Cats and Snakes

Our two kittens have gotten pretty big now at 10 months. Since we
sometimes
have mice, we have encouraged their natural hunting instincts and they
are both
terror on the mole and mouse population. Yesterday Spirit ran into the
house
and proudly showed us the 3" garter snake he had caught. The snake was
returned
to the woods and since it was an unusal warm February day, the snake
was very
doscile having just thawed out. He brought it back today and it was
worse for the wear.
Last year we found a copperhead in our yard and I am not eager for our
cats to think snakes
are fun toys. I am hoping that when they encounter more agressive
snakes, their instinct
will ward them off. I'm wondering if I should be conserned and what
others have experienced
with cats and snakes.

Dave

Oops, that should have read the 3' garter snake ...

Dave

keep the cats indoors, their instinct most likely wont kick in when it comes
to venomous snakes and the cats are destroying more wildlife then just moles
and mice. read the indoor outdoor article here to see what can happen to
outdoor cats
http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...rsorou tdoors


wrote in message
oups.com...
Oops, that should have read the 3' garter snake ...

Dave

blove wrote:
keep the cats indoors, their instinct most likely wont kick in when it comes
to venomous snakes and the cats are destroying more wildlife then just moles
and mice. read the indoor outdoor article here to see what can happen to
outdoor cats
http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...rsorou tdoors


It would be interesting to see such a detailed list of all the dangers
an indoor cat is at risk from as well. All the numerous chemicals,
electricity cables/sockets etc, cookers, boiling water, poisonous house
plants, doors to get shut in, people to stand on them, objects to fall
on them, children to injure them, people to not feed or water them or
even abuse them, pets to attack them, rooms to get locked in, washing
machines, tumble driers, fridges, freezers, ovens, heaters etc.

Not to mention the fact that someone could break into your house and
make your indoor kitty an outside one instantly without your knowledge
or even set fire to your house with your cat trapped inside.

You are not able to keep an eye on ANY pet for 100% of the time whether
it is out or in.

BOTH HAVE HUGE RISKS!



wrote in message
oups.com...

Oops, that should have read the 3' garter snake ...

Dave






--
Badger Badger Badger

BC said:

You are not able to keep an eye on ANY pet for 100% of the time
whether it is out or in.

BOTH HAVE HUGE RISKS!

I think the biggest single risk for outdoor cats is still cars. But in
spite of risk, I do not want to deprive them of the joy of climbing
trees or chasing chipmonks. Every cat I have had before had a healthy
respect for snakes and I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts
on this. The posionous ones are rare, so I hope that encounters with
more agressive garter snakes will make them more cautious.

Dave

wrote:
BC said:


You are not able to keep an eye on ANY pet for 100% of the time

whether it is out or in.

BOTH HAVE HUGE RISKS!

I think the biggest single risk for outdoor cats is still cars. But in
spite of risk, I do not want to deprive them of the joy of climbing
trees or chasing chipmonks. Every cat I have had before had a healthy
respect for snakes and I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts
on this. The posionous ones are rare, so I hope that encounters with
more agressive garter snakes will make them more cautious.

Dave

That wasn't a dig at you, sorry if you thought it was. Just a bit fed up
of reading about how bad the outdoors is, as if the indoors has no risks
at all!

Living in England we do not have much worry with snakes. I must say I
had always thought that cats like most animals had an inbuilt fear of
them. I would imagine that your cat would learn to keep away if it met
a wide awake snake in the warmer weather and that it was just lucky and
proud to have found a docile one! Glad I dont live where you do, I'd go
mad if my cat brought home a snake!!!!

--
Badger Badger Badger

Why don't you keep your cats indoors?

--
Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of Your Computer Needs!
www.panthertekit.com
wrote in message
oups.com...
Our two kittens have gotten pretty big now at 10 months. Since we
sometimes
have mice, we have encouraged their natural hunting instincts and they
are both
terror on the mole and mouse population. Yesterday Spirit ran into the
house
and proudly showed us the 3" garter snake he had caught. The snake was
returned
to the woods and since it was an unusal warm February day, the snake
was very
doscile having just thawed out. He brought it back today and it was
worse for the wear.
Last year we found a copperhead in our yard and I am not eager for our
cats to think snakes
are fun toys. I am hoping that when they encounter more agressive
snakes, their instinct
will ward them off. I'm wondering if I should be conserned and what
others have experienced
with cats and snakes.

Dave

A reponsible pet keeper will ensure that there are no risks indoors. Im
keeping my cats indoors because i dont want them hit by cars, ripped apart
by wild dogs and domesticated dogs, poisoned by horrible people, shot with
guns by drunk idiots or kids with bb guns, venomated by venomous snakes, and
ya know what i enjoy watchin birds at the bird feeders and squirrels runnin
aroun in the yard playin and i dont want to see em murdered by cats. I also
want my cats to have a long happy lifespan wich is something they wont have
if kept outdoors where they can get diseases from other cats and from the
things i listed above.

