loosing cats

[shimble]

well we' have lost another cat basil ourprobably 6 to 8 month old cat has not come home for three or four days. we inherited a wild cat that gives birth each year and each year none of the cats survive. some are run over some are naturally weak and die and we presume some are shot or poisoned by the farm near us our neighbour tells us the farmer is a gros con and lays poison and happily shoots cats. when we lost our last cat who was a house pet we had for two years we confronted the farmer and asked if hehad seen our cat. he responded to my girlfriend who is french that he knew nothing but his attitude was one of contempt as she was with langlais le bar maybe i am placing blame where it is not deservered but after loosing four cats in six months i am starting to loose my temper i have no proof and only a maybe misplaced suspicion i have considered seeing the maire and gendarmaerie but cannot see that it will be taken seriously i have consideredfronting the farmer again and considered a nighttime trip with a can of petrol all these thoughts will probably cause me more trouble. any ideas where do i go from here i dearly love my adopted pets and each time we become friends they are taken from me. i also lost a dog that was old but the vet did pose the question of whether he had been poisoned at the time i was too upset to consider this as my dog was my 14 yearold best friend now i start to wonder can i approach anyone to find out if the farmer is laying poison on his land i dont particularly want a war with the farmer but if he isdoing this i am willing to go up against him this will put me in a precarious position against a farmerwho ishappy to walk round with his gun and shoot anything that moves in an area where hunting is considered a normal occupation. i would appreciate some advise before i get myself into trouble

[Unknown]

Oh Shimble I am sorry for you.  I don't know the rights and wrongs of living in France, but I do know how much I love my cats.  In fact my children have one each on their lap and its lovely for them before they got to bed to have a cuddle with their pets.

I hope you can reason with this farmer, if of course he is to blame.  Don't be too rash though, there may be another explanation.

Good luck

Dotty

[Lou]

I sympathise utterly - we have just lost our second cat in 3 months - both of them just vanished into thin air.  We have no idea what happened to them, someone suggested that a trigger-happy hunter might be responsible when the first one went missing.  I think the worst thing is just not knowing.  The trouble is there's so many possibilities, we are resigned now to never knowing though it doesn't stop us speculating night after night.  Our cats were both very gentle home-loving cats and we find it hard to believe they just wandered off, we have been wondering whether someone has stolen them. 

I understand your frustration with the farmer but I'm not sure confronting him is a good idea, if you have no proof all you will do is antagonise him even more and even if he wasn't responsible for the other cats who knows what ideas he might get for the next one....... and you have to continue to live in the area. 

I don't have any other suggestions, it's just heartbreaking when your pets go missing.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Lou

EDIT we have had sympathy from our the secretary at our mairie and from all the other villagers we've talked to - worth letting as many people know as possible, if this person is responsible maybe, just maybe someone else in the village knows and will put him straight

[Dick Smith]

Shimble, I feel for you. We lost a number of cats, some came back, others didn't. One of the saddest things I know is my friend in the North-East who was living alone with a cat for company. The pigeon-fanciers poisoned it, like they poisoned all the cats in the neighbourhood. He was devastated, too. I despise people who hurt cats.

But we did have one show up after six months away, so keep hoping!

[lizzy h]

I know exactly how you feel, to be honest my cats are my life other than my kids (dont tell me hubby though) I absolutely adore them treat them as babies everyone thinks I'm mad! I don't know why I put myself through all the pain and anguish that they cause, when they are out I search for them and spend all my time worrying they are getting run over or poisoned, we brought 12 cats and 6 dogs from the UK  and have lost 3 on the road and one by suspisious cicumstances ie (he made it home and got through the cat flap and then Died in the kitchen ) all signs were it was poison I was so devestated and angry at their unnessasary deaths, I am getting so paranoid about losing another the young ones  they dont go out anymore when they do escape I get them back in after a short while, I cannot sleep unless they are all in and tucked up so to speak, so people must think I'm over the top and have nothing else to do but its not the case, you look after them and love them and its heartbreaking for them to die so young! Its upsetting me just writing this. My opinion on the attitude of the majority of french people on cats is that they just dont care, they are used as target practice and treat like vermon and laugh at me when I say otherwise, I feel so stronghly about this it is putting me off rescuing any more as I cannot stand the pain of  losing them.I hope you sort this out with the chasse and marie good luck!!!

