Cat Bounty in Randolph, Iowa

KPTM Fox42 ^ | March 11, 2008 | staff reporter

[Daffynition]

Randolph, Iowa (KPTM) - An Iowa mayor takes extreme measures to get wild cats off the streets.

It's a plan that's drawing a lot of criticism.

It's usually quiet on Main Street in Randolph, Iowa.

But, drive a few blocks north and west and it's not long before you see one stray cat after another.

"There's been a cat problem in this town for 11 years," says Randolph resident Sam Lupo.

Lupo says he owns two cats, the rest of the two or three random cats running around in the yard are strays.

"They're not wanted around here, they run around become a nuisance, get into trash and tear it up," says Lupo.

After several complaints Randolph city leaders are now asking for help.

The mayor's plan, is to put a bounty on all cats, so if you can lure one to you and catch it, it'll earn you five bucks.

Any stray cat or dog that doesn't have tags or a collar will be taken to a Sidney vet and put down.

"Either people keep their cats in or like dogs, if they keep 'em under control we shouldn't have a problem, it's just the stray ones and cats propagate quite frequently," says Randolph city councilman Allen Wendland.

Chasidy Wederquist calls the plan ridiculous.

"As a person who likes animals I don't think a bounty is the best thing for them to do."

She agrees there's a cat problem, but says killing them is not the answer.

"I think the county here should get something here, get a (animal control) department like Omaha and Council Bluffs," says Wederquist.

Dozens more agree.

Outraged community members vented their disgust on the city's community web site, calling the bounty inhumane and a danger to family pets.

City leaders disagree.

"There's not much of a bounty on 'em to where people are gonna make a lot of money on it," says Wendland.

If the city can identify the animal as a pet, it will be returned to the owner.

But, the big concern some people have, you won't be able to tell if it's someone's pet or not.

Even some animal rescue groups are scared people will take pets, pull off their collars just so they can get the money.

The city council meeting in Randolph is Thursday.

You can vent your concerns there. Councilman Wendland says no one has called him to complain and he says no cats have been turned in so far.

[Daffynition]

[Shirerwasright]

Buy a pair of coyotes, they will handle the problem in a couple of weeks.

[Daffynition]

...or fisher cats.

[Shirerwasright]

Hadn’t thought of a pole cat in years. I remember once hunting and one let out a scream that scared me out my boots.
Thought they had disappeared.

[gopheraj]

Animal rescue groups are not looking at the bounty. Doesn’t matter if they have a collar or not, a person still gets the money if they turn them in. Someone who lets their cat roam around will get the message if their cat ends up at a vet and they get a call.

[ovrtaxt]

Just turn some pitbulls loose. They’ll take care of those cats!

[IMissPresidentReagan]

I cannot believe the county doesn't have an animal control officer or anything of the sort. In Kentucky, all counties are required to have animal control officers and have a shelter, or a contract with a shelter, where stray animals can be taken. I'm not a cat person, but automatic euthanasia without any method of adoption or without any opportunity for an owner to reclaim his/her potential lost pet seems a little drastic.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Just turn some pitbulls loose. They’ll take care of those cats!

And then turn Michael Vick lose to take take care of the pit bulls.

[mtbopfuyn]

What an a$$.

[ovrtaxt]

lol Go Mike Go!

[MacDorcha]

BAHAHAHAHAA!

[MacDorcha]

Don’t most animals have a tracking chip implanted in them these days?

Wouldn’t it be easier to just scan them and not worry about the collars?

[SuperSonic]

[GQuagmire]

ping

[kcm.org]

They're not wanted around here, they run around become a nuisance, get into trash and tear it up," says Lupo.

Well, Lupo, feed them so they'll stay out of the trash.

Find a vet that will spay and neuter them at low cost.

Once someone is around animals, those dumb critters are only dumb in that we have different languages, as we people have...

[jdietz]

I realize that this may rub a lot of cat people wrong.

First, I like cats. I was raised on a farm where we had several and when we moved to town we brought some of them with us. They are great company.

However!

There is a lady in our neighborhood that feeds all the wild cats in the area. I have counted as many as 30 cats in her driveway, on her porch, on her car, coming out of culverts, coming out of dens in the bank beside the hospital on the corner, etc.

We have had these cats get in our garbage, dig in and crap in our flower beds, crap on our porch, and fight and hurt the domesticated cats in the neighborhood.

