Found out what's killing my barn cats...

[Jane=P]

We have been losing barn cats for awhile, so we stopped having any cats for awhile and we took in a stray cat few weeks ago and she was killed in a week, so I bought hunting camera and set up last night and I now know what's been coming around barn, there is a big gray fox and a coyote . We will try to catch them this weekend, my brother has trap cage big enough for coyote, so will have to see if we can teach them to come into eat this week and set up trap this weekend, makes me worried about foals, if there are coyotes around....JANE

These pictures are right outside my barn

Here is the coyote

and here is the gray fox

 

[laughingllama75]

well, at least you now know what is making the cats go missing. Hope you are able to get rid of them this weekend. Those trail cameras are great, arent they?

 

[REO]

Brrr! That's scary! Poor cats

I hope you get them!

We had tons of cats around here and all the tamest ones (my loved pets) have all gone missing. Hubby doesn't believe me that it's a coyote, even though we've seen one sauntering by the fence and 20 cats have gone missing the last several years. I'm afraid for foals too, especially in Winter time.

Good luck!!!

 

[Jane=P]

This camera is really cool, I can even do video with it, we hope to get the coyote, I have 4 small dogs, we have them in fenced yard and only go out when we are home, but the coyote or fox is getting real bold, the last cat that it killed, started on my front deck of my house, there was stuff knocked over and cat fur, chased her back to barn and where she jumped up to get in barn , it grabbed her and killed her right there, we found blood and fur ,but she was gone. if cage dont work, will have to try sitting out with gun, or putting out poison bait, I really dont want to do that ,but they are getting to bold around here, and I dont want to lose any more animals ...JANE

 

[AngieA]

Jane...can you give me info on this Camera set up you have...and if you have a web site to look at it for info and price.....Thanks

 

[Laura]

[SIZE=12pt]Jane,[/SIZE]

Do you have an outside dog? That would help too. Also, motion sensing security lights might help. Nocturnal animals won't like suddenly being floodlit.

 

[MSRminis]

If you like dogs and have good fencing I swear by Livestock Guardians. Have not lost a cat, chicken or anything since we got ours three years ago!

 

[wildoak]

Good luck, it's aggravating to lose cats like that. We lost about a dozen at our old house - which was much closer into town, houses all around, than where we are now. So far so good out here, cats seem to stay in a safe area between the house and barn mostly plus we have 3 very vocal outside dogs and lots of lights.

Jan

 

[Jane=P]

I bought the camera at Walmart, in the sporting good department ( hunting stuff) , its called Game Watcher, it runs on 6 D batteries, and take digital pic on memory card, that you put in your computer and download pic's , it cost $100, just set up and strap to post and leave it to morning, then take out the card and download the pic's. real easy to use, I plan on moving it around and see what other critters we have here after we take care of this problem. I know we also have fishers around here, I seen one and they are mean and nasty.

I cant have big dog here, I raise cairn terriers and they dont want any big guys around, and I worry about big dogs around the mini's. I tried lights, they are on when my dogs are out, but not on all night. This camera has a flash and the fox , stayed around with it going off and came back two other times that night with the flash , so wasnt really bothered by it, The coyote didnt like it , and only got one pic of him. I have camera on tonight, will see in the AM, what came around last night, I hope we can trap it this weekend...JANE

 

[MinisOutWest]

you can call dept of wildlife, they can trap them for you too.

 

[Jane=P]

We are going to try trap this weekend, the fox came back 4 times last night and he telling his friends , I got a picture with two of them in it. I didnt know they ran in pairs. No new cotote pic's, I am really thinking its the fox that was doing in the cats..Will keep camera on them till we set up trap.

DEM will only set up trap and relocate if they catch it, we can do that ourself......JANE

here he is with his friend

 

[Shari]

Yes, they can run in pairs or like here.. run in packs.. I have one that has 20 in it. Fish and Game know about the problem.

Anyway... Hope you can get them.

 

[Sterling]

Neat pictures! I have to say those fox of your's up in RI are certainly well fed! They look so bulky and healthy. Down here we have the red fox....ones I've seen always look scraggly and hungry!

 

[Katie12]

Has your husband ever thought of a shot gun? That will instantly get rid of them! Those are some really big foxes.

 

[Jane=P]

Well last night, the fox came for 20 minutes, but foggy, no good pic's, but Mr Coyote was back, and stayed for 10 minutes looking around, first night, I got one pic of him and the flash scared him away, now he is getting used to it, we can't set up trap till weekend, thats when my brother can come up,hopefully we can get either of the foxes or Mr Coyote..JANE

 

[Bess Kelly]

Fox will certainly take the cats! I've lost a few in years past. Right now, all seems quiet. I'm hoping that the hunters got some of the fox this Fall, they haven't been very evident since then.

We also have almost NO squirrel or rabbit in the immediate area. Yes, well fed!! Of course, many neighborhood chickens have also been eliminated.

They have not messed with the horses, thus far......but, do sit skirting the feed bunks and I have seen them. Plus, they wander over and eat any dropped feed they can find. Never had this with the donks around. Those girls were awesome!!!!!! May have to re-invest.

 

[HGFarm]

They dont call him Wiley Coyote for nothing.... you will probably NEVER catch him in a trap, and they are VERY smart and sneaky. My X was an expert hunter, and we had no luck trapping them at all, even in the kind you bury and use bait. Poor kitties.... your best bet is to try to get a shot at them, but watch out you dont have a problem if it's not in 'season' where you are!!

 

[zoey829]

Yikes!!! I guess they catch them at night. I am glad you figured it out.

 

[coopermini]

To catch them in a trap takes a little luck as most will be quite wary of traps. To get them used to the trap place it out where they frequent. Do not "set" the trap. put some bait near the front but not in it. Do this for a couple days to get them used to coming near it. Set the trap but wire or tie it so they cant trip it. Bait it just inside for another day. Finally if they are getting the bait from partially inside the trap then set the trap with bait in position. By using this approach they get used to the trap without any fear of it. If you just put out the trap and bait it the first night they are likely to trip the trap with out getting caught in it. The coyote and foxes are in very good shape so they are not "hungry" and are likely to be very carefull where they get food from. Canned cat food works well for bait as it has plenty of odor to get thier attention.

good luck

Mark

 

[jacks'thunder]

Mark has excelent advice! We've delt with coyote ALOT here and for us what worked best is getting a person out who traps them for a living. And the next best thing was sitting and waiting with a gun.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Leya