Author Topic: Feeding Ferals/Strays  (Read 2392 times)

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Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Feeding Ferals/Strays
« on: May 22, 2013, 06:37:42 PM »
At my work, good samaritans feed the ferals who live behind the dumpster kibble, and the cats are quite attached to the guys who feed them faithfully before & after their shifts -- enough that they don't run at the site of them.

I don't say anything because I don't want to sound like a "food snob", but I've seen discussions elsewhere and even people who know that kibble is bad maintain that it's better than the cats "starving".

The obvious answer to that (at least in the case of my workplace) would be "Ever wonder why you don't see the rodents & creepy crawlers around anymore?"  That's been the case since these cats showed up.  It's because of cats being cats. 

But here's my real concern:
What when these cats develop Diabetes, or blockages?   Who's gonna know, or be aware?
What if it's Purina chow or any one of the other "foods" under that toxic umbrealla being fed?    On TOP of the health issues, even cats under loving, watchful eyes are getting sick from that stuff!

How would someone feeding ferals know anything's wrong?

I want to speak up but can't.   And on forums when it comes up, people don't understand that people MAY consider other options -- IF they only KNEW.   People aren't AWARE, and that, I believe is the problem.   At LEAST they have the right to know the half of it, but who is going to tell them? 
"The Food Snob Scrooge who hates cats because they'd rather the cats starve"?   


I know that some people will just take the lazy way out and/or trust their vets' endorsements but there's always that ONE person, the needle in the haystack, who would give anything   to have some -- ANY -- warning. 

How to explain this...   Doh1  And that it's the gross "additives" which attract & entice the cats to eat the kibble -- NOT because they're "starving". 







« Last Edit: May 22, 2013, 06:55:22 PM by CarnivorousCritter »

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Feeding Ferals/Strays
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2013, 09:34:59 PM »
Are city cats different from the country cats we have out here? These things are pretty hefty. I've not seen any reason to think about feeding them b/c they're obviously getting plenty elsewhere.

I found out pretty fast that if you throw any food out in the country, you'll get all kinds of new pets that you don't want near your house--like raccoon and possums. I had to quit feeding the little groundhog lettuce & carrots b/c of a possum. And there are plenty of raccoon around on the roadsides to tell me they're around here too. We definitely don't want any of those tormentors around tearing up our things.

I'm afraid that if I put any cans of food out for the cats, the coyotes would make their presence known even more than already; and even if I thought the stuff was okay, I know kibble would be an even bigger draw to the mice that I'd prefer the cats keep away.

There are 5 different ones I see regularly stalking around the brush--a tuxedo; a black; an orange; a sort of brindle colored one; and a solid grey one. I mean, if they didn't have plenty of food from somewhere around here, they wouldn't stay. Would they?
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Offline Lola

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Re: Feeding Ferals/Strays
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2013, 03:37:57 AM »
DeeDee... perfect example!  The cats hanging around you are already feeding themselves with whatever they catch.  The PERFECT meal.  Now... how does one explain (nicely) to someone to not mess with mother nature?
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Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: Feeding Ferals/Strays
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2013, 10:56:53 AM »
Doesn't kibble also attract rodents if it's just left out?
So, eventually the rodents will come back, the cats won't hunt them, and soon you'll end up with an overpopulation of both.
meow meow meow meow meow meow? -woof!
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Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: Feeding Ferals/Strays
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2013, 05:04:58 PM »
DeeDee... perfect example!  The cats hanging around you are already feeding themselves with whatever they catch.  The PERFECT meal.  Now... how does one explain (nicely) to someone to not mess with mother nature?

The sad part, Lola, is that the guys don't know the harmful effects of kibble to begin with.  They have NO idea about carb overload; blocking; the fact that cats can't even chew it, and that all it does is ferment in the stomach...

They don't know that the only reason the cats are gobbling down the kibble is because, since they go by smell, it's the gross smelly additives which hook them. 

The problem would be, it would be like telling these guys that Earth is flat, speaking Japanese, because every vet they've ever known swear by this garbage too. 

Ever go into a restaurant that was soooo bad, and you saw bugs in it too?  Or a rip-off mechanic?  Do we have to be "scared" to warn people about these things? Or a really bad & inexperienced hairdresser in the neighborhood who is charging $$$$?  Nope, because people wouldn't hesitate to take it as Gospel. 

In the pet world, though, the equivalents of that hairdresser, mechanic, & perennial health code-violating bug-infested restaurant  would only continue to prosper....
« Last Edit: May 25, 2013, 05:12:37 PM by CarnivorousCritter »

Offline CarnivorousCritter

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Re: Feeding Ferals/Strays
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2013, 05:24:46 PM »
Are city cats different from the country cats we have out here?

Don't know, DeeDee. I do know that there is rodents-a-plenty in the city (according to relatives, and going by memory growing up), especially around where there is food disposed of and where there are vacant lots, so the stray cats certainly aren't starving.  The rodents could surely take over (any area, city or country) if nature wasn't taking its course, via the stray cats. 

When relatives bought new properties in the city, there was a rodent problem -- until their cats took matters into their own paws.   ;D
We used to always see country rats (cuter than city rats) on the lawn -- until this big white cat started stalking the hood  :)  No more skunk, coon or possum around here anymore, either.  Rabbits were also an everyday sight. Now they're rare.