Our town has an animal control officer but that is a joke. He is much too busy to take care of a problem like wild cats.

If there was a bounty on wild cats in our town I would live trap them. As it is we have a nasty problem with no solution.

The cat lover won't quit feeding them, they won't stop breeding, and the town won't remove them.

I support this type of action.

[Slings and Arrows]

[Shryke]

Any stray cat that doesn't have tags or a collar will be taken to a Sidney vet and put down.

"You're ugly and no one loves you! You call yourself a cat?? You're a PUSSY! I've seen MICE with bigger claws!"

[Lx]

Trap neuter and release. In time the problem goes away. There are vets and groups who do this too.
I rescue cats and the thought of this is not pleasant.

Oh yeah, it has been proven that cats do NOT decimate the bird population either.

[Lx]

I do support keeping cats indoors though.

[Lx]

You’re only hope is to contact a TNR specialist and they will take care of the problem for you. Once they are neutered, they’re behaviors change too.

[martin_fierro]

[Hot Tabasco]

There's been a cat coming up on my back deck in the wee hours of the morning to visit with my indoor cat which ultimately results in a cat fight on both sides of the deck doorwall. I finally caught it in my live trap the night before last and drove it about 5 miles away and released it. It was a spooky cat so I figured it was feral....

I have trapped cats before and always released them because invariably they belonged to neighbors. Unfortunately the neighbors are in violation of our condo regulations which prohibit them from letting their animals roam free.

One lady's cat I caught 3 times wandering around my place. The last time I called her up and asked her if she was missing a cat and she actually had to check to see if she was. I told her where I lived and to come pick it up which she did and I haven't seen it since. She obviously got the message.

I can't tell you the numbers of opossum and squirrels I've caught in my trap. In fact, one week alone I caught 5 squirrels. After the 5th one I spotted a critter control guy at a neighbor's house settin traps on her roof. Heck, that guy was getting paid for it and I was doing it for free......LOL!

[GovernmentShrinker]

Why didn’t you take it to a shelter so that 1) it could be humanely euthanized, and 2) it wouldn’t breed in the wild and add to the feral cat population? You are a heck of lot more irresponsible than your neighbors who let their pet cats (presumably spayed/neutered and with rabies shots) roam freely around the neighborhood.

[Knitebane]

Cat killer ping. ;)

[Knitebane]

First, I like cats.

Me too. Lightly braised in butter.

[kittycatonline.com]

Don’t most animals have a tracking chip implanted in them these days? Wouldn’t it be easier to just scan them and not worry about the collars?

No, you just send out the "self-destruct" code via satellite and clean up what's left.

[hiredhand]

Ah yes! The problem of "cats". My brothers and I have recently debated this issue since we all have a fair amount of experience in dealing with the "problem". Not many people know this, but cats are tough critters, and a lot harder to kill than people think. We all agree that .22 rimfire is completely unacceptable and most often only wounds them. For the longest time, my chosen and most effective "tool" against feral cats was the Remington Model 700, chambered for the .243 Winchester. I never had one get away. But it's a bolt action, and if there are five or six, you're probably only to kill half of them before the rest get wise to the fact that you're a threat. So I switched over to using one of the kid's AR-15s and loaded up some Nosler BTs (55gr I "think") into .223 Rem cartridges. I like it better because the bullet completely explodes and leaves only a small portion of the base, which doesn't travel far and is safer in this relatively flat terrain. Of course, on the odd occasion, I did use the FAL, but 7.62mm NATO on cats is like using 3/4" drive air tools on a model airplane....complete overkill!...and very, VERY messy.

My two brothers are probably better "qualified" to speak on the subject than me, as they both own exterminating companies. They swear by the .17HMR. But I'm sticking with the .223 Rem and the AR. :-)

Shooting them is one way to counter the problem in a rural setting. But in the city, we all know that it's completely out of the question. So having said all that, I'll have to admit that the single most effective "tool" we've had against feral cats here on the farm has been the Rat Terriers. They leave the barn cats alone (consider them packmates we suppose), but they're "death" on other cats!

Check out my "poster"...altered to suit myself of course! This one I can live with!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1983311/posts?page=140#140

[OB1kNOb]

Who knew Randolph, Iowa and Beijing, China had so much in common.

Inside Beijing's shocking death camp for cats

[pabianice]

Assistant Editor Schmeckel is not amused.

