I'm upset and angry and I need to rant!

[Stringmaker]

A friend of mine told me last night that she had had to put one of her cats to sleep last week.

It turns out that he was in renal failure due to ingesting a toxin, and that usually means one thing; poisoning by anti-freeze.

The village made the regional press two years ago when 4 other cats suffered the same fate within a week or two of each other.

She has one other cat and is now paranoid about letting it out; she is even considering getting it re-homed for its own safety.

What grinds my gears is the callousness and the cruelty; not to mention the fact that a beloved pet and a truly majestic animal is now dead. I swear if I ever saw someone doing that there would be consequences they would never forget.

I am well aware that cats are "Marmite" animals but that isn't the point; the whole thing sickens me. In theory it could be accidental but I doubt it.

 

[Tat2trev]

Nobody puts antifreeze down to poison a cat by accident .
That's just not on

 

[Eragon21]

Two were poisoned in my area a while ago, both from the same home and both expensive pedigree cats and both loved by their owners. However much you dislike cats, this is not on.

 

[Samon]

Yep, few miles of me a lot of cats were being killed this way. I mean alot!

It is cruel, and unfair to kill someones pet. The culprits needs a knock on their door a public nameing and shameing for their animal cruelty.

However, cats should be kept indoors imo. They are destructive and kill alot of nature for fun, and it's also unfair to have someone elses cat kill one of your pets. My wife had two baby rex rabbits constantly being harrassed by neighbouring cats who wanted to murder them and I was left legally unable to stop them. I tried coffe, peel, hanging shiney stuff and even peeing on my fences - but they still came back. Luckily they grew bored after a few months, but I was frustrated with my lack of options!




I will not defend a cat killer, but I don't think this is a 'prank' or 'gag' some kids are playing, but more of a hatred for cats specifically.

 

[HillBill]

Using that logic.... people should be kept indoors also

Sickening to hear about the poisoning. We have cats, and i would be on the warpath if that happened to one of ours.

However, cats should be kept indoors imo. They are destructive and kill alot of nature for fun,
.

 

[Goatboy]

Yep, few miles of me a lot of cats were being killed this way. I mean alot!

It is cruel, and unfair to kill someones pet. The culprits needs a knock on their door a public nameing and shameing for their animal cruelty.

However, cats should be kept indoors imo. They are destructive and kill alot of nature for fun, and it's also unfair to have someone elses cat kill one of your pets. My wife had two baby rex rabbits constantly being harrassed by neighbouring cats who wanted to murder them and I was left legally unable to stop them. I tried coffe, peel, hanging shiney stuff and even peeing on my fences - but they still came back. Luckily they grew bored after a few months, but I was frustrated with my lack of options!




I will not defend a cat killer, but I don't think this is a 'prank' or 'gag' some kids are playing, but more of a hatred for cats specifically.

Samon, you could always try this stuff in the future if needs arise. LINK or if there's a zoo nearby some sell bags of lion poo.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

However, cats should be kept indoors imo. They are destructive and kill alot of nature for fun,
.

Why keep them indoors? It's in there nature to to be outside and hunting is a part of this.
Im not saying that terrorizing other pets is ok but it's what they are, hunters.
Should we stop going into the woods and collecting deadwood for fires and destroying the habitat of what lives within and around the dead wood.

 

[dwardo]

So cats will just drink antifreeze if they come across it? Despite the taste and smell?

 

[mousey]

Unfortunatley there are always a few who have different view points and take their ideas to extremes. There have been a number of cats going missing around us and have been found in a lot worse state than that one. We have cats, my wife really likes animals, I'm happy with animals [prefer dogs myself ] it is getting to the point where we don't let ours out anymore. Only one really tries to get out, yes he hunts but I wouldn't say he does it 'for fun' it is a natural instinct for them, but because he's happily fed he doesn't have to eat what he catches straight away and can afford to practice and hone hunting skills. I know it is not nice [I have had to put a few birds out of their misery - but on the other hand I have managed to save a number too] but it is the way of the natural world.

 

[Stringmaker]

So cats will just drink antifreeze if they come across it? Despite the taste and smell?

That's precisely why it is used; it tastes sweet to them.

As Samon said; this is deliberate targeting.

 

[dwardo]

That's precisely why it tastes sweet to them.

As Samon said; this is deliberate targeting.

Bonkers that. Never heard that before and will never repeat it again. Not a fan of cats but that's awful.

 

[Tat2trev]

People also use starfish they smell lovely to cats but are deadly to them .
In my home town a fisherman was arrested for doing it .terrible way to kill animal.

 

[Stringmaker]

I didn't mention that this is a rural area and the cat used to hunt in the fields.

If it was secondary poisoning via his prey then the symptoms would have been different. Renal failure is a bit of a smoking gun as to the likely cause.

 

[leedsbrew]

Very sad. I have no sipethy for anyone who would hurt someones pet!

a few weeks ago I had to say goodbye to my best friend and camping buddy Ripley, a black lab collie cross who went into renal failure after ingesting 'caustic material' . We first saw what we later found out to be burns on his tounge and took him to the vets, who were convinsed it was an agressive carcinoma. After having some biopsy smaples taken they found that it was chemical burns. I have no idea where he got to it, wether it was something he ate while on a walk, drinking from a puddle with somthing in it???? I just don't know, all I do know is that he battled for 3 months and looked to be getting better, then took a big turn for the worse. We couldnt see him suffer so did what had to be done! I stayed with him till the end, nose to nose, untill the injection took effect. Hands down the worst day of my life!

A few weeks on and I can see that it was the only choise to make. I still can't get used to the house being so quiet, but he gave us some fantastic memories and at 11 had a pretty good inings!

Stringmaker, my thoughts go out to your friend, it's a horrible thing to know someone is responsible, I sure with suport from friends etc she'll be fine!

 

[Dougster]

I have known people with cats s##t on their garden talk about this as a viable alternative to other methods of keeping them out. I'm not talking 'orrible teens but middle class middle aged gardeners with professional backgrounds.

I'm not a cat person but this is wrong whichever way you look at it.

Thankfully my dog makes sure we have no cat problems in our garden.

I think it fair that if they catch the culprit a bottle of Soy Sauce should give them a taste of what they have inflicted.

 

[Robbi]

"I think it fair that if they catch the culprit a bottle of Soy Sauce should give them a taste of what they have inflicted."


only if it is broken and inserted where the sun don't shine !

 

[Stringmaker]

leedsbrew: That is an equally sad tale; good on you for letting the last thing he saw be you. I can't imagine how awful it must have been.

Dougster: I can believe that; cruelty comes from any quarter if the hatred is strong enough.

I have known something about my character for a long time; the cruelty shown here stirs a rage that genuinely frightens me. I am not a loud, lary bloke at all but am really having to work hard to keep a lid on how I feel.

The dominant emotion now is a heavy sadness for my friend and the companion she has lost. I'm sure that will give way to something much darker.

 

[treadlightly]

My God this is a depressing thread!

 

[Niels]

People have sometimes left pins on the ground with smoked salmon on them for dogs to eat here.
Just saying, teach your dog not to eat stuff from the ground. You just can't help some people anymore.
I'm sorry for the loss of the cat.

 

[mountainm]

Some further reading
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90815
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=95173
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16268
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72767

What was done was wrong. Very wrong

But I firmly believe allowing your pet to deffocate in my Garden is also wrong. If you don't know where your pet is then you are not a responsible pet owner. And if a cat can't be controlled to the degree where you do know where it is then cats should not be pets.

Why should I sweep my garden for cat mess so my kids can play safely?

M