Predation from Cats

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   Cats are a perfect pest here for catching slow worms. I rescue them when I see it happen but this is just a small percentage I suspect. The gardens here are large and perfect for slow worms. Sadly ALL my neighbours dislike slow worms (snakes!) and don't intervene when they see a cat playing with a slow worm. Also cats catch and kill frogs if not stopped. Nature I know.

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Suzi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suzi Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Predation from Cats Posted: 04 Aug 2008 at 12:25pm
	Cats are a perfect pest here for catching slow worms. I rescue them when I see it happen but this is just a small percentage I suspect. The gardens here are large and perfect for slow worms. Sadly ALL my neighbours dislike slow worms (snakes!) and don't intervene when they see a cat playing with a slow worm. Also cats catch and kill frogs if not stopped. Nature I know.
	Suz

Liz Heard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429	Post Options Post Reply Quote Liz Heard Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jun 2010 at 6:31pm
	hi herpes (yes im sure you HAVE heard that i before!). id just like to point out the obvious here. davids post was interesting but lets not get carried away by foolishly comparing unfed, unhoused moggies (are you sure the word PETS is justifiable?)in poland with the (for the most part)pampered ones here. of course the hunting instinct in felis is innate so the uk and the polish cat will be the same in that respect. but take away hunger and the the animal isnt going to be as driven to hunting is it? i wouldnt go to work unless i had to! breeding is drastically reduced here by spaying. im not saying herp predation never happens here but i had a bumper year for frogs again, have never seen mine or neighbours cats with rana (they arent interested in newts at all) and also, in the domestic environment there are few natural predators. herp lover and cat owner, ben

Suzi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suzi Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jun 2010 at 7:15pm
	I would suggest that the cats are playing with slow worms and frogs. Sure this often leads to their death but I don't think they intend eating them. The biggest killer round my way is one of the most well fed cats you could meet. If a thing moves and wriggles it is fair game for a cat. They often kill mice and young rabbits but don't eat them.
	Suz

Paul Hudson Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 98	Post Options Post Reply Quote Paul Hudson Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Jun 2010 at 9:57pm
	In a study by Ruth Henshaw , 1990,s ,she questioned domestic cat owners whose properties were adjacent to sand lizard populations on Merseyside and quite a few of these people had mentioned that their cats would return home with "green Lizards" .I have also observed cats pouncing in the vegatation in areas where sand lizards occur
	Paul Hudson

dave fixx Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 411	Post Options Post Reply Quote dave fixx Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Jun 2010 at 11:57pm
	The alarm I bought and placed by my ponds has worked a treat.I only used it for two months and over a year later the cats wont go near there although they still go in other parts of my garden.I regularly see them with mice and shrews but not frogs.As mentioned before they just seem to play with them hunger doesnt seem to be a factor.
	Dave Williams davewilliamsphotography.co.uk

Alan Hyde Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1437	Post Options Post Reply Quote Alan Hyde Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 2010 at 9:50am
	The domestic cat will not go away, it's here for keeps. I have seven and feel education is the only way forward. Cat owners MUST Get their animal neutered/Spayed (This helps prevent wandering) Feed their animals on High quality foods that keep the animal satisfied yet not fat Give the animal a loving environment, not buy as a novelty then ignore. Dedicate an area in their own garden as a toilet. Turn the Earth reguarly and the cats will not be able to resist using that spot. These methods do not solve the problem 100% , but they do have a big effect on the cats wandering nomadic behaviour. A happy, well looked after neutered cat becomes a home lover and the desire to hunt is curbed consideribly
	O-> O+>

Liz Heard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Location: South West Status: Offline Points: 1429	Post Options Post Reply Quote Liz Heard Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 Jun 2010 at 2:52pm
	well i certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons there didnt i? oops! sorry david i certainly didnt mean to offend. i was only speaking from what ive observed here in GLOS for the last decade and i only speak of amphibians NOT reptiles. ive never been to poland but id imagine an easy option there (since these felines are clearly NOT pets) would be trapping/shooting. if the (primarily dog owning- this is significant) hunting fraternity in eastern europe is anything like that of the uk then i know there'll be no shortage of riflemen eager to oblige since such folk almost universally detest cats. otherwise hunter tourists might be interested. i never said cats dont predate herps (though not seen it here- 2 cats next door, 8 2 doors down, own 1 myself) and as i said, there are few natural predators in urbanisation. no one picked up on that.swings and roundabouts. alan and daves excellent advice is most welcome and helpful. the bottom line is, cats are the uks most popular pet and as alan says they are here to stay. feline demonisation by herpers is pointless. thanks for mucho info all and some great points raised. caleb- i moved a log in the garden the other day and had to rescue a rana and a bufo in the process- the former screamed at me! palmates have squeaked at and even bitten!) me in the past too. ben PS thought id better point out- i prefer herps to cats!