# Ferrel Cats



## roughneck (Nov 28, 2014)

Came out on my sun porch today and found two very large ferrel cats sitting on my deck. They weren't very quick at running off when I went out there. 
I called animal control, but was told I could rent cat traps but due to overcrowding in the shelter, they couldn't take whatever I caught. 
I think they are living under the deck as that's where one of them ran to. 
Aside from my .22, what will make them go away and not come back. My yard is fenced in with a 6' tall fence, but they are getting under the gates. 
I have no idea if these things are sick or mean, and my 2 year old plays back there. Plus my house is for sale, and a large dirty cat is the last thing I want prospective buyers to see.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Ferrel cats follow the food. If there is no food (trash) or rats....they move on.

I'm guessing you have a mouse or rat issue which is why they are hanging around.

The fence is not an issue...they can scale that faster than you can eat a potato chip.

Make sure there are no food sources....and once your rat issue is taken care of, they will move on.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

What ever you do, don't feed them or they will never leave.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

BigJim said:


> What ever you do, don't feed them or they will never leave.


As Jim says, do NOT feed them. The moment you give them food, they will be on to you faster than a lib on food stamps.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I have a relative that lives in a no ferrel cat neighborhood so the rats moved in. Now they have a Gray Fox den in their back yard.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

I shot one when I lived on a farm, but it was chasing my kids.


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## roughneck (Nov 28, 2014)

The only food source they'd have is wild rabbits that live around the house in the shrubbery and fields. As I have farms on all sides I keep mouse traps out all the time to keep the mice away, so no food there. I wouldn't dare feed them. 
I'm gonna start spraying them with water, and otherwise make life in my yard as undesirable as possible when I see them out there. 
I just don't want strange animals around my daughter. They start acting aggressive around any of us and they are done for.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

We had a severe cat problem here in our neighborhood, between our two neighbors we had 30 or so cats roaming around, since the coyotes have moved in, the cats have thinned out to maybe two or three now. 

We don't have mice, rats or snakes but we also have very few birds. Cats are killers, there is no two ways about it. I don't hate cats, I just don't want one in our house.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

We own an old house well over 100 years old. Every fall a few mice get in and my son's cat kills them as fast as they come in. She never eats them though.


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## Gustavas (Oct 4, 2014)

you could always just use a live trap, and then drive 10 miles or so away and let them out. doubt they'd be back.


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## roughneck (Nov 28, 2014)

Looks like harbor freight has live traps on sale this month, I might pick some up. 
I saw them today in the neighbors yard, sprayed them both with water from the hose. Both ran off and haven't seen them since.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

Save your money and time getting a Harbor Freight cage. I had a cat problem when I moved in as the house had been vacant 2 yrs and this was their hangout.

I caught a cat, turned my back one second to close my door, looked at the cage and my yard, no sign of the cat. They go crazy the minute they get trapped and this one forced himself out as the door didn't fit tight. (After a couple of minutes they calm down.)

I got a Havaheart trap at Home Depot and caught 11 cats with no trouble. The city then picked them up.

After research this worked for me. Put some food out for a couple of days then put the cage out but block the door open so they get used to it. Then I put the food just inside the open cage. Also put a cover over the cage and they'll be more likely to go in. I used black landscape cloth. Once they're eating that food
then set the trap according to directions.

I had one sneaky cat so bought sardines which was the only thing it liked. Then I used the cheapest moist food I could find, but didn't give them a whole can at one time.

It didn't take racoons long to find the food and get trapped. The first time the city came an released it, the next time, I was afraid but I released it. It was laying down looking bored.

After a cat is trapped it calms them down to put a blanket over the cage. Maybe they feel more secure? The city has an ordinance no cats or dogs are allowed to roam.


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