[Fawn]

WHat a cold hearted b@stard. ANd these friggin people who say ‘Keep your cats inside” wouldn’t ever think of doing that with a dog. Cats have claws and Hunting skills from GOD for a reason. It is a form of cruelty to keep cats inside all the time....they aren’t meant for that. I hope someone tries to educate this mayor.

[Fawn]

He’s ignorant....it’s the raccoons that get into the trash.

[Fawn]

You need to do TNR on them all and let them have a life.

[Fawn]

There's been a cat coming up on my back deck in the wee hours of the morning to visit with my indoor cat which ultimately results in a cat fight on both sides of the deck doorwall. I finally caught it in my live trap the night before last and drove it about 5 miles away and released it. It was a spooky cat so I figured it was feral....

You are a cruel cold hearted person to do that...would you do it to a kid?? Same thing...that cat is scared out of it's mind looking for it's home....and it's against the law...I hope someone catches you....wish it were me.

[Fawn]

Big man...big guns do all the talking. NO brains. All hillbilly and hick.

[Knitebane]

Big man...big guns do all the talking. NO brains. All hillbilly and hick.

Says the person that's never had to deal with feral cats having litters under the house. Or having them kill chickens and geese.

And popping one with a gun is a lot more humane than letting them starve to death, or get eaten by coyotes, or run over on the highway and left to die by inches.

Welcome to the real world. Where cats aren't designed by Walt Disney.

[Hot Tabasco]

You are a cruel cold hearted person to do that...would you do it to a kid??

When I was 15 I came home from school one day to find my parents had moved and left no forwarding address..........

Do you know what the term "feral" means? Feral means wild........I moved the WILD cat from my area to another more rural area that is more conducive to the safety and wellbeing of WILD cats.

Thank me for not taking it to the pound which would have euthanized it within 2 days or tossing it out my car window on the expressway.........

Do yourself a favor Fawn, re-read my second and third paragraphs from my post you quoted.........

[Fawn]

When I was 15 I came home from school one day to find my parents had moved and left no forwarding address..........

What is this supposed to mean? Maybe you were trapping to many neighbors pets and they couldn't stop you.

Do you know what the term "feral" means? Feral means wild........I moved the WILD cat from my area to another more rural area that is more conducive to the safety and wellbeing of WILD cats.

Yes, I feed and tamed tons of "WILD" cats. They are cats period.....they have all different personalities so don't treat them different than any other cat. Feral cats are looking for help....help them have a decent life...be human. You should of got it fixed before you release it....and release to a familiar area for it. And if you are really human....feed it.

Thank me for not taking it to the pound which would have euthanized it within 2 days or tossing it out my car window on the expressway.........

I'm not going to thank you for any such thing....that has to do with your own sense of right and wrong...your own conscience.

Do yourself a favor Fawn, re-read my second and third paragraphs from my post you quoted.........

Whooopdedoo....that is your conscience again.....I'm supposed to thank you for having a little? Nope.

[Fawn]

Yeah....I can see a cat kill a goose....LOL Aint’ gonna happen. Even a chicken. Maybe a chick. Dogs/wolves/badger/coyotes.....they kill your chickens and geese.....not cats. You take the heartless easy route. It’s your (lack of) conscience and God won’t forget.

[dfwgator]

Is he going to get some cat handcuffs?

[Knitebane]

Yeah....I can see a cat kill a goose....LOL Aint’ gonna happen.

You need to get out more.

[Lurker]

Do you know what the term "feral" means? Feral means wild

No it doesn't. "Feral: Having become wild from a state of cultivation or domestication".

You should of got it fixed before you release it....and release to a familiar area for it.

In my jurisdiction it is illegal to 'release' any house pet so it can 'roam free'. One can be fined several hundred dollars for repeated violations of this ordnance.

And if you are really human....feed it.

Also illegal in my jurisdiction.

Feral cats spread disease. They're dangerous. They're destructive to wildlife.

They should be trapped, rehabilitated when possible (which is rare), or humanely euthanized where this isn't possible.

People who feed feral cats are a huge part of the problem. Were you my neighbor I'd report you every time I saw you put food out for them.

L

[hiredhand]

I'm not big, and never will be. I'm genetically predisposed to keep a slender build and will never be "big". At 44, and after 25 years of marriage to a superb cook, I haven't gained weight since I was 17.

