If it truly is a cycle of life, and letting nature take its course, then the OP should maybe get a big mean dog. A dog capable of and made to destroy cats. Or a .22 handgun as humans are the apex predator.
SSG § Schwartz
a ring of those around the perimeter of the feeder would work. I’d scatter a few in the yard and move them so the cat learns to stay out of the yard altogether.
I agree that a dog is a possible solution. But a .22 handgun is not an answer as it was made by man to destroy humans and other species for criminal activity, vengeance, and sport. Domestic cats, big cats, eagles, hawks, snakes, and most other animals on planet Earth are predators because they have to be to survive. It is only humans who kill for the thrill or gain, and frequently without remorse.
So a .22 can’t be used by a human for self defense or survival?
I thought cats killed for the thrill of the chase and then played with the victim. A bullet to the head seems more humane.
SSG § Schwartz
Wilbo - oh please, of course a .22 can be used for self-defense. If you happen to be in Africa, and a BIG cat (e.g., lion, tiger, cheetah) leaps at you, you may use your .22 on him. Statistically, it’s more likely that you will be attacked by a human, in which case I have no qualms about sending the offender straight to hell.
And SSG: cats do chase, catch, release, chase catch…but it isn’t for a “thrill” – only humans do stupid shit “for the thrill.” Domesticated cats, especially indoor cats, are well fed and aren’t in a hurry to eat their prey, but catching and releasing is their way of practicing and re-enforcing their hunting skills.
There is something like 50 million feral cats in the U.S. They do irreparable damage to songbirds, bats, frogs, lizards and a number of other natural species. They compete for food with owls and raptors.
If it was any other animal it would be an ecological disaster and we would have a bounty on them. Just kill it.
So a variety of species competes for food; what’s new? And what stats do you have to show that cats do “irreparable damage” to songbirds, etc.? None of the species you mention (AFAIK) are on the endangered species list. So a hawk may not succeed in snaring a particular mouse, but a cat does; what does that prove? The hawk moves on and finds something else. Hawks, as well as owls and raptors, have the advantage since they can see their prey very well from the air and swoop down before the prey realizes what’s happened. It’s only an “ecological disaster” if an ecological system is destroyed, or affected to the point of causing loss of life (e.g., melting glaciers). And as far as I’m concerned, it’s immoral to kill a creature who is doing what it was designed to do and what it must do in order to survive. If only humans could restrain themselves thus, wouldn’t it be a better world? (Sorry everyone to sermonize, but this is a sore subject for me.)
Why should a native species have to compete with a invasive? Because it’s cute, what a joke
Why are we worried about species going extinct? Because *they’re *cute?
It’s just nature doing what’s natural.
Cats didn’t swim over from Europe; they were brought here, just as horses were.
Is he a black and orange cat? Is he sitting on a fence? Does he holler to the moonlight on a summer night? Do you have a bunch of old shoes? You know what to do. That’ll get him back to getting his dinner from the garbage can.
Merijeek - its been a few days.
Have you made a decision on what to do?
How has it worked?