Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I've gotten soft in my old age, Ed. I used to pop them with a .22, but now I trap them and turn them loose on a dead end road about 1.5 miles away.

Good thing too, because my dad was complaining about a white baby possum living in the shop. Hadn't seen a white one before, so I decided to trap it. This is what I found:



She was about eight weeks old there. She's now twice that size and her markings have fully developed. She's a gorgeous fawn-point Thai. To an 82 y/o guy (my dad), I can see how she may have looked like a baby possum with that gray tail and ears, LOL. Someone lost an expensive kitten. :eek:

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

yeah I have guns and traps. just don't leave food out at night and baby sit the food during the day if you can. they will move off. but as long as it does not get to be to many and they don't leave a mess its kind of fun watching them.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I got 16 of those. Fawn & blue point; a couple of yellow tabbies (one bob tail); and 3 are charcoal gray; White with light yellow rings on the tail; and a Black cat that is Mama to the the fawn & Blue points.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I wasn't leaving food out. The possums would knock the chicken feed bucket over & lid off to eat the feed. I found 2 at the bucket trying to get the lid off. ... If they can't get to the feed, chickens are missing the next day. I think they would climb the tree and knock the chicken off her roost. The possum and/or bobcat don't mess with the chickens in the pens. I have an electric wire around the top. ... I can't use a trap because of my cats. They would be in it.

The reason I got the 410 shotgun was because of a hawk getting the young chicks during the day. This past summer I found 3 different piles of feathers in mid-morning and no dead chicks. I also noticed when a large bird flew over all the chickens ran for cover.

My problems are hawk, possum, bobcat, coyote, and the neighbors dogs. The dogs I shot in the ass with a BB gun, They don't come back any more. ... For the coyotes, a AR15 is on stand by. I saw fresh coyote tracks yesterday. And the 410 is double duty on the possums or bobcats at night.

Oh. The neighbor is a County Animal Control Officer. It was his dogs I shot in the ass in my yard. He called the Sheriff dept in April. So me & 3 Deputies had a serious discussion. (I'm a retired Georgia Cert. reserve Deputy of 20 years) Seems I scared the hell out his 8 year son when I tried to shot the dog with the BB gun. ... this is a long story, but the deputies left to have a discussion with the neighbor about his underage son riding an ATV on public roads and unable to control the large nuisance dog.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Ed, I love ya! That is too funny.

Most cops don't understand the laws they are trying to enforce, and when someone schools them on the law, they don't know what to do!

Several years back, I had a problem with a neighbor trespassing on a right-of-way through my property. I ran him out and called the cops. When they showed up, they told me there was nothing they could do, as he had to be there and they had to tell him in person. Nope!

I said, "Under NCGS 14-159.13, if the property is posted at every corner and every 200 yards along each boundary line, you are authorized to arrest on a first offense without being present."

He admitted he did not know that. Sounds like your deps need a schooling as well.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

noop ... they knew darn well I had the right to defend my property. They were trying to show their ass and throw their fat ass weight around.

The lieutenant told me the next time to call them if there was a problem that I couldn't shoot the dogs. I asked him: 'I was to call 911 and stand around watching the dog kill my little dog & chickens while waiting for them to get here?' ... He said No, No. ... I cut him off short and told the lieutenant his argument just ended and they had no more reason to be here, I did what I had to do!

Picture this: I when to Walmart for fresh CO2 cartridges. When I got back (may be 20 min) 3 patrol cars had pulled in on my lawn surrounding my house. I pulled in behind them, got out of the car asked 'what's going on?? Someone in my house?' ... Before they left I also got on their butts about driving all over my yard/grass and pointed out they did not know where the septic tank was nor if there was a sprinkler system in the yard to be damaged. They had no reason to leave the road or the driveway.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Yeah, if your feel your life or safety is in jeopardy, you can shoot them. At least here in NC.

If they were parked on your lawn, you should have gotten pics and contacted the local news station. Sounds to me, that you don't take crap off of anyone either.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I'm too old to take crap and know better anyway. The last thing the Deputies would want to do is pull 'color of law' Sect. 8 violation or my civil rights. I'll own their ass as well as having another nice income.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Get off my lawn!!!

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

heres a picture of cat I took Tuesday night. the wife was sitting 4 ft from it and he hung with us for nearly 2 hrs.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Yeah, those "possum pussies" like to hiss an awful lot, but they are all show and no go. Pick them up and start petting them, and they don't know what to do. They usually faint.

Skunks are like that too. I had an uncle that used to catch skunks for people. He'd call them over and start talking to them; petting and coo-cooing. Then, he'd pick them up and stuff them into a bag. They always fell for it.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

well I have not intentions of petting this guy, haha. he will move off in time.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

If you have the chance, quote Horace Greeley to him--firmly. I'd prefer that he and his buds not come east.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

"Go west, Young Marsupial?"

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

He will, but you can pick him up without any repercussions. Put him in a box and take him for a ride. Unless it's a she, in which case you'll 12 more of these next year...

They rarely bite, and when they do, they don't carry rabies, so it's no different than getting bitten by a Guinea pig.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I have had them come around before for many many years. hopefully this one will go on like the others. fun to see them for a little while. if not I will trap it and take it for a long ride and let it live in the wild like it is supposed to.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Had to add to the story after what has been going on lately. I have a fenced in yard with a pool and enclosure. I walk the 3 dogs outside the enclosure. Used to leave the poop and bag it up in the AM. About a month ago the dog poop started disappearing overnite!!!!!

Turned out to be rats. I now have to pick it up before nightfall.
And set traps.
I also spread around some Tomcat bait chunks over the fence in the wooded lot next door.