I'm also a Veteran, a network engineer, hold a degree in telecommunications, numerous professional technical certificates, as well as being a school principal. My wife holds a bachelor's degree in neuroscience nursing. One son is currently dual enrolled in his senior year of high school as well as first year college. My 14 yr old daughter started and operates a profitable soap company, as well as being a well known and successful dairy goat breeder here in our state, and the 13 year old owns a custom outdoor furniture business. We're not "hillbillies" or "hicks", and I can assure you that either of my sons will absolutely wreck your world on a chessboard.

You've obviously never had a feral cat problem. Varmint cartridges are quite effective at reducing a feral cat population. It's a quick death.

Don't stoop to insults, and don't get personal with me. I wasn't directing my comments at you, and after looking at your about page, I understand why you're offended. I can assure you that shooting cats with the .223 Remington is neither cruel nor unusual...certainly not compared to the results of the last overpopulation issue I had to deal with...courtesy of neighbors who let them breed...didn't vaccinate, neuter, or spay. My children were quite young at the time, and they reported sick and dying cats and kittens. Two of them were in tears as they recounted what they had seen, and still have bad memories of it today even as teenagers. It was a very sad sight indeed, and left us quite heartbroken and troubled that people could neglect domesticated animals to such a degree.

So if you want to be offended and insult somebody, direct your pointless drivel at my neighbors.

I have friends that are like you (believe it or not!). You and my friends live in a bit of a "bubble". It's an "invented" world. You'll criticize me for doing unpleasant, but necessary things which evoke emotion, and interpersonal conflict because for some reason, you lack the ability to handle these things yourself. You think certain things are always going to be done by "somebody else". But when somebody is breaking into your house at 2:00 A.M. you will silently hope for somebody like me to show up. Or when some gang-banger approaches you and wants money, sex, or your life, you'll hope for somebody like me. Or when a rabid dog is in your yard, running into trees and fighting with the bushes, you'll hope for somebody like me. When you accidentally hit an animal on the road with your car, and it's trying to get up to run, but can't because it's broken and battered and suffering, you'll wish for somebody like me. Because people like me possess the necessary courage and fortitude to just admit that the world is the way it is and that there are only a limited number of ways to deal with certain situations appropriately. I'm pretty sure that secretly, you're grateful for people like me, even though you're likely to spew more venom my way after this and never admit it here.

So don't criticize. Just be glad that people such as myself are here for "you", and that we understand that you're just a little confused when it comes to differentiating us from the bad-guys.

[hiredhand]

Yeah....I can see a cat kill a goose....LOL Aint’ gonna happen. Even a chicken. Maybe a chick. Dogs/wolves/badger/coyotes.....they kill your chickens and geese.....not cats. You take the heartless easy route. It’s your (lack of) conscience and God won’t forget.

Er...actually... we killed a feral cat here back in 2003 that weighed in at 43 lbs. It was highly suspect that he was responsible for killing chickens and Guineas due to the pattern of destruction...not to mention he was observed dining on their remains. So he either killed them, or took the carcass from whatever did. Either way, that's one b-a-d cat. The pattern simply didn't match that of Fox, Weasel, Opossum, or Coyotes....all of which we have problems with here.

[Fawn]

Do you know what the term "feral" means? Feral means wild

I didn't say that genius.

In alot of towns, it's ILLEGAL to kill wildlife. Like my town. And in MANY towns it's legal to have your own cat colony.....DO you get that upset with raccoons, possums or diseased carrying birds (they bring hundreds of diseases to your yard)? Feral cats DON't spread disease....it's a lie. Your life must be a living hell if you would turn in a woman for feeding a hungry cat. HAve you no conscience or sense of humanity?

[Fawn]

I'm not big, and never will be

Well...duh.

Too bad you missed a great oppotunity to show your kids compassion and how to treat animals. You could of helped your neighbor get those cats fixed....showed your kids how to handle a situation like that correctly....humanely...what a truly kind person would do...but instead they will grown up watching daddy blow away a cats with a 22 because they were on daddy's yard. VERY nice job.
And a 22 is not going to kill a cat...it will maim it. Ive seen them walk around with bullets in them....

[Fawn]

By the way I carry my own guns...

[Fawn]

By the way I carry my own guns...

[Fawn]

A 43 lb cat huh? That speaks for itself.

[B Knotts]

It is a form of cruelty to keep cats inside all the time

You gotta be kidding. In my neck of the woods, keeping a cat outside is a quick way of being minus a cat. Sometimes people drop off cats and dogs they don't want in the area. They don't stick around long before they get eaten by larger critters.