Stray Cats and City Gov't at it's finest! Please read. Need Advice.

[Valascus]

I am going to slap a bit of a disclaimer up here. If you like cats and are easily offended, or just generally don't have anything constructive to add to the topic, don't read any further. I apologize for the length of the post, but bear with me if you will. Any advice is appreciated.

For the last 4 months or so, the municipality I live in, Overland, MO, has been having an increasing problem with stray cats. The cats are causing some homeowners in the area property damage, deficating in peoples yards and flowerbeds, and, in isolated instances have caused injury to small pets and children. Just on the section of street I live on, I have counted up to 12 different animals meandering about. I have been experiencing issues with the cats deficating in my wife's flowerbeds and my yard. I could also end up experiencing issues with the cats causing harm to my 3 year old daughter, my wife, or my dog, either physically if one of them were to accidently surprise or corner one or healthwise if they were to accidentaly come in contact with a sick animals feces.

A short time before this problem started to occur,the City of  Overland's governing body, in their infinite wisdom, decided to disband their animal control department. The citizens have been told that all animal control issues should be forwarded to the Saint Louis County Animal Control Division. Numerous citizens have tried to contact STLCo Animal Control only to be told that there was a "waiting list" for the pick up of nuisance animals the could range from 1-3 days and that the animal had to be detained by the citizen making the complaint until an animal control officer could be dispatched. So, let me get this straight, I am to try to somehow detain a stray animal that could be sick, diseased, and/or highly aggressive?  That was 2 months ago. Now when a citizen calls they are told that all local animal shelters are inundated with stray animals and that they are uncertain as to when the nuisance animal can be picked up. So, no help from our friends at STLCo Animal Control.

About 6 weeks ago, I decided to do some more research concerning the cities plans, if any, to try and get a handle on this problem. I found that Overland has put one person in charge of their animal control problem. That's right, ONE. This one person is in charge of code enforcement, rabies enforcement, and animal control. I decided to contact this person and speak with him about the problem. He said that he would come out and place traps on my property and my neighbors property, providing that it was alright with my neighbor. However, even he could not say with any certainty whether or not he could do anything with animal in the event of it's capture, as many of the local animal shelters probably wouldn't take them since they were full. I told him I didn't care as long as the animals were removed from the area and were not coming back. About a week later I received a letter posted on my front door, as did many of my neighbors, with general information regarding leash and rabies laws and stating that he would be in the area setting traps. I kept that letter. That was about 5 weeks ago and I have not seen a single trap. I have made efforts to contact him again without avail. I have also left messages for him, but have yet to receive any return phone calls.

I can't help but feel like the city government is simply giving me the run around, and really has no plan in place to combat this growing problem. I have also tried going through STLCo Animal Control only to get a lot more of the same answers I got before. I am now pretty much to the point were I am going to take matters into my own hands. If I can't get any help from the folks who are supposed to be doing their jobs, then I will do it for them. I have considered using mothballs. However, putting mothballs all over my front and back yard seems a bit impractical. I am also not sure if mothballs will do any damage to my wifes flowers. I have also been tld that a mixture of water and garlic deters cats, but again constantly having to spray the yard and flowers to keep the effect seems impractical. Not only that, the garlic could possibly attract other critters that roam the area such as opossums or raccoons. On the lethal side of things, I have considered using a pellet pistol to off the cats. The strongest one I have found that won't break the bank is the Crosman 1377 C. With ten pumps, it fires a pellet 600 feet per second. First of all, I don't know if 600fps is powerful enough to kill the animal in one shot. I want to make sure that if I do decide to kill the animals that I do it as humanely as possible. Second of all, I certainly don't need a cat screeching in agony drawning attention to me since I am not to sure on the legality issues involved in taking the lethal route of getting rid of these animals.

So, does anyone have any other ideas, lethal or nonlethal, to get rid of these cats? Thanks for reading and for any input.

[daviscw]

.22 Rifle

Seriously, if they don't have a collar pop them.

[mattm]

Contact LBH he might adopt them.  He's a cat guy.

Seriously I feel for you, but don't give in and do anything lethal.  Its wrong and could get you some animal cruelty charges.  

[frogtog]

A stray Cat is one hell of a killing machine, you need to pop everyone you see. Don't get me wrong I love my cat but when it comes to stray cats I'm going to put them out of their meserie. I have trapped for as long as I can remember and the is no better killing machine in the woods. Did I already mention that they are Killing Machines. A 22 short in the head is sufficient.

[Valascus]

No can do on the .22 short idea. I live in a suburb. if I were in a more rural area, that's exactly what I would have done. But, in the St. Louis County discharging a firearm can get some real hefty charges pressed against you. Oh yeah...did I mention there is a St. Louis County police officer that lives across the street from me? ;D

[Hookemdown.]

That's usually how I brush up on my bowhunting skills. ;D

Lethal wise, poison might be an option, but it must be supervised at all times. You don't want some little toddler dying in your yard.

[FD.]

I have 4 cats (don't ask how I wound up with that many) and would never do anything to them...my dad, on the other hand, prefers antifreeze in small saucers for pest control.

[daviscw]

That's usually how I brush up on my bowhunting skills. ;D

Lethal wise, poison might be an option, but it must be supervised at all times. You don't want some little toddler dying in your yard.

Yessir, leave kitty a bowl of antifreeze.

