Hey cat people, I got a question

[Smokin Okie]

Do you let your cat out over night ?

My security cameras are picking up a cat in my backyard every night, between 1 am and 3 am. I'm thinking this has to be a feral cat. I can't imagine any pet owner letting the cat run the neighborhood all night ?

Sunday evening, we sat on the patio and watched a couple of baby rabbits running around our back yard. Living in a housing addition in the city, that's a treat. But this cat showed up Sunday evening and I found the remains of a baby rabbit. And the adult rabbits have left.

I'd like to set a live trap and relocate this cat to the next county. If its a feral cat, I've got no qualms. I don't like doing that to someone's pet, but if they really cared for their pet they'd not let it roam all night.

Its a pretty cat with distinctive markings, white legs.

 

[chopsaw]

can't imagine any pet owner letting the cat run the neighborhood all night ?

I'm not a cat person , but they do it around here . Makes it easy on them . I'm constantly finding dead birds on my patio . One of them is a Maine Coon . Damn thing looks like a Lynx or a Bobcat . There's always something running through my backyard . Racoons , Coyotes , Mangy damn fox . He needs to be taken out .

I'd like to set a live trap and relocate this cat to the next county.

I'd call the city and tell them about it , if that's an option . They will come out and trap them here , and deal with it accordingly .

 

[Smokin Okie]

I'm just wondering if the cat owners have a good reason for letting them run. I've googled it and not gotten any decent answers.

The City here is not an option. They can't keep up with loose dogs. Animal control has more than they can deal with and the City doesn't want to spend the money.

Friend of mine had a cat getting into his boat, was tearing up the cover and doing damage inside the boat. He trapped it, spray painted it orange, and let it go back home. I can't be that mean, but I'd sure like to find a new home in the country for this one.

 

[jcam222]

Some folks have cats they keep outdoors or leave out at night but not normally. Odds are it's feral. I have 2 feral cats that roam my back yard at times. They don't cause me any issues with spraying on the deck or anything so they live on. I have an indoor cat who's never been outside.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

I'd only have a outside cat. Don't have one right now and you can tell it by the number of rodents around.

 

[chopsaw]

I'd only have a outside cat. Don't have one right now and you can tell it by the number of rodents around.

Yup . As long as they are not to destructive , they can also serve a purpose . I know the guy that owns this cat . He's a good guy . Used to let his dog out at night too , until my German Shepherd gave him a " Don't come back " message .
I Have Cardinals and Robins that return to nest every year it the bushes around my patio . I don't like the fact that this cat kills them .

 

[02ebz06]

We have one that shows up in our yard and looks just like that.
If you find a good trap, let me know.
This thing is digging and crapping in our planting beds.

 

[sawhorseray]

I find the remains of doves in my yard on occasion tho not too often. Cats roam at night on top of the concrete block walls, never see them during the day. The few times we've seen them during the day they get run off by Bob, he can't tolerate the sight of them. RAY

 

[texomakid]

Love cats, got 2. We have some of the neighbors cats that come around and they stay out all night. We live in the woods and there are a lot of critters around us. When my wife decided to feed the other cats it only took 2 nights before the raccoons moved in. Had to shut that down. Our 2 cats only sleep outside if they won't come in when I call them (when they were younger this happened a couple of times) They know I'll lock the door so they now come when I call them

 

[clifish]

Love cats, got 2. We have some of the neighbors cats that come around and they stay out all night. We live in the woods and there are a lot of critters around us. When my wife decided to feed the other cats it only took 2 nights before the raccoons moved in. Had to shut that down. Our 2 cats only sleep outside if they won't come in when I call them (when they were younger this happened a couple of times) They know I'll lock the door so they now come when I call them

We have 2 indoor cats but the neighbors cat loves to live in our yard, my daughter has on occasions seen the cat at our front door step at 3 am.
neighbors cat:

 

[chopsaw]

the neighbors cat loves to live in our yard,

That's a sign . I used to get stray dogs showing up at my first house . They know where to go .
Now people ? If I see them coming I run 'em off before they can even knock on the door .

 

[clifish]

Now people ? If I see them coming I run 'em off before they can even knock on the door .

Every time my door bell rings I check the cameras before I answer

 

[chilerelleno]

Well, yeah, she's an outside cat.