[cooperlola]

Back in the UK we lived on a busy main road, even though it was in the middle of nowhere.  Squashed cats became a sad fact of life until we just gave up in the end and confined them to the house.  Those which we'd had from kittens never seemed to mind much and adapted very well - eventually even not wanting to go out if we left the door open.  It's not the perfect life for them but we just figured it was better than winding up dead.  The one which is left of the three remaining house cats that we brought over here is now 18 and happy and healthy.  She occasionally nips out for a kip on the terrace but she still prefers the comforts of an indoor life.

[shimble]

yes squashed cats is a problem here too. the last time i went away for two days, i returned to find a stiff cat on the drive, although a quiet country road cars often pass at over 100kmh, and friday and saturday, well, wine and calvados stocked drivers are not rare. to combat this ive considered installing a revolving blue light putting rocks in the road and maybe discussing with the marie putting a speed camera in the garden. we shall see, as i need to see the marie soon. good job we have no children

[Jc]

Why should poor old Marie do anything about speeding?Try the Maire at the Mairie.

[londoneye]

shimble, i am really sorry to hear about your cat.     But i dont think it is only farmers who use various poisons - its like the killing fields in our local m. bricolage - a whole massive row of poisons, traps, to kill just about anything that moves .. and i am sure most areas are the same.

In truth the only way to keep a cat safe is indoors; how fair that is i dont really know.. depends on the cat i guess.

lizzie, i am as anxious about my one cat as you are about yours; if i dont see him at least once an hour i go looking (or we both do actually).     We dont go to bed at night until he is in, and then he stays in all night.   He is not always happy about it, but i figure that at least that way if he does eat something (although generally he is so spoilt he wouldnt touch anything except the world's most expensive cat food) then i will know generally within the hour if he is unwell.    May well still be too late, but at least i feel better about it.   Last summer he led myself and OH a merry dance around the back garden bushes a few times at 2.00 in morning, because he didnt want to come in, but he has had so many mishaps since being in france that i feel compelled to try and keep a watch on him.    Over the top?   yes, probably, but i cant help myself, as i adore him so much.   But, if something does ever happen to him (apart from death by old age), then i will have done all i can, but still balanced up the fact that he wants to be outside and hunt and do all the things cats do, and personally i cant deprive him of that.   Therefore there is always the risk of road accident, or eating either poison directly or from a poisoned mouse or rat.   We can all only do our best by them, the rest is up to luck really.     Fingers crossed Shimble's cat may yet come back  ..

[Monika]

I am so sorry about your cat, I am now "catless" in the UK, but for many years I worried, when they did not turn up when I called them, once one was lost for 4 days. We also moved house 6 times with them but it always worked out well. Our 6 kittens at our holiday home in France (see my former postings) are now reduced to 2 and the mother is still around. However we think we saw one of the kittens in the local bar curled up on a settee and we were so pleased, because it will have a good live there and a constant source of food. You must not imagine the worst, you have to make yourself believe that he has found another good home.

[AnOther]

I so sympathise with all who have lost their furry friends, it truly is like losing a family member and something that those who dislike cats will never understand.

Both my wife and I have been surrounded by cats since we were children and at one time, as a result of taking in an unwanted young cat which was already pregnant, we had 9 around the house.

That cat was the only one we ever took in like this, having always had more mature cats from the local cat rescue home, yet she went on became a total "daddies cat" and my all time favourite. She was our last remaining one and her death last year at nearly 20 totally broke our hearts to the extent that we have resolved to have no more. Sopy tw*t that I am I'm welling up just writing about it.................[:(][:(][:(]

With the stories I'm hearing about the fate of so many cats in France I'm sure we've made the right decision, let's see if our resove holds if a stray turns up and adopts us..............!

I honestly think if I caught someone delberately harming a cat of mine I might do something rash.

Here she is at 18 or 19 years old, now I am off for a blub..............

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/gemima.jpg[/IMG]

[Quillan]

People do dump cats that are a problem.

