Shotgun or ? for shooting wild cats on my country property?
- Thread starter rick12665
- Start date
I'm not a gun expert but If I was gonna shoot Wild Cats and wanted to be quite about, I would use a .22 If you have bad eyesight and feel a Shotgun would be a better choice. .410's have been killing stuff for a long time within a decent range. I probally wouldn't go out past 20 yards with it though so I could use low brass shells, and a NEF Single shot would probally run you a grand total of 100 bucks
One more thing my buddy has a Beeman Airifle that I'm pretty sure would be able to stop a cat in it's tracks with a head shot. It is really quite and very accrute but the thing cost 700 bucks.
One more thing my buddy has a Beeman Airifle that I'm pretty sure would be able to stop a cat in it's tracks with a head shot. It is really quite and very accrute but the thing cost 700 bucks.
Guys, thanks for the firearm recommendation for the feral cat problem I have.
I forgot to mention is that the feral cats' owner lives right next door to me.
I need to have a firearm that is powerful enough so that once the cat has been shot it does not go back to its "home" next door to me.
thanks,
Rick
I forgot to mention is that the feral cats' owner lives right next door to me.
I need to have a firearm that is powerful enough so that once the cat has been shot it does not go back to its "home" next door to me.
thanks,
Rick
Death from Afar
New member
+1 Mete. Get a Ruger 10/22 and head shoot the pussy cats over bait. They wont go far.
Well thats a little different
I don't know anything about Cats but Racoons can be a problem sometimes.
Noramlly the local feed store has whats called a Humane Trap. You can catch Racoons in them and drive to the Forest and "Let them Go". The traps don't make noise that anyone would notice and work very well.
Of'Course once Racoons are traped they can make alot of Noise and you might need to be quick about driving them to the forest so Mama Racoon doesn't come to investigate.
I don't know anything about Cats but Racoons can be a problem sometimes.
Noramlly the local feed store has whats called a Humane Trap. You can catch Racoons in them and drive to the Forest and "Let them Go". The traps don't make noise that anyone would notice and work very well.
Of'Course once Racoons are traped they can make alot of Noise and you might need to be quick about driving them to the forest so Mama Racoon doesn't come to investigate.
Feral Cats
Feral Cats coming from your neighbors next door. How near or far is next door?
There may be a problem, cats are a little hard to kill, firearms make considerable noise, and cats do roam, even the nicest ones. We gave up using a .22 rifle long ago, if you don't get a head shot you have wounded old tabby and he/she will go home and tell on you. We have trapped some in a live trap baited with canned sardines and then quietly dispatched them, dispatched one with a Winchester Mod. 92 in .45 long colt that dropped on the spot, another with a 220 gr. bullet from a 30-40 Krag. That one exited but did not survive.
On the other side of the cat problem, many folks are cat lovers as are their small children and they grieve over the loss of their pets and will likely replace them thus a never ending cycle. I love good neighbors, their children and usually their pets so if Mr. Tom or Mrs. Puss don't do too much tearing of garbage sacks and the like, I do try to overlook a lot. "Feral People" are a lot more bothersome but my upbringing tends to make me ignore them if possible, I stay away from them.
Feral Cats coming from your neighbors next door. How near or far is next door?
There may be a problem, cats are a little hard to kill, firearms make considerable noise, and cats do roam, even the nicest ones. We gave up using a .22 rifle long ago, if you don't get a head shot you have wounded old tabby and he/she will go home and tell on you. We have trapped some in a live trap baited with canned sardines and then quietly dispatched them, dispatched one with a Winchester Mod. 92 in .45 long colt that dropped on the spot, another with a 220 gr. bullet from a 30-40 Krag. That one exited but did not survive.
On the other side of the cat problem, many folks are cat lovers as are their small children and they grieve over the loss of their pets and will likely replace them thus a never ending cycle. I love good neighbors, their children and usually their pets so if Mr. Tom or Mrs. Puss don't do too much tearing of garbage sacks and the like, I do try to overlook a lot. "Feral People" are a lot more bothersome but my upbringing tends to make me ignore them if possible, I stay away from them.
jhgreasemonkey
New member
If You Want To Be Really Quiet I Would Use A .22 Like Stated Above. You Can Make All Kinds Of Makeshift Silencers For It. Like For Example A Pop Bottle With The Bottom Cut Out, Fill It With Insulation And Fasten It Over Your Barrel. Thats Assuming You Have A Scope And Not Open Sites. Because This Makes Your Ft Site Usless. Also I Have Seen Pipes Fitted With And Crammed Full With Rubber Washers And That Seems To Work Okay. And If You Dont Care About The Gun A Potato Can Work Too. :d You Also Might Want To Consider A High Powered Air Rifle.
Let's start with some definitions: And these aren't technical so give me a break.
A wildcat is a certain species of animal in the feline family and my be protected depending on your area.
A feral cat is a house cat without a home and has become "undomesticated".
A family pet that wanders onto your property is a stray.
Around here wildcats are protected and as for the other two the best thing is a conibear 220. For best results, from what I hear
, put it in a heavy box with a hole just big enough for the cat to get into. This helps to keep out innocent animals and is an open invitation for cats. They don't yell and they don't go limping home.
A wildcat is a certain species of animal in the feline family and my be protected depending on your area.
