Comments on: Taking one’s own good advice

By: Elaine

Elaine — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:24:04 +0000

I had a small herd of sheep, and a woven wire fence with 2 barbed wire on top kept the coyotes out. Coyotes go under, if there is room, but don’t dig to do so.

I had a red-tailed hawk go after one of my cats, but she defended herself, and he left.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:34:13 +0000

The Other Pat:

Good idea. The hawk is probably waiting for your doggie to go outside alone. Even with you watching and nearby, a small dog could still be in danger. Birds are swift.

A coyote can climb a 5 to 6 foot fence and scale a ten foot chain link. One of my dogs likes to sleep outside - he is 50 lbs but would be no match for a hungry coyote. Guess whose sleeping inside from now on?

By: The OTHER Pat

The OTHER Pat — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:21:01 +0000

Ever since the morning I came down into the kitchen and looked out the sliding patio door to see a lovely Red-Tailed hawk sitting out on my deck gazing back in at me, I’ve pretty much decided my 5-lb Papillon does NOT go outside unattended!

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:06:24 +0000

Well … it IS the summer for it for me, all around. Eddie the parrot walked out the front door a couple months ago. (He’s not flighted.)

Fortunately, he and I have a “call and response” game we play, so I was able to locate him quickly. He was thinking of coming down out of the bay tree to get some yummy seeds, but then decided freedom was more fun.

After a few hours of cat-and-mouse, I wet him down with the hose. He fluttered angrilly to the ground, where I wrapped him up in a towel and took him inside. (He would have NAILED me without the towel. That phrase “madder than a wet hen” applies to wet parrots, too!)

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:36:05 +0000

The coyotes are coming around where I live. One was hit by a car near my house. I hear them at night and their yap frightens my dogs. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen too many cats around either. Ummmm…..

Birds of prey also fly above my house and sometimes my dogs “freak”. I wonder if coyotes can jump a six foot fence? Now that is a scary thought.

By: Diana Guerrero

Diana Guerrero — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:21:12 +0000

Seems to be the week for such mishaps. I have a commentary on this going up soon. You’ll enjoy the escape artist cockatoo video.

All of us at one time or another are not as diligent as we might be. Hopefully, your example will do wonders to educate and motivate others to not make exceptions to the rule…we all have our weak moments! :-)

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:02:57 +0000

When we take the dogs to the American River early in the morning, we can hear the coyotes yapping in the brush as we go over the levee. This is scant 100 yards from a long-established Sacramento city neighborhood.

Yep, those California coyotes are plentiful, and plenty bold. Their territory most certainly includes our back yards — and they don’t hesitate to snatch a small pet for lunch.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:06:10 +0000

Put in the ear plugs and hope that the incessant meowing and scratching at the (inside) door don’t last too long! :-)

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:39:17 +0000

Comment by PM Hill:

I second that. Gina, I’ve been SOOOOO tempted to do what you did with my new boy kitten. I’ve even thought about the leash training thing. But in my experience, what PM said is right: once kitties learn to love being outside, they want to be there all the time, and it’s a fight you’re gonna lose, sooner or later. So I just sigh and apologize to my little guy.

And re coyotes - at my old home by the river in W. Sac, there *were* no stray cats or ferals. Our local coyotes saw to that. We used to hear them every night, not a mile from the bridge into downtown Sacto. I remember seeing one out in the street one night in front of my house. Talk about conflicted emotions - I love coyotes, but I love kitties, too. And they don’t play together well. :(

By: PM Hill

PM Hill — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:47:23 +0000

Just in case anyone needs more reasons to keep cats indoors, our CA coyotes are becomming “tame.” We have seen them both night and day, not only on our golf courses and open space, but in our yards and on our streets. Our jack rabbit population has decreased considerably in the last few years, and most “lost” cats are never found.

It’s also a good idea to escort small dogs at night. A hungry racoon in Discovery Bay actually grabbed a small dog, on leash, off of a private dock one night. The poor woman couldn’t believe it, and worse yet, couldn’t do anything to rescue her dog.

Oh, and don’t forget the hawks - rats and kittens both make a great meal.