I always went for the glass of water. Well, the water at least, to be thrown liberally over said annoying cats. Or running out hissing at them, though that is slightly harder to pull off with dignity if you have neighbours (well, OK, the dignity thing just isn't an issue when in the sticks).
Both however mean witnessing the little fuckers (I love cats, I'm more a cat person than a dog person, but like people, cats I don't want around I hate, and will throw water at).
Ha!
The funny thing about all these posts is that as I'm reading them I'm glancing out my office window, (both yesterday and today) and there's always at least one cat back there who makes eye contact with me whenever my head pops up in the window.
Now both the SO and I have tried the running-at-the-cat-while-hissing/yelling/kicking up dust thing - mostly on the one omni-present tabby cat, who we've nick-named "the Fucker" ("The Fucker is on your car again." "Look out when you put that recycling out, the Fucker is on the deck." etc). But the Fucker is a defiant bastard. Though he's show a total aversion to my original friendly method of calling him over and offering rubs, when it comes to the running at him method he just casually saunters off a few feet, and makes a u-turn back to his original spot if you keep making chase. So basically our dignity gets bruised and we get to have a cat look gaze at us sarcastically. Cats are gazing at me sarcastically! Sarcastically!
We just bought a hose, but have yet to set it up as the unlandscaped yard means a trudge through mucky clay to get to the water service hook-up. Having had two neighbour cats at our old place who liked to poop in my garden, I know this doesn't work all that well, but it is sort of fun...
I've contacted the Humane Society and apparently on top of the fact that I would have to deal with trapping and delivering the cats to them there is also a "surrendering fee" of $50 plus tax to cover either fixing the animal if it's adopted or to cover euthanizing it if it's not. Of course I'm fully aware that a cardboard box at their backdoor would totally avoid any fees... Their basic response seems to be that they are totally overwhelmed by strays, and the woman on the phone sounded totally flustered and sad about having to say this. It's been in the news pretty much constantly since Spring, and now it's totally my problem. The City and the Humane Society are both throwing up their hands.
I have to agree with most of you that it isn't cruel to cull the population of strays. I can't stand the idea of hurting little furry things, but I have to remember that they're already being hurt on a regular basis by living the life they live. Since clearly I can't afford the costs involved in addressing the situation myself (or sheer number of animals), and that me working alone is like using a paper cup to drain the ocean, I will join the Neigbourhood Watch for our area, and if one doesn't exist, I'll start one up. It's one thing when I'm a single homeowner doing what I can to fix this and another when several members of the neighbourhood are working towards positive action. A full out campaine to promote responsible pet ownership paired with regular enforcement of city by-laws seems like the most appropriate route of action.
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Topic: Stray cats everywhere! (Read 6061 times)