discouraging cats

toolbox · #81 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Robin

....Didn't farmers once upon a time used to attach dead birds to a fence with the idea of warding off live birds to protect their crops? I wonder if nailing a cat might have the same effect

Damn! I gotta try that one first!

Jonathan · #82 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C J Smallman

Wasnt so much farmers as gamekeepers used to do it to show they were doing their job

No, that's a gibbet and is entirely different. Some farmers do indeed hang up dead birds to discourage others from eating their crops. It's usually a crow or a rook tied to a stick in the middle of a recently-drilled field, though I've seen woodies, gulls, even a dead buzzard! It probably works for a few hours, then the birds get used to it. It's not something you see much these days but used to be commonplace at one time. Molecatchers used to hang their quarry along fences too so that farmers could see they were doing their job. I don't suppose there are many (if any?) professional molecatchers in the country these days, and if there were they'd probably use poison. However, I do still see this practise in the Forest of Bowland occasionally, and I noticed a fence lined with dead moles from the A588 near Cockerham on the Fylde recently.

Cheers
Jonathan

Jim Ford · #83 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toolbox

WOAH! I had no idea I was entering into the ampetheatre of controversy!

New round here, aren't you!

You'll get used to the 'cat threads'. Nothing ever gets resolved and they often get nasty. I usually post this link as my answer to 'the cat problem', with the comment that the neighbours don't care for it much!

YouTube - Dillon Aero M134 Gatling gun

Jim

toolbox · #84 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 10:45 AM

Yes Jim, I am I suppose, but I gotta tell ya that overall I think I am with you on this one, and at least I did get some ideas..

I am only sorry I missed out on the tea and biscuits

. I only got in from work this morning and have enjoyed this so much am now wondering what my next thread can be. Not that I enjoy controversy...

toolbox · #85 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 10:54 AM

Brilliant Jaz!! If only that was on film

TB

Ben Rigsby · #86 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 11:53 AM

hmm. a lot of hatred being banded about here. esp by people like jim.hes really

eh?

stop fretting so mate.
domestic felis isnt wiping out a species wholesale - like mink and the water vole, the grey and the red squirrel, american crayfish and white clawed, wall lizards and sand lizards
or even badgers bumping off all our hedgehogs come to that.

isnt your copious bile better directed elsewhere?

perhaps its worth pointing out (though you should have thought of this) that the reason cats were domesticated was [i]in order[i] to control rats and mice.
and now people are complaining??!!
you cant blame a cat for being a cat and instead of posting all your nastiness here, why not do something constructive like campaigning for laws restricting their numbers instead of posting all your nastiness here?
nobody should be allowed to own 10 cats or dogs come to that imao

further, ive noticed over the years that a lot of hypocrisy is put forward. especially by dog-owning hunters (who have rarely owned a cat themselves and so are blind to their usefulness as company).

EG if a whippet catches a rabbit or a lurcher a deer its "good boy!" but if a cat uses its skill to catch even a pesky house mouse they cant stop wailing about it.
Reason; they cant train and control a cat and deep down resent the fact.

Fauna · #87 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan

No, that's a gibbet and is entirely different. Some farmers do indeed hang up dead birds to discourage others from eating their crops. It's usually a crow or a rook tied to a stick in the middle of a recently-drilled field, though I've seen woodies, gulls, even a dead buzzard! It probably works for a few hours, then the birds get used to it. It's not something you see much these days but used to be commonplace at one time. Molecatchers used to hang their quarry along fences too so that farmers could see they were doing their job. I don't suppose there are many (if any?) professional molecatchers in the country these days, and if there were they'd probably use poison. However, I do still see this practise in the Forest of Bowland occasionally, and I noticed a fence lined with dead moles from the A588 near Cockerham on the Fylde recently.

Cheers
Jonathan

Sorry for going of topic toolbox...

There is still one about that i know of Jonathan. He will only use Scissor traps, he hates using poisons. I was watching him last year clearing moles for a sheep farmer, all the moles that where caught would be taken back to the farmer, as he got paid per mole. He would average about 90 moles a year on this farm...

Regards Chris...

Fauna · #88 (**permalink**) 13-02-2011, 12:16 PM

....John Mogg the sawmill ratcher used to run terriors, cats and foxes together when hunting rats. Though he breed a larger type cat (the moggy) to take rats, as most of the smaller types would run away from an adult rat (i hope i got my history right here).

Like most i don't hate cats but i would not want one as a pet, so why does my neighbours presume i would like to share responsibilties with theirs?

Its not only them comming in and catching the wildlife in my garden, but its the scratching over and "polluting" my veg garden. Also the screaming and fighting till early hours.