I wanted to start by saying we have 3 cats and a dog jus so you know I like animals. We have a cat that has appeared and looks like its half Persian. It’s not been done and is living wild. It comes to our house and urinates everywhere outside obviously because two of our cats are female (although sterilized as is our tom). He fights our Tom and it has cost us around 300 Euros s far in stitches and antibiotics, he is now a virtual prisoner in his own home. He used our cat flap and urinated all round the house.

We can't leave any door or window open in this hot weather else he is in. Our Tom obviously feels threatened so he is now urinating in the house to mark his own patch. Every night he comes calling for out 'girls' and then the dog goes berserk barking for around 10 minutes. Now considering we run a B&B as well this is not very good to say the least. Another neighbour has the same problem with him and we have asked the 5 house round us if it is their cat because we would be happy to pay ourselves to have him sterilized. Nobody owns the cat, we have asked the rescue people to take him away and nothing has happened as they can't catch him. One of the local chaps has said he will shoot it and another has offered me a shotgun. Now I can't shoot a cat, I mean it's not his fault, it’s the original owners fault but I really am at the end of the road with this one.

The only thing I can think of is to try and catch him by building a trap (but then why should I spend the money) and take him to the centre of Quillan and dump the 'problem' there. Now you guys may think that’s a bit nasty but if you were in my shoes believe me it could be the best solution. Now before anyone has a go at me I don't mind providing you are willing to come and sort this problem out for me. I don't mean giving me a lecture over the internet I mean come here, capture the cat and take him away.

 

[AnOther]

Over the years we have had problems with both feral cats and maurauding neighbours cats and I agree it  it can be a huge problem.

Catching Feral cats is difficult and they can be be extremly vicious if cornered but I have done it a couple of times and have taken my captives to the cat rescue where they can sometimes be tamed by neutering. They will never put a healthy cat down.

This may not help you much but both houses we have lived in over the past 30 years or so have had dual catflaps which, by locking the inner one and making the outer one in only created a natural trap.

You ask why should you spend the money on building a trap but I would suggest that it's a very small price to pay to solve what is clearly a major problem for you.

One final tip: When tackling a trapped cat welders gloves or something equally robust are absolutely essential. Don't forget that cats can carry Rabies which may not be too much of a worry in UK but is definately one to be aware of in France.

Good luck

[Russethouse]

Cat Protection and many vets in the UK will let you borrow a cat trap - couldn't your vet or the recue center lend you one ?

We had a similar problem with a semi feral cat but it had been rescued by the Cat Protection lady who lived next door - would she do anything about it ? No ! Even when it was 'seen to' it remained a dreadful bully resulting with us having to get rid of our pets because of the urinating problem !

[Quillan]

We only have one cat rescure place which is over in Carcassonne and they didn't really want to know. I got a friend who's French to phone up and ask. I have a cage we used to transport our dog and  though of making something with that which is next weeks 'project'. I saw somebody today in Quillan who will take him if I cqn catch him. Glad I'm not alone Gay it started as a bit of a joke, him comeing calling on our girls but know, several hundred Euros latter its not so funny. What I am more worried about is the bloke down the road because he will shoot it if it goes in his house. The cat is actually quite attractive. What I really have a problem getting my head round is how people can just dump animals. The people who sold us our house just left their cat 'because it didn't come when they called it' on the day they moved out. Fortunatly our neighbour took it on but I understand it's quit normal. People round here do a lot of food preserving and they have cats for mice and rats more than for pets so they view them as big rat catchers and nothing more.

[Russethouse]

There isn't much funny about the smell of cat wee, and I was really upset to have to get my cats re homed, the Cat Protection lady told me that I was supposed to let them re home them but I had already taken them to a smaller organization that do a great job.

Luckily the neighbour has moved now (and later fell out with CP too) but their cats really did effect us - couldn't leave the downstairs window open, couldn't garden (at one stage we had over 16 cats she treated as pets, and cats don't like using their own garden as a toilet, they used ours, the guy who used to come and help refused to continue because of the cats mess)

I love cats and up until then we had always had at least one, but  after that I think in a suburban environment limiting numbers is not unreasonable.

How about asking the vet about hiring a trap ?