Gimme a break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


5/6 UPDATE ------- Did a walk around last PM on the Tomcat baits and every one had been carried off overnight. About 20 baits total. Spaced about 8 ft apart. This is why it's a big problem. There's a friggin army of the furry bestids out there!!!!!

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Yes, rats love dog poop. When I lived in MD on the cusp of DC my neighbor had 3 dogs (illegal without a kennel permit) who pooped in her small yard. She never had any issues with their leavings. I, on the other hand, was quite dismayed that the vermin drawn to those canine treats also came to my yard to finish off their meal with my grapes and other fruits.

At the time (prior to the PETA nonsense) the city gave out square bait blocks (peanut butter flavored I was told---I'm not sure because I didn't sample them) with a hole in the center that homeowners could set in their yard. We were told to securely wire them using coat hangers; we ignored the instructions with the 1st 15 we received and they promptly disappeared overnight. The next 15 and 15 and 15 and 15 (we were regular customers) were secured so they went away much slower at that point. I never did get rid of all of the rats and the EX shot 34 squirrels in less than 18 months (shhhh! even BB guns are illegal in the city) but no more clawed their way into my attic surrounded by no trees! I finally got to eat a few grapes.

I'm sure I told the story about how I moved into my jungle hovel (foreclosure) where the prior owners kept snakes (and dogs and cats and who knows what else) and the next door neighbor supported himself raising pinkies before his place as "sold out from under him" so naturally I had 3 "house rats" living with me. When one got into bed with me a few months later--seriously--I declared war.

I won.

Two years later I sometimes wake up in a hot sweat (heck, this is FL--nobody sweats cold) and wonder if "they're back". They're not but it doesn't help that a slimy SKINK finds his way inside often. He runs down the hall and into my room sometimes unless I see him first and tell him loudly to go away. Gazing at me feigning both confusion and deafness for a minute he then scurries back down the hall. Ron says I should be glad he's on patrol because that nasty thing is why I don't have bugs.

Okay.

Fine.

I need a resident bugeater.

I want a gecko...

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Years ago, I worked in a cabinet shop. We had huge rats that would come out at night. I set standard rat traps with McDonalds chicken McNuggets. I caught the 14" queen. Then, others started using this and we got the 18" king and even trapped two rats at the same time.

Use your own judgment, but set out a trap with a realistic bait. I've trapped a bunch of cats over the years; screening out cat goodies as opposed to possums. My best cats were strays. I shot the possums and in the case of the rabid raccoon, I shot him live on the phone with 911 as he attacked me.

If it's a kitty, keep it. If not, use your own judgment.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I have a temporary cat of sorts. Someone put it in my neighbor's car when she was grocery shopping. She took it to her vet to determine age (6 weeks or so) and to get fleas treated. She has a dog and 2 cats; she can't chance infecting them with a stranger. So I'm fostering this tiny creature who nearly fits in my hand. Is this her forever home? IF she can figure out the litter box (hasn't shown any interest yet), perhaps. :ha:

A few minutes after she arrived...


About an hour later...


And now she's curled up on that black blanket (loves black) sleeping like she belongs in my hovel. IF she chases SKINKS out of my domain, she very possibly will remain here. Hey, before anyone thinks I'm about to abandon her know that I accepted caring for her because my neighbor couldn't and neither of us wanted her to be dropped off at a regular shelter. I don't know how to contact our local cat lady but see her regularly at yard sales; She's set up her estate to provide places for cats so this precious little one will have a home. She's curled up at my feet sleeping peacefully...

ETA: Now she's gently clawing my ankles and "massaging" my legs. Darn...


.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

The lady in Home Depot was an expert on rat trapping. She said best bait she found was beef jerky. So I got a small pack of Slim Jims. Will try it out soon and report.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I am sure everyone has mentioned raccoons and possums. At night in florida are many rodents about that might eat cat food. These include various rat like creatures and flying squirrels that might eat cat food. some places also have skunks. I have to elevate the cat food so my dogs do not eat it so that avoids the armadillos and I am sure the dogs would discourage them along with the coons and possums. Foxes and coyotes will eat cat food and also your cat if they can catch. Not likely but possible could be a bobcat. My dogs will likely keep the larger denizens of the dark at bay and away from the house.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Beef jerky, aka Slim Jims, works like a charm. Cleaned all the ratz out from under the shed. Few months later and their back. The min pin races around the shed looking for them. Have screening installed as a skirt so he can't crawl under. :08: Doesn't stop the Ratz though!!!:08:

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

I actually got curious about three months ago and tried some moist cat food. Not too bad. I wouldn't put it on crackers mind you, but if I got hungry enough, I'd eat it.

Perhaps you have some hobos in your area.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Coons can be cute. Back in 1987, a friend of mine and I were camping in Quebec, when a pair of coons came out of the darkness and begged for food. I went through an entire box of Nilla Wafers, but I never tried to pet or even touch them.

Couple years back, my neighbor called in a panic, because a coon had tried to open her front door. I finally found it next door and as soon as it saw me, it went into a rage. I was on the phone with 911 as I shot it through the chest. It blinked and looked at me as though "Why did you just do that?"

I dropped the phone and finished the job. Even though I had IDed myself and shot this thing on the air, it got transferred to dead animal control. Took them TWO DAYS to get the carcass! I asked my X, who dispatches for this department why it took so long. It seems that the instant I pulled the trigger, this rabid animal downgraded to a simple dead animal.

That my friends, is your tax dollars at waste.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

haha ... He's (dead coon) not going any where, so there was no longer any rush to save him.

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

Crabs......:08:

Re: What besides stray cats eat cat food at night in FL?
 

possum gets my vote I had one that ate cat food off the front porch for several years he became so tame you could walk out on the porch and he would just keep on eating