12/27/2000 Any suggestions re cat proof coyote traps[s.n. not snares-illegal in N.Y.]?The 'yotes have been coming around the house and barn at night. If I hang up the wife's cats in the traps,she'll be P.O.ed[I won't but...].Is there a way of setting #1-3/4 or #2 legholds so that they're cat proof?

-- Karl P.Bechler (kbechler@frontiernet.net), December 27, 2000

Answers

Nick said tie out a cat for bait,and sit out and shoot the coyotes that come in.Yep,that's what he said. Cat,dead or alive, is good coyote bait,by the way.

No way to keep cat out of leghold that he knew,anyway.When Ken described his tomcat banding,it brought back immages of my brothers releasing cats from their leg holds, when we were growing up.They came out on the losing side of that battle.ALL Scratched up.But brothers were good hearted,and didn't want to kill neighbor's cats.

Too hard to live trap but you can try.They are smart.Must keep your scent off of everything.Talk to a fox trapper on this procedure.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 27, 2000.

How about a live trap,, would be pretty big for yotes,, I wouls use multible leg holds,, if a car gets in one,, a yote will come in for that

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 27, 2000.

We also loose cats to our coyote trap! Morgan our Rhodesian Ridgeback hates cats, and kills them along with the coyote's :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 27, 2000.

Vickey can i borrow morgan for a week? i promise ill take good care of him and let him get CATS Bob in se.ks

-- bobco (bobco@hit.net), December 27, 2000.

hello Carl I am the deadstock evaluator for my region,and my son is a trapper.Do the cats travel to the bushline or fencerow where the coyotes come in from?Thats realy all you can do,trap there and take your chances with the cats.They used to say that coyotes would'nt come near the barns,human smell and all but they have become much braver of late and somehave even whelped in round bales etc.We do catch cats occasionally when trapping fox most are released okay.You can try releiving yourself around the property sometimes thats a good repellant:) :0 ;)...teri

-- teri (mrs_smurf2000@yahoo.ca), December 27, 2000.

Bobco, Morgan is a gal, but of course! Not sure she would appreciate leaving home, especially right now with all her babies (goat kids) being born. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 27, 2000.

If they're your cats, pen them up at night. We used a hen brooding cage (about 8' long by 3' wide, with netting top as well as sides) - I guess in a barn or shed in your weather. Make it comfortable enough (and with food inside) that they won't object to going in the second and subsequent nights. If they're someone else's cats coming onto your property, warn your neighbours (if you're feeling generous to the cats). If they're feral cats, then they're wiping out wildlife, and the world is better without them.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), December 28, 2000.

Leg hold traps are a barbaric and inhumane form of varmint control, they should have been outlawed as such back in the 1700's, but for some reason, folks think that other four-legged mammals must not feel pain the same way YOU do. In their next life, they risk coming back as a four-legged varmint that is caught in a leghold trap.

We live in coyote country, we also have four BIG dogs that scent mark and protect this property, we have never had a coyote get within a quarter mile of the house and barns because of the dogs. Coyotes aren't stupid, they avoid confrontation, especially with big dogs, and go elsewhere. Problem solved, and no one, or no animal, had to suffer excruciating pain.

We also have eight spayed/neutered barn cats, we do not have a rat, mice, or mole/vole problem, and they (the cats) co-exist with the dogs very peaceably. Work with Nature, not against Her, it's easier for everyone concerned and healthier too.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 02, 2001.