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Discussion Topic: On Iowa Feral-Cat Bounty
When 50 or so feral cats became a problem recently in tiny Randolph, Iowa, Mayor Vance Trively offered a solution: Pay $5 to people who catch them and either return the cats to their owners or have them euthanized. Well, that didn’t go over too well with kitty lovers. From the Des Moines Register:
The suddenly famous Randolph cats were given another life Thursday night. After animal advocates nationwide pummeled the town with e-mails and letter-writing campaigns, the City Council in the tiny southwest Iowa town repealed its $5 bounty on roaming cats.
What do you think? Was the bounty a good idea?
The bounty was a good idea.
Posted by: Mike Diehl | March 20, 2008 at 02:01 PM
Kill them all!!!!!!!
Posted by: DACMAN | March 20, 2008 at 02:20 PM
if their a nuisance then get rid of them. the bounty is an excellent idea and if the cats have a family still that wants them, they can have it back. if not, then its one less pest causing problems.
Posted by: zak | March 20, 2008 at 03:55 PM
feral cats are excellent targets.
Posted by: Walt Smith | March 20, 2008 at 07:50 PM
SSS - Shoot, Shovel, Shut-up.
Posted by: MidnightBanjo | March 20, 2008 at 07:58 PM
call elliot spitzer, he has a record of attracting feral felines and pays for the privilege
Posted by: r napolitano | March 20, 2008 at 07:58 PM
These so called animal rights groups don't care about native animals. I've got a Ruger 10/22 with a 25 round clip that does.
Posted by: Matt Mallery | March 20, 2008 at 09:58 PM
Feral cats are a big problem for native bird populations, I think we should open a hunting season
Posted by: RC | March 20, 2008 at 10:46 PM
I think the bounty is a bad idea. Why should tax payers have to pay for this instead of irresponsible cat owners who don't get their cats neutered or spayed and won't keep their cats inside? Fine the cat owners for neglect for letting their cats get feral. Crack down on irresponsible pet ownership and hit those owners in the pocket book and feral cat numbers will decrease.
Posted by: William | March 21, 2008 at 02:44 AM
1. Set live catch trap.
2. Bait trap with canned cat food.
3. Catch cat.
4. Place trap in trash can full of water for ten minutes.
5. Empty trap into another trash can.
6. Reset trap.
Posted by: zack | March 21, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Repeat as necessary, and keep your mouth shut!
Posted by: zack | March 21, 2008 at 04:29 PM
shoot'em. grab tail. give'em a whirl over bank behide house.
Posted by: david | March 22, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Hey William, it might cost more to enforce those rules than just had out $5 per carcass.
Posted by: david | March 22, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Don't know what all the fuss is about!? Even a decent powered .17 or .22 pellet rifle will solve the problem!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | March 22, 2008 at 04:59 PM
sounds like a good idea to me,be nice if they would do it here in grandrapids,mi. id shoot cats for FREE.
Don
Posted by: don m. | March 22, 2008 at 10:15 PM
I don't know if any of you remember the little round that CCI built they called a "CB Cap" or not. I used them quite a bit but am now unable to find them. I used them in an old Marlin 39A that held about half a box in the mag! The sound of the hammer falling was louder than the round going off!
I fellow I worked with had a problem with squirrels chewing into the attic of his home in a suburb of Fort Worth. He had bought a pellet gun but the neighbors whined every time he would shoot! I turned him on to the little CB Cap. He bought a single shot Marlin, I think, at a pawn shop and cleared the neighborhood of squirrels! The neighbors never caught on!
That's probably why CCI doesn't build them anymore!
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | March 23, 2008 at 10:53 AM
I hate feral cats. They kill so many grouse and rabbits around my land that I go hunt'n just for feral cats. I made my own feral cat season- the weekend. Kill any you see they are a pain if their numbers get out of control. Trust me.
MPN
Posted by: MPN | March 23, 2008 at 09:36 PM
I say kill them all. We have them on our land and they have started killing our chickens. They carrie disease and are a just plain vermin. I have taken care of half a dozen of these things already.
Posted by: rabbitpolice88 | March 23, 2008 at 10:11 PM
I sympathize with the town of Randolph, Iowa. When I was Deputy Director of Public Works for the town I was employed I had the same problem with feral cats breeding and hanging around the dumpsters behind a food store. A man was bitten and had to receive the rabies vaccination. We brought the issue to the town council and suggested humanely capturing the felines and putting the friendlier ones up for adoption and euthanizing the wild ones. Cat lovers appeared out of the woodworks and waged a PR campaign against our recommendations. One group, Feline Hope, actually wanted the town at taxpayers expense to trap all the cats, neuter them, give them all the shots, and return them to their haunt by the dumpsters. It was unbelieveable!
William, I hear ya, but there is no way to prove who the at large cats belong to. We have found that people when faced with a fine or such will not claim their own cat.
Posted by: John R | March 24, 2008 at 09:17 AM
"One group, Feline Hope, actually wanted the town at taxpayers expense to trap all the cats, neuter them, give them all the shots, and return them to their haunt by the dumpsters. It was unbelieveable!"
Apparently the town of Randolph has backed down and is implementing the catch and neuter policy. One can only hope they're not spending citizens' money on that silliness.
This Sunday, the city in which I live also adopted a cat catch-and-neuter program. Fortunately the money is not coming from taxpayer coffers but instead from some whiney leftwingers.
Posted by: Mike Diehl | March 24, 2008 at 12:14 PM
I THINK WE ALL FEEL YOU PAIN MIKE D. THE ONLY GOOD CAT IS A DEAD CAT.
DON
Posted by: don m. | March 24, 2008 at 08:44 PM
Somebody needs to send these people that book that's titled, "101 Things To Do With A Dead Cat!"
Bubba
Posted by: Bubba | March 25, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Hey, it's not all left-wingers. I have a vegetarian, Nader-supporting friend that has removed over 100 ferals from my town in one year alone.
Cats just DO NOT belong outside.
Posted by: Steve | May 28, 2008 at 11:44 AM