Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Agreed entirely but I have the utmost respect for charlie, such a shame about his dietary habits though!
Polecat Protected or not?
- Thread starter Foxyboy43
- Start date
Rhodesianjess
Well-Known Member
If you're travelling A 422 Buckingham to deanshanger there's one dead on the road. Big old hob by the looks of it.
Seen it this afternoon going to farm shops.
Same as the polecat in question?Agreed entirely but I have the utmost respect for charlie, such a shame about his dietary habits though!
Are you in an area that they are prevalent?
No but have been in the past
I’m with foxyboy on this one but not for any logical reason other than I’ve had pet ferrets and ‘polecats’ but never a pet fox. Now I’m wondering where I stand on feral cats.
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
If I were you somewhere away from the claws
But seriously truly feral cats (as opposed to Tiddles who wanders for miles). Are as much as pest as foxes, mink etc etc. The damage they do is well documented especially in countries like Australia and New Zealand.
A mate of mine moved to Australia with his wife (she’s from there) many years ago. They have a cage in the back yard and it’s linked be a run to the house. The cats don’t go out. Apparently they are quite common these cages, and they appreciate that if their cats are out of them. They might be shot, I don’t know the exact details of the laws. But the jist of it is if it’s out at night it is legal to shoot. They are at least honest about the damage cats do.
Unlike our own RSPB etc who want Granny’s money and wouldn’t upset her. By telling her Tiddles commits birdicide.
I've got and have had ferrets and polecats, I wouldn't have an issue shooting one that was causing a problem, they are on the UCN 'least concern' list, just like the fox.
My wife and I saw one a couple of months ago on the Northamptonshire / Cambridgeshire border on the B660 between Old Weston and Winwick. Got quite close to it in the car. It stood about 5m from us and stared. Very distinctive black "spectacle" markings around the eyes. First one I have ever seen and it looked at us as if we were the first humans it had seen!
Nice looking animal.
Worth reading (and supporting)
Cats, their owners and the environment - SongBird Survival Research
Cats, their owners and the environment - Learn more about what affects UK songbirds and other small birds in the UK with this research funded by SongBird Survival, specialist Charity.
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www.songbird-survival.org.uk
I lived in Australia for 5 years and the view of cats there is wholly different to the UK, rightly so in my opinion. While I’ve owned cats here for the last 20 years, all rescued animals, I won’t be getting another as I value our birds more.If I were you somewhere away from the claws
But seriously truly feral cats (as opposed to Tiddles who wanders for miles). Are as much as pest as foxes, mink etc etc. The damage they do is well documented especially in countries like Australia and New Zealand.
A mate of mine moved to Australia with his wife (she’s from there) many years ago. They have a cage in the back yard and it’s linked be a run to the house. The cats don’t go out. Apparently they are quite common these cages, and they appreciate that if their cats are out of them. They might be shot, I don’t know the exact details of the laws. But the jist of it is if it’s out at night it is legal to shoot. They are at least honest about the damage cats do.
Unlike our own RSPB etc who want Granny’s money and wouldn’t upset her. By telling her Tiddles commits birdicide.
That said I had a male Bengal who lived on rabbits he hunted himself, great big bastard he was. He’d often turn up on evenings when I was laid up near a burrow and watching him hunt was mesmerising. Sadly he liked the birds too so won’t be getting another.
Maybe a ferret.......
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
My sister keeps cats, but they are house cats. They don’t go out at all. Plenty to keep them occupied and fit.I lived in Australia for 5 years and the view of cats there is wholly different to the UK, rightly so in my opinion. While I’ve owned cats here for the last 20 years, all rescued animals, I won’t be getting another as I value our birds more.
That said I had a male Bengal who lived on rabbits he hunted himself, great big bastard he was. He’d often turn up on evenings when I was laid up near a burrow and watching him hunt was mesmerising. Sadly he liked the birds too so won’t be getting another.
Maybe a ferret.......
But they don’t go out and decimate the bird population, or get themselves run over.
Keeping cats indoors is just cruel. Better not to have them at all.
All IMHO of course.
Exactly this
Sonicdmb73
Well-Known Member
I agree, but that said they seem happy and healthy enough. Each to their own.
palmer_mike
Well-Known Member
Fixed it for ya
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
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