query about dissappearing cats

[countrybumpkin]

Can anyone tell me if cats are sometimes rounded up and 'removed' from areas? Have noticed most cats that we usually see around our site have been missing for 3 days now.

[surfmeetseast]

In my experience it depends where you live. I have a core of 8 semi ferals. Sometimes one or two will wander off but return and occasionally wander off and not be seen again but most of ours have been around for years. If you are down in a populated area there may have been some poisoning going on or indeed a round up, or both

[Ragged Robin]

Do cats have a mating season? Earlier this year my garden was invaded and surrounded by a gang of stray cats, yowling, fighting and mating on walls, shed roofs etc. , driving the dogs mad and terrifying the old one who is going blind. Now, apart from two or three less wild small black ones .which I think are the third generation that live and are fed in a nearby garden, they have all seem to have disappeared. Poison may have been the reason (not me I hasten to add they were a dratted nuisance but I could not kill any animal , particularly that way even mice), but why do two or three remain?

The other reason is of course that the cats were fed by someone who has moved away or is a Swallow ,and/ or that someone else is offering them a better menu elsewhere?

I have been delighted to notice the return of a "Scops" (? spelling) Owl (the one with a call like a lorry reversing) I dont think owls attack large grown cats, but maybe provides too much competition in the hunt for natural prey .?

[ttoli]

The ones that I feed vanish for days at a time when swallows offer them more than dried food

[Owl Lady]

Yes Ragged Robin sure that is the correct spelling, As you may have gathered I adore owls.!!!!!

[the butlers wife]

Ragged Robin,

We have been adopted by 2 female cats, I have been informed they are mother and daughter and are identical in colour and markings. They have both been spayed but every March and April we have all the neighbourhood toms in our garden calling for them. The mother cat chases them but the younger one encourages them. I have not seen them mate but who knows what they do at night? The tom cats disappear from the garden in May and only occasionally are they sighted but they do not call. So I would say that there is mating season in early spring.

The butlers wife

[mikelapta]

Have you had any new Vıetnamese movıng ınto your area.?There was a story ın local paper a few months ago,about cats beıng eaten (A bıt lıke chıcken or rabbıt,I am told)

[Ragged Robin]

Mikel: You have got your Turkish keyboard on again.ıııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııııı
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There was a story last year about the Vıetmanese eating dogs ! and the French eat horses!

Owl Lady: Yes they are fascinating birds! I have one every year - hear it but rarely sight it. This year I was worried it had been put off by all the new development ,, then I not only heard it but saw TWO fly into a tree next door, so I am hoping. I have heard the locals call Scops Owl "Yaz-Kış" (winter-summer) because of the noise they make and because they are migratory,

Or perhaps the Owls have taken the pussy cats to sea in a beautiful pea green boats!

Butlers Wife: that seems to confirm my experience re mating season. Good for you for having them spayed, not just feeding them. All my dogs have been neutered, but it doesnt seem to stop them trying(and one of the females is a right little flirt) but at least they dont seem to need to make such an almighty noise about it as cats do.

[mikelapta]

Sorry Turkısh keyboard beıng fıxed,trıed my Welsh keyboard,but spat at me when I typed 'll'........Waıtıng to see ıf Ol'bırds come ın my garden tonıght.....not all saıled away !!!