[ptomacbass]

Don't kill the cats you will get a huge fine and it is inhumane. try the aspca I don't know what they'll do but it's worth a try.

[Valascus]

most city governments don't care because they have no money. all tax money goes to killing innocent people(war) >

Don't kill the cats you will get a huge fine and it is inhumane. try the aspca I don't know what they'll do but it's worth a try.

I have tried the local Humane Societies, Animal Protection Associations, and ASPCA's. All have said they are currently not taking strays.

And do me a favor and delete your first comment. I am trying to keep a civil thread here. I don't want it to turn political or argumentative in any way, shape or form. If the thread gets locked I am not going to get any helpful advice.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Nice post! Ever wonder if the cats think there are too many people running around? They don't have the means or know how to pop your a** though :

[Glenn]

Yes it's a problem.  No, you are not entitled to take matters into your own hands and kill them.  You'll end up in jail for sure, along with fines and civil suites.  What a way to lose your job, credit status, insurance, etc.  Not worth it.

Get a petition going in your neighborhood, and then attend en masse the local gov't meetings.  Be a nuisance to them.  Sooner or later, they'll take care of the problem in order to get you to stop bugging them.

[Grey Wolf]

That's usually how I brush up on my bowhunting skills. ;D

Lethal wise, poison might be an option, but it must be supervised at all times. You don't want some little toddler dying in your yard.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Grey Wolf]

I have 4 cats (don't ask how I wound up with that many) and would never do anything to them...my dad, on the other hand, prefers antifreeze in small saucers for pest control.

Double wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fishinfiend]

I live near a town that has a lot of stray cats and a local government that is not willing to do anything about it. I have no idea why  the laws that apply to dogs do not apply to cats. I hate when people do not take care of their pets, whether it is a dog or cat.

While this town has a problem with stray cats, at least there is a lot of hungry coyotes around to keep it from being a big problem  ;D

[Hookemdown.]

Triple Wow!

[Valascus]

Yes it's a problem. No, you are not entitled to take matters into your own hands and kill them. You'll end up in jail for sure, along with fines and civil suites. What a way to lose your job, credit status, insurance, etc. Not worth it.

Get a petition going in your neighborhood, and then attend en masse the local gov't meetings. Be a nuisance to them. Sooner or later, they'll take care of the problem in order to get you to stop bugging them.

While I agree that is an excellent course of action, I do not have much faith in the measure working in the near future. Actions such as this are being undertaken. The woman that babysits my daughter was a former city council member and is still quite active in the city government, though she no longer holds any sort of official position. She has a petition in the works requesting the hiring of additional animal control officers that would work for Overland. I dont know how many signatures she has, but mine is on it. She is still privy to more information than your average citizen, including more detailed information regarding the cities budget and spending habits. Even she has quite a few doubts as to the effectiveness of a petition, but we are trying anyway.

Also, I never suggested that I am going with the lethal options. I am well aware of the legal reprocussions of those actions. Right now I am simply looking for advice on way to handle the situation. I also asked if anyone knows of any nonlethal means of getting rid of the animals that I am unaware of. I would much rather employ a nonlethal means of ridding at least my yard of the animals.

[Dan:]

My grandpa lives in a rural area and he shoots at cats with .22 bird shot. As for the pellet gun, I would go for a 1200fps model. I used one to kill rats in my backyard when poison wouldn't work. I don't know if 600fps would work optimally.

I don't think you should shoot them though, you'll just get in trouble. (Even though the humane societies or shelters would most likely end up killing them anyway....)

[ptomacbass]

keep on emailing/calling animal control.  they'll give in sometime  

[Valascus]

C'mon folks. I am being serious here. I kinda feel like I am at a dead end with this situation and have been trying to remedy it for quite some time now. I am looking for some serious advice, not a bunch of immature or backhanded comments. To those of you who are being serious, thank you. I appreciate it.

A buddy of mine suggested some sort of predatory animal scents. Not sure where I would come up with something like that though.

[Branuss04]

Keep looking around for people, not organizations, that will take them.  My parents live in the more rural part of town but had a couple stray baby cats crawl under their porch. They found a cat lady that lived on a giant farm and she took in stray cats to keep the critters gone.  So they gave her the cats and a money donation for food and such and went on their way.

What about trapping them and relocating them into a more rural area??  I wouldn't think relocating cats would get you in trouble.  

Cats are cool, but strays are bad news.  Good luck with your infestation.

[burleytog]

What about trapping them and relocating them into a more rural area?? I wouldn't think relocating cats would get you in trouble.

 

How does that alleviate the problem?  That is unless you hate songbirds, squirrels, etc.

[Dan:]

A buddy of mine suggested some sort of predatory animal scents. Not sure where I would come up with something like that though.

I know you can buy Fox urine. I knew some people who used that to keep rabbits out of their garden. I don't know if it would work for cats though...

[fourbizz]

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1214106786/0#0

[tyrius.]

C'mon folks. I am being serious here. I kinda feel like I am at a dead end with this situation and have been trying to remedy it for quite some time now. I am looking for some serious advice, not a bunch of immature or backhanded comments. To those of you who are being serious, thank you. I appreciate it.

Sounds to me like your real problem is an ineffective city gov't.  Instead of circulating petitions to try and get them to do something, circulate petitions to get them voted out of office.  The potential loss of their job will have a much more effect on them than a petition trying to tell them what to do.