A feral cat is a house cat without a home and has become "undomesticated".
A family pet that wanders onto your property is a stray.
Around here wildcats are protected and as for the other two the best thing is a conibear 220. For best results, from what I hear
, put it in a heavy box with a hole just big enough for the cat to get into. This helps to keep out innocent animals and is an open invitation for cats. They don't yell and they don't go limping home.OneInTheChamber
New member
CB long's .22 LR. That'll take care of the problem; but I wouldn't gurantee an instant drop unless it was a solid headshot. If you can shoot off any kind of shotgun without them hearing, you could probably get away with a full power .22lr load; that way the rifle will cycle and a quick follow up shot will be capable.
moecomputer
New member
Umm...isn't killing your neighbor's pet a little brutal?
GlocksRfun
New member
I like to think that U know who's cat u are shooting and that it's a stray or something. Tell u the truth, I don't want to know. What I do know is I watched the previews from those guys shooting prarie dogs with the .50BMG. I'm sure that'll take care of your cat problems. If they will stay still for long enough, and U are a good shot, can probably take em out over a mile away. I guess I shoulda said if ur a really good shot. If that doesn't work, time for the class III permits. Oops, I didn't read the quiet part till just now.. Put a can on the .50
Well, lets see...If the cat has an "owner" then its not Feral. I have a "feral" cat that lives in my barn, keeps down the rodents. I don't feed it or anything, but I'd rather not have someone shoot it either( but he doesn't seen to stray very far from my property).
Personally, I would try some Pavlovian conditioning...See if you can borrow a paintball gun(most fire full auto), and just splatter that sucker a few times...Cat will quickly figure out he doens't want to be in your area. Plus, if the "owners" see the cat all spalttered with paint, they may re-consider letting it roam free.
No Ricks intruder isn't a feral cat.
It's a pet. It probably isn't the best idea in the world to kill it if you like your neihbors or at least don't want to start a range war.
Depending on the exact problem you can grin and bear it. Or if it is causeing a problem in a certain area such as a flower bed there are chemicals you can spray in the area to keep cats away.
Several years ago there was an incident in a nearby county where a man in a trailer park was having a problem with his neighbors cat getting into his flower bed. The man had asked his neighbor several times to keep the cat away and the neighbor was less than polite in his response. The man caught the cat, killed it and hung it up in a tree in the neighbors front yard with an electrical cord. It made the front page of the newspaper. The judge who fined the neighbor for cruelty to animals said if it had killed it and threw it away he wouldn't have fined him but the animal rights activists were outraged.
Just something to think about.
It's a pet. It probably isn't the best idea in the world to kill it if you like your neihbors or at least don't want to start a range war.
Depending on the exact problem you can grin and bear it. Or if it is causeing a problem in a certain area such as a flower bed there are chemicals you can spray in the area to keep cats away.
Several years ago there was an incident in a nearby county where a man in a trailer park was having a problem with his neighbors cat getting into his flower bed. The man had asked his neighbor several times to keep the cat away and the neighbor was less than polite in his response. The man caught the cat, killed it and hung it up in a tree in the neighbors front yard with an electrical cord. It made the front page of the newspaper. The judge who fined the neighbor for cruelty to animals said if it had killed it and threw it away he wouldn't have fined him but the animal rights activists were outraged.
Just something to think about.
jhgreasemonkey
New member
OOPS. I WANTED TO APOLOGISE FOR SUGGESTING MAKE SHIFT SUPPRESORS. THIS MIGHT BE ILLEGAL WHERE YOU LIVE. I WOULDNT WANT TO SUGGEST DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL 
TheGunShack
New member
Ruger .22WRM 77/22 with 3-9 scope, CCI MAXI MAG +V - Head shot = end of story. I live out in the country, I love quail and rabbits, both to watch and eat. I hate stray cats who eat my quail & bunnies. My 77/22 has dropped them as far as 145meters no problem. Good Luck!
A poisoned blow gun dart!
I believe someone has mentioned this following idea already:
I have a very small yard, with many close neighbors. I think and even i could get away with using .22LR CCI 29gr CB short bullets in a RIFLE. CB's in handguns are even fairly loud. The rifle configuration is quiter than most BB guns, yet offers 34ft-lbs of muzzle energy. just make sure of a head shot.
Overpenetration is NOT an issue. These will penetrate just two 2" candles, and get stuck halfway through the third, from a rifle (20"). A handgun (3.5") firing the same round, is louder but offers even less pentration, i.e. they only make it through the first candle, and getting stuck one quarter of the way through the second. You might as well us a HP .177 pellet, from a pellet gun!
I believe someone has mentioned this following idea already:
I have a very small yard, with many close neighbors. I think and even i could get away with using .22LR CCI 29gr CB short bullets in a RIFLE. CB's in handguns are even fairly loud. The rifle configuration is quiter than most BB guns, yet offers 34ft-lbs of muzzle energy. just make sure of a head shot.
Overpenetration is NOT an issue. These will penetrate just two 2" candles, and get stuck halfway through the third, from a rifle (20"). A handgun (3.5") firing the same round, is louder but offers even less pentration, i.e. they only make it through the first candle, and getting stuck one quarter of the way through the second. You might as well us a HP .177 pellet, from a pellet gun!