Don't $*&@Ģing Believe it!!!

[SuzyB]

I have one of those tagged cat flaps Jules and whether its just mine or not I dont know but the tags dont seem to make a great deal of difference. Last year just after Id started growing my own veg, next doors cat got in the house through it. When I came home from work, he panicked, ran into the kitchen where I had a plastic grow house inside by the patio doors with all my newly sprouting stuff and somehow managed to get inside it trying to make for the door behind - completely trashed the lot, pots went flying, soil everywhere, plastic was torn as he scratched himself out in a panic. In he end he got out and tore back through the house and back out of the open front door. Wondered how the hell he'd got in.

Then, when one of mine lost his collar for the first time, andhe could still get in and out with no difficulty at all I realised the tags dont really work! Since then, my other cat we've discovered is allergic to collars, hence he doesnt wear one now and despite the locks being on the flap, he can get in and out no problem.

I have my fingers crossed the RSPCA can sort something out for you.
xx

[weekendwellies]

oh noo! So sorry Julesapple. Its horrible when you lose any animal, but it must be so much worse when it was an otherwise healthy one taken by a predator.
I dont keep chucks but I do have a guinea pig, well actually he is eldest daughter's, and when we were looking for his outdoor hutch/run I had to get one that was completely covered as we have a cat and, at the time a Jack Russell type dog, and we also have had several visits from a SparrowHawk.

Similar to this but with only one section of the run bit.
http://www.bitsforpets.com/images/th...bbit-hutch.jpg

[sheena]

I have a magnetic cat flap too, which the cat's never did manage to use (they were too dumb to go in the shed out of the ran and would rather sit at the back door scratching it).

Anyway, since then both cat's have since departed. But the cat flap remains and does actually work, only letting in anything that will make it activate... However... As the flap is magnetic, even if you place a paperclip around the edge it will activate the flap letting in anything that choses to enter.

HTH

[sqweek01]

I beg to differ...I had a white cat and he had nothing wrong with his hearing.

Blasting any cat with an aerosol foghorn would definitely not do there hearing any good at all.

Tis true but I meant to purely put the frightners on it not to hurt its' hearing

Regards

Clare

[snakeshack]

Oh no Jules!!

Dont know what to say, thats terrible! Definitely agree, stuff the cat!

try lemon and thyme paxo!

[julesapple]

RSPCA van has been parked along the road for an hour now. Pity but we won't get to know any more because they aren't allowed to say what recommendations have been made or actions taken.

I've noticed that the curtains have been twitching right opposite so I might get more details from those neighbours later They might know if the RSPCA removed any of the cats. I don't want these people to lose their cats, but I do want the cats looked after. I'm worried that this cat is so hungry (it is skinny) that he has no choice but to find food for himself and our chooks were an easy target.

Can they be pets if you don't feed them and they aren't allowed in the house?

Jules

[SuzyB]

I wouldnt class any animal that wasnt looked after and given the basics of food and shelter and love a pet.

Nasty neighbours next door to me (as opposed to nice neighbours on the other side) didnt look after their cat. I challenged them at one point as it was terriby thin, matted and always starving as to whether there was something wrong with it and the woman got very defensive saying it was just old (not by normal standards). I'd let it in my kitchen at night over winter as did nice neighbour and we both fed it. During the big snow they put a cardboard box out in their garden for it and that was it. The cat died on my patio and when I went round to tell the owner I had to make her come round - she was expecting me to dispose of the body. As it was, she saw it, disappeared saying she was getting a box and didnt come back. Later on her sister came for it.

[SuzyB]

I should add, I got my own back inadvertently - I got the girls and then found out she has a phobia of all birds - what goes around come around !

[Hilary B]

If they keep a Staffy as a 'weapon', I class that as abuse of the animal (properly treated Staffies are lovely dogs, but their tempers DO spoil more readily than most if messed about), and if the cat is treated as a stray (not llowed in, not properly fed etc), I would be inclined to 'rescue' it (trap it and take to a rescue centre as a stray that has been bothering you).

[matthew2riches]

It sounds like you could do with a dog

[Glutton4...]

If they keep a Staffy as a 'weapon', I class that as abuse of the animal (properly treated Staffies are lovely dogs, but their tempers DO spoil more readily than most if messed about), and if the cat is treated as a stray (not llowed in, not properly fed etc), I would be inclined to 'rescue' it (trap it and take to a rescue centre as a stray that has been bothering you).

Ditto every word!

[Alison]

I have a magnetic cat flap too, which the cat's never did manage to use (they were too dumb to go in the shed out of the ran and would rather sit at the back door scratching it).

Anyway, since then both cat's have since departed. But the cat flap remains and does actually work, only letting in anything that will make it activate... However... As the flap is magnetic, even if you place a paperclip around the edge it will activate the flap letting in anything that choses to enter.

HTH

We got one years ago as we had so many extra cats coming in when we were out but it didn't work at all. One of our cats worked it fine but the other one doesn't go through cat flaps in the standard manner ie head first and likes to push it with his paw at which point the sensor thing was too far from the flap. Gave up after a week of trying to teach him how to do it but we do seem to get less other cats these days.

[Graham K]

Bear Grills, Discovery channel, most evenings. How to trap just about anything that moves, end of problem!