Cats keep eating snakes in the yard....

[Unsung-melody]

I didn't know where to put this post so I placed it here. Feel free to move it if there is a more appropriate location.

I keep finding disembodied snakes in my yard. I'm assuming they are brown snakes, very common to Louisiana, especially where I'm located, but I can't be sure. The cats eat their heads and half the bodies and leave the tails. Should I be worried about it? I mean, I feel sorry for the snakes, but I don't think it would be right to lock my cats inside just because they act on their natural instincts when outside. Then again, I don't want them getting sick, either. What would you guys do in this situation?

[Lankyrob]

We dont have many native snakes but we do have Slowworms (legless lizards) and frogs and birds here and our cats regulalry catch and eat many of these - there is nothing you can do to stop it as it is natural behaviour - its sad but true

[Unsung-melody]

That's what I was thinking. I know snake repellant doesn't work. And even if it did, the girls would just go to someone else's yard and kill them there. I just hope they don't get themselves in trouble by trying to eat a hot snake. I've seen a few cotton mouths hit on the roads near my house. (I live about a half mile from Bayou DeSiard). I'm also a worry wort tho. Lol. Anyway, there's nothing I can do about it do I suppose I should stop worrying. Lol.

[infernalis]

I used to have "outside" cats, the Coyotes got them.

Now I only keep house cats, and if they ate one of my snakes, I would let them out on a full moon night......

[BarelyBreathing]

Cats are in fact the number one most destructive animals to native animal populations. In some countries, they are the number one reason why wildlife is on the brink of extinction. Some places make it illegal to let your cat wander.

If that's not reason enough to keep your cat inside, think of these statistics:
-Outdoor cats have shown to have more health problems than those kept indoors.
-On average, outdoor cats live a fraction of the normal expected life span. Most won't see their second birthdays due to cars, predators, poisoning, and disease.
-A terrifyingly large number of outdoor cats in the US have been exposed to FIV.

Please, do what's best for your cat, your wildlife, and your neighborhood and keep your cats indoors.

[Unsung-melody]

They used to be strictly indoor cats but they went kind of crazy. I raised both of them from 4 weeks old and never let them outside until they were over a year old because they began to drive me crazy. They would sit at the door all day and cry. I refused to let them out until they got loose one day and hid under the house. I was most certainly not crawling under the house to get them, so I put food and water out and they came back in the next day. Since then, they come and go as they please. They love it outside. I don't know why they were never happy as indoor cats, but they honestly seem a lot happier now that they are allowed outside. I keep up with regular vet visits and I don't live on a busy street. I know it's more dangerous, but anyone can be killed as soon as he or she leaves the house, but it doesn't stop most of us. Idk. If a problem ever arises, I'll bring them back in. I understand the statistics, and that is why I kept them inside so long, but I'd rather them be as happy as possible.

[BarelyBreathing]

The problem has already risen. They are killing off native wildlife. You need to provide better stimulation for them indoors. Some tips:

-Hang some old carpet on the walls for them to climb.
-Invest in a cat entertainment system. They simulate the outside by playing sounds and videos of birds and squirrels. I believe they have a fish one, too.
-Toys, toys, and more toys. Invest in some puzzle toys that allow you to put food inside. Your cats will have to think about how to get the food out (and make sure it's a very tasty treat).
-Spend time with them.

[Lankyrob]

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

The problem has already risen. They are killing off native wildlife. You need to provide better stimulation for them indoors. Some tips:

-Hang some old carpet on the walls for them to climb.
-Invest in a cat entertainment system. They simulate the outside by playing sounds and videos of birds and squirrels. I believe they have a fish one, too.
-Toys, toys, and more toys. Invest in some puzzle toys that allow you to put food inside. Your cats will have to think about how to get the food out (and make sure it's a very tasty treat).
-Spend time with them.

This just made me laugh - our cats have 24 hour human contact, more toys than they could possibly use in a year, a large house big enough for them to both run around all day but they would much rather have free run of the outside space - it is impossible to match the stimulation of nature to any wild animal inside a house.

[Pareeeee]

I don't have cats (at the moment!) but if I ever have another cat I would never let it outside.

There are #1, too many dangers to them (cars, other animals, worms, fleas, etc.) and #2, they pose too much of a threat to the native animal populations. They also like to poop in neighbour's gardens and flower boxes...

[BarelyBreathing]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

This just made me laugh - our cats have 24 hour human contact, more toys than they could possibly use in a year, a large house big enough for them to both run around all day but they would much rather have free run of the outside space - it is impossible to match the stimulation of nature to any wild animal inside a house.

While I agree with that, I also think it's important to be a responsible pet owner and not let your cat out to destroy populations of native animals. I take my cats outside, but they are 100% supervised and contained when they are out. The only thing they get to kill is mice in the barn.

[Valvaren]

I don't agree with the shortened life span, I grew up with feral caught outdoor cats, three of them, we don't know how old they were when we got them but the youngest was 18 when she died and had to be put down. that was due to having to a freak genetic condition. The other two lived to 21 and 23 :\

[Lankyrob]

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

While I agree with that, I also think it's important to be a responsible pet owner and not let your cat out to destroy populations of native animals. I take my cats outside, but they are 100% supervised and contained when they are out. The only thing they get to kill is mice in the barn.

Arent the mice "native animals" and if so havent you just killed your own argument?

[BarelyBreathing]

Originally Posted by Valvaren

I don't agree with the shortened life span, I grew up with feral caught outdoor cats, three of them, we don't know how old they were when we got them but the youngest was 18 when she died and had to be put down. that was due to having to a freak genetic condition. The other two lived to 21 and 23 :\

How do you know she was eighteen if you didn't know how old she was when you got her?

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Arent the mice "native animals" and if so havent you just killed your own argument?

I don't think fancy mice that I bought from the pet store count as "native animals". We had a breeding project escape. Hundreds of mice.

[Lankyrob]

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

How do you know she was eighteen if you didn't know how old she was when you got her?



I don't think fancy mice that I bought from the pet store count as "native animals". We had a breeding project escape. Hundreds of mice.

To be fair you made no mention of "fancy mice"

[BarelyBreathing]

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

To be fair you made no mention of "fancy mice"

Ha, sorry. I guess I assumed you were all familiar with what I was talking about because I ranted about it a while ago.