maybe next time it darts in front of me in the street I won't slam on the brakes and give myself whiplash to avoid squishing it. I have every right to be driving my car in the road and at least that way I won't be liable. :devil
I felt bad too, and all I did was suggest a water gun.......








I wonder if those water sprayers that go off when a cat/etc. pass nearby would work.... you know the kind that only go off when something moves close by?

They sell them in gardening catalogs. You could put one near the release cage to chase off the cats....

[Nancy in New York]

I felt bad too, and all I did was suggest a water gun.......








I wonder if those water sprayers that go off when a cat/etc. pass nearby would work.... you know the kind that only go off when something moves close by?

They sell them in gardening catalogs. You could put one near the release cage to chase off the cats....


Something with a sensor would probably work, how about some kind of alarm?
This may also work with a squirrel too though....:shakehead

[Skul]

I live-trap, and call animal control.
The cat problem around here is pretty small anymore.

[Shewhosweptforest]

Do we ever think that it is also cruel and neglectful to let domestic cats roam unsupervised? Maybe capture and another chance at a no-kill shelter to find a forever loving home is the right thing to do....I've worked around animals and people enough to know that most cats that roam free (because the owner says they want to be outside..doing it for the cat) are just tired of dealing with that adorable kitten that grew up to be a cat...the magic has worn off. Out of sight out of mind...there are many dangers for any free roaming animal in our fast paced mechanized world. Wild animals have to deal with this also as we see here..but they are wild and we can only try to make things better for them. But casting off a family pet that you have taken legal and moral...not to mention loving responsibility for has become epidemic...:shakehead This is sad...but our society has become a cast off..not my problem :dono this is bad enough with cats..I see it with children ....oh my kid really wanted to watch the R-rated slasher movie...really wants to eat crackers and marshmallows for lunch...unfortunately we can't control what others do...but if we can help a neglected animal:dono I say do it..but always humanely :bowdown we creatures are all brothers and sisters....even if we don't always like each other..we're still family:grouphug ...and a little water never hurt anyone:jump

[Fireweed]

Good posts, IR and astra and Sweeper. :thumbsup CSL, great offer! :alright.gif

I like lists. :tilt

1. I don't blame acorniv for getting angry. This whole topic makes me angry every time. :D :tilt :peace

2. Just because cats are domesticated and not 'wildlife' doesn't mean they deserve to be hurt or killed. I'm sure there are many people who would say releasing--and feeding--squirrels who have been raised by people (many of whom are not in the least bit qualified) and released and/or fed in one area over and over again is not 'natural' either--yet we are horrified when we hear of people hurting our released squirrels because they think they are pests.

3. People shouldn't have to put up with cats on their properties if they don't like cats.

4. Just because it isn't law doesn't mean it's right to let cats roam... for many, many reasons. (And I'm speaking as someone who did cat rescue with a local shelter for years.)

5. You know what boggles my mind? Why can't people build enclosures for their cats so the cat can go outside without hurting or getting hurt? Why do so few cat 'lovers' do that? Oh yeah, that might mean time, money, energy... :shakehead

6. What Sweeper said.

7. This is not a black and white issue! :nono
(It's a gray, red, and orange-bellied issue. :rotfl I couldn't resist. :sorry)

8. :peace

[Shewhosweptforest]

:goodpost :goodpost :goodpost

#7 :jump :smilecolors :jump

#8 Back atcha:Love_Icon

[bamababies]

I sat outside and did not see any cats this weekend, I just read all the comments and I did not mean to make anyone upset, I was just trying to keep those babies safe.

But I live in the city and no animals, dogs nor cats are allowed to roam free. I do not hate cats at all. I have a cat (someone dropped him off when he was hurt) and my son takes care of it. We keep him inside, because the animal shelter can pick him up. I wish others around would be a responsible cat owner. I looked all weekend and never saw any cats around Dude and Girlfriend's release cage, I was only armed with a super soaker :D Either the cats were in hiding or animal shelter might have picked them up. :dono