"BC" wrote in message
...
blove wrote:
keep the cats indoors, their instinct most likely wont kick in when it
comes to venomous snakes and the cats are destroying more wildlife then
just moles and mice. read the indoor outdoor article here to see what
can happen to outdoor cats
http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...rsorou tdoors


It would be interesting to see such a detailed list of all the dangers an
indoor cat is at risk from as well. All the numerous chemicals,
electricity cables/sockets etc, cookers, boiling water, poisonous house
plants, doors to get shut in, people to stand on them, objects to fall on
them, children to injure them, people to not feed or water them or even
abuse them, pets to attack them, rooms to get locked in, washing machines,
tumble driers, fridges, freezers, ovens, heaters etc.

Not to mention the fact that someone could break into your house and make
your indoor kitty an outside one instantly without your knowledge or even
set fire to your house with your cat trapped inside.

You are not able to keep an eye on ANY pet for 100% of the time whether it
is out or in.

BOTH HAVE HUGE RISKS!



wrote in message
oups.com...

Oops, that should have read the 3' garter snake ...

Dave






--
Badger Badger Badger

blove wrote:
A reponsible pet keeper will ensure that there are no risks indoors. Im
keeping my cats indoors because i dont want them hit by cars, ripped apart
by wild dogs and domesticated dogs, poisoned by horrible people, shot with
guns by drunk idiots or kids with bb guns, venomated by venomous snakes, and
ya know what i enjoy watchin birds at the bird feeders and squirrels runnin
aroun in the yard playin and i dont want to see em murdered by cats. I also
want my cats to have a long happy lifespan wich is something they wont have
if kept outdoors where they can get diseases from other cats and from the
things i listed above.

It is IMPOSSIBLE to remove ALL risks, even indoors. All a responsible
owner can do is try their best. I fully UNDERSTAND why people in
certain areas keep their cats in, it would be extremely irresponsible to
let the majority of cats out into an extremely busy city.

However, these newsgroups are read by people all over the world. In many
countries like England it is very safe to let cats out(as long as you
dont live in the centre of a big city), There are no risks from diseases
or wild animals etc. and lifespan is in no way reduced.

"BC" wrote in message
...

blove wrote:

keep the cats indoors, their instinct most likely wont kick in when it
comes to venomous snakes and the cats are destroying more wildlife then
just moles and mice. read the indoor outdoor article here to see what
can happen to outdoor cats
http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...rsorou tdoors


It would be interesting to see such a detailed list of all the dangers an
indoor cat is at risk from as well. All the numerous chemicals,
electricity cables/sockets etc, cookers, boiling water, poisonous house
plants, doors to get shut in, people to stand on them, objects to fall on
them, children to injure them, people to not feed or water them or even
abuse them, pets to attack them, rooms to get locked in, washing machines,
tumble driers, fridges, freezers, ovens, heaters etc.

Not to mention the fact that someone could break into your house and make
your indoor kitty an outside one instantly without your knowledge or even
set fire to your house with your cat trapped inside.

You are not able to keep an eye on ANY pet for 100% of the time whether it
is out or in.

BOTH HAVE HUGE RISKS!



wrote in message
egroups.com...


Oops, that should have read the 3' garter snake ...

Dave





--
Badger Badger Badger





--
Badger Badger Badger

On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 09:45:06 GMT, BC wrote:

It is IMPOSSIBLE to remove ALL risks, even indoors. All a responsible
owner can do is try their best. I fully UNDERSTAND why people in
certain areas keep their cats in, it would be extremely irresponsible to
let the majority of cats out into an extremely busy city.

However, these newsgroups are read by people all over the world. In many
countries like England it is very safe to let cats out(as long as you
dont live in the centre of a big city), There are no risks from diseases
or wild animals etc. and lifespan is in no way reduced.

There are also those of us who feel that it is more important that the
cats be allowed to be cats instead of precious objects. I have a
number of cats and some of them are happiest living mostly outdoors in
the woods and fields while others are not at all sure that being
outdoors without their human is ever a good idea. There *are* real
risks for outdoor cats, especially predators and aggressive feral toms
(traffic is not really an issue), but those that like the outdoors are
unhappy when confined inside, and those that don't are unhappy when
forced to go out.

I worry about them when they are out, but I watch them, and it is
clear that some of the cats are by far the happiest when they have
caught something edible, and are next happiest when they are hunting,
or just lazing about in the sun.

My position is that it's about the cats and their happiness, not about
my confidence that they are safe.



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