Poults arrive this week

[woollyback 0]

My problem is cats! Last season I lost a few of my poults to cats I have knocking about on the shoot. How do I stand legally? I must add these are feral cats; I have a road running through the farming estate I work and keeper on and cats have been dumped and abandoned and are now living wild feeding on rabbits and my pheasants. I know they are not owned and are pets because I know all of the locals surrounding the estate and I know what cats they all have. Can I legally trap or shoot them or do I have to use non lethal methods and deterrents?

[leegreen 2,170]

For the protection of game birds, yes.

[sikastag_1 689]

.....

Edited September 3, 2019 by grant_c

[Bobba_fett 117]

if they are feral you can i think, because they way it work (i think) is if you shoot a cat or a dog (a dog that isn't worrying livestock, which game birds dont come under) it counts as you destroying some one property and you are charged with destruction of property, buy if it has no owner and is killer protected wild birds (songbirds) as well as gamebirds i think you are with in your rights to shoot it in the protection of wild/gamebirds, I think.

 

keep it discreet anyway dont go away and hang it on a fence somwhere lol

[Bobba_fett 117]

dont quote me on this....

Edited July 3, 2009 by Bobba_fett

[woollyback 0]

That was the only thing I was concerned about, although now not owned they would have at some point being owned so didnt know whether that affected anything. But you all have confirmed what I thought, if they are killing wild/game birds I am within my right to control them. Cheers fellas

[Cajunrules 8]

My problem is cats! Last season I lost a few of my poults to cats I have knocking about on the shoot. How do I stand legally? I must add these are feral cats; I have a road running through the farming estate I work and keeper on and cats have been dumped and abandoned and are now living wild feeding on rabbits and my pheasants. I know they are not owned and are pets because I know all of the locals surrounding the estate and I know what cats they all have. Can I legally trap or shoot them or do I have to use non lethal methods and deterrents?

 

 

Horrible b******s. They are worse than foxes when they are at your birds, as a fox is more predictable, you can have a sit out and wait for a fox but a cat could be there one day and not be seen again for a week. Just have some 1's or BB's to hand, and good look giving it both barrels. Cheers

[bullxryno 21]

we had a problem with cat on our shoot the best way to deal with them was a live trap with a smelly fish head in it!! all in all we caught 14 of the little fookers!!

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

we had a problem with cat on our shoot the best way to deal with them was a live trap with a smelly fish head in it!! all in all we caught 14 of the little fookers!!

Thats what id be doing

 

Rabbit also works a treat!

[dpb82uk 138]

My problem is cats! Last season I lost a few of my poults to cats I have knocking about on the shoot. How do I stand legally? I must add these are feral cats; I have a road running through the farming estate I work and keeper on and cats have been dumped and abandoned and are now living wild feeding on rabbits and my pheasants. I know they are not owned and are pets because I know all of the locals surrounding the estate and I know what cats they all have. Can I legally trap or shoot them or do I have to use non lethal methods and deterrents?

i hope this helps took me 2 days to fined this info

 

 

Domestic cats and dogs

Domestic cats and dogs can be classed as property under the Theft and Criminal Damage Acts or equivalent legislation in Scotland and consequently it could be an offence to set traps intentionally or recklessly to kill or injure these or other domestic animals.

 

Feral cats

The domestic cat and feral cat are one and the same animal - Felis catus. The family pet is classed as the personal property of its owner and any unjustified control may lead to prosecution. Although the cat's owner cannot be held liable for its actions, they could sue for damages should their cat come to any harm or go missing.

 

Feral cats are prolfic killers of nesting birds. If it can be shown that they have bred or are living in the wild then they may be humanely despatched.

[OldTrapCollector 377]

Feral cats are fair game in this case, by live cage trapping or shooting. A live catch trap would help you to make sure that someone's 'fireside' moggy is not caught before dispatch. I have found that kippers are a good bait in the summer, they don't tend to get flyblown as quick as other baits.

 

Cats, as you know, will cause you as much grief as a hungry vixen and normal anti fox measures around the pen won't deter them either

 

OTC

[josh-waddingham 13]

it is legal to shoot them as long as they are disturbing your game birds, make sure if you kill them then leave them out as teh foxes will choose a dead cat over your game birds

[RaiderBoy 19]

your CZ .22lr should make short work of them

 

Raiderboy

[Guest Rod&dog]

There worse than foxes in some situations,, they can climb into realease pens and cause alot of damage,,I had a few ferals on my old patch but they where shot on site as policy from the landowers who i was lucky to have my own rough shoot on there land,,So i did as i was told. I had one particular black one that was never ever seen when there was a gun handy,,And one evening i was walking through the wood going to check the birds and it was on top of a fence post about to get into the pen,,My mate had a 2.2 on him but we didnt shoot it as the birds would get flightly and scared so waited for it to get out into the feild and let my dog swiftly and nicley despatch it ,, nice and quietly. Sadly i dont have this ground anymore but i hope who evers looking after it now it doing a good job with the ferals as there was more than there was foxes on that land.

[chrisgallop 0]

if shooting feral cats with a rifle make sure they are on your ticket