Discussion»Questions»Life and Society» Does anyone have a clever idea how I can feed the ferral cats without attracting unwanted and hungry raccoons and skunks?
Put a little food in a cat trap. If it catches a raccoon or skunk, let it go. Euthanize any cats it catches. I'm serious, feral cats have a DEVASTATING effect on wildlife. DON'T feed them, they'll breed.
They won't breed because I went to the expense of having them fixed. I'm a responsible and compassionate pet owner, even to my ferals, so I would never entertain the idea of having them euthanized.
Oh by the way, if I did do as you suggested, would YOU like to come over and let the skunk out of the trap?
I'm also a responsible pet owner (2 dogs, 3 cats, 3 tree frogs, 2 cockatiels, 2 goldfish and a yabby). Ferals are NOT pets, they've gone wild. The greater bilby is critically endangered, the lesser bilby believed to be extinct, almost entiely due to predation by cats. I've shot feral cats before, and I'm proud of it.
People really need to stop feeding them. They are just as much of the problem as the damn people who release caatts into the wild or let theirs runaround unspayed. They are by all measures one of the most destuctive and numerous invasive species and it's rediculous that they aren't legally allowed to be shot, trapped, and culled because some crazy cat enthusiasts think they need protection to kill and spread disease to native animals.
If you get a skunk I would happily help you out with that. I box trap and release them for people all the time.
Even spayed ferals wreak havoc to the wild life and spread disease. Their lives are miserable for them as well. It's bad for them and all. I'm not a cat person but I feel bad for them the same. Sorry, we have a huge feral cat problem here so I have a strong opinion on them because I see what damage they cause as an invasive species that isn't culled on the bird, rabbit, and other prey animals that belong in the environment. I also see the imense property damage they do and the houses people use to house them out of misguided "compassion"
Hmm... that's a really tough one. Kudos to you for doing the catch and release spay/ neuter thing, though.
The only thing I can think of is to put the food up someplace high where the cats can get to it- the skunks won't climb- and only put it out during the day, since raccoons are most active at night. The cats will learn when they can get to it and where it is. All the other things I can think of involve scaring the raccoons away, but you don't want to scare the skunks lol. So, yeah... Food high up and daytime feedings only, would be my best guess.
It's funny you mentioned that because just tonight I put the dry food on the chair that I have outside the front door and I expected to see him climb up there but he didn't. I had no idea they don't climb. Learn something new every day huh.
When my mom was alive we had about 20 hanging out to be fed every day. After she passed I tried trapping them and eventually I got them all fixed so no more babies think goodness.
The raccoons are easily scared off but the skunks are quite a bit braver.
RogueLoner 