Our adoptee, who was definitely an abandoned animal, was half feral, i.e. well able to take care of herself, but still very love'able and friendly.
A neighbor caught and had her fixed, she and another neighbor let the cat eat with their cats.

Then kitty followed my wife home, and she is now ours.
She gets fed on the porch, sleeps on the porch and the porch is her home.
She is 90% an outside critter, she'll come in get some love, maybe take a nap and then she wants out.
That or she attacks the birdcage and then she gets thrown OUT!

Our other neighbors with cats are the same way, their cats also spend almost the entire day and night outside.
They are all OUTSIDE cats.

Now my hunting buddy in the country has two spoiled cabin cats.
Only one of which goes outside, and only a few hours at a time.
Night time is a no-no with all the Yotes and Bob kitties.
Plus their food/water is kept in the cabin, so there's that incentive for the one who likes being outside.

 

[tpc74]

Some do, some don't even in the city. When I had cats, I never let them out, because it would be too much of a bummer to see them flattened on the side of the road. My cats liked to hangout outside, but only when we were out. If they touched the pavement, it was like they were playing "the floor is lava" game or belly crawling like an army sniper lol. But I still worried.

Only way you could tell is taking them to a vet or something to check for a chip. I wouldn't want them eating my baby bunnys either, but they can have all the rats they want haha.

 

[Hijack73]

My cat is an outdoor cat that comes in occasionally. He's got a buddy that's started hanging around, real pretty cat. He's let me get close enough to pet him very gently once. If he decides he wants to stay full time, I'll feed him too - but I prefer to feed inside to keep possums and coons from coming around and eating the cat food. I appreciate my Big Chub Chub's mousing game.

Plus, with Big Chubs being outside so much, I have to clean the litter box much less.

 

[KBFlyer]

Give one of these a try. Had skunks trying to make my shed their home. Seemed to work as they are not around anymore. Only problem is strong wind blowing tree branches sets it off.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CLRKHXQ5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Smokin Okie]

Give one of these a try. Had skunks trying to make my shed their home. Seemed to work as they are not around anymore. Only problem is strong wind blowing tree branches sets it off.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CLRKHXQ5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But I like the rabbits. I plant a winter cover on my garden in the early fall. Mostly rye grass. It did not take long for a rabbit to find it and he's lived in my backyard all winter. I would see him every morning eating on the rye grass.

I tilled the garden couple months ago and left a row of rye grass for him to get through the winter. Yeah, I've become an old softie.

 

[fxsales1959]

Do you let your cat out over night ?

My security cameras are picking up a cat in my backyard every night, between 1 am and 3 am. I'm thinking this has to be a feral cat. I can't imagine any pet owner letting the cat run the neighborhood all night ?

Sunday evening, we sat on the patio and watched a couple of baby rabbits running around our back yard. Living in a housing addition in the city, that's a treat. But this cat showed up Sunday evening and I found the remains of a baby rabbit. And the adult rabbits have left.

I'd like to set a live trap and relocate this cat to the next county. If its a feral cat, I've got no qualms. I don't like doing that to someone's pet, but if they really cared for their pet they'd not let it roam all night.

Its a pretty cat with distinctive markings, white legs.

View attachment 693969

Mine are too stupid to let out, plus the neighbor"hood" cats that run free are bad-asses

 

[schlotz]

For the record we do have a cat which we rescued from the local humane society. Our previous family member was with us for 17 years but we had to put him down due to failing health. This might not sit well with some but cats are indiscriminate killers. Not their fault, they are what they are, but because of that IMO they should not be put out to roam. They are however very good indoor companions.

 

[Smoking Audi]

We have 3 cats and they are all indoor cats. We do not let them out as we want them to remain as indoor cats.

We walk the neighborhood for exercise in warm weather and there is a domesticated outdoor cat on our walk. Cat actually comes to you almost on command. We spoke with the owner and he said the cat started out indoors and wanted out, never goes far and always comes home to sleep in the garage, in really cold weather he wants in and sleeps with their daughter. Cat is very docile and will come up to just about anyone. Even lets kids carry him around.

We also have a few feral cats in the area. 1 of them usually comes around and sleeps during the day in our backyard as its enclosed with a security fence and he likely feels safe in the confines of our yard. Neighbor a couple doors down sets food out for him and a couple others that are feral in the area, bad weather they use the cat door and chill in their garage.