Alternatives to a cat ?
- Thread starter Goldfreak
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Good luck with that 
you might be able to domesticate a Quoll but I doubt you or your neighbours will have chooks for very long. apart from that I doubt you would be granted any licence to keep one, unless your a registered rescue organisation or similar. I reckon the same would apply for Meerkat's, perhaps even more stringent given their introduced.
Come to think of it even domestic cat owners should require a licence, yes we own a cat, not of my choosing and yes I do take care of it.
you might be able to domesticate a Quoll but I doubt you or your neighbours will have chooks for very long. apart from that I doubt you would be granted any licence to keep one, unless your a registered rescue organisation or similar. I reckon the same would apply for Meerkat's, perhaps even more stringent given their introduced.Come to think of it even domestic cat owners should require a licence, yes we own a cat, not of my choosing and yes I do take care of it.
Moneybox
Philip & Sandra Box
We/she owned two cats in Capel. I built an external cat run that was 10m long about 1200mm wide and mostly 1m high. The centre went over a tree about 4m tall. Our patio was enclosed by colorbond up to waist height with shade cloth panels above to protect it from the mozzies and wind. I built a bridge from the top of the patio wall to about 2.5m up the tree. The whole area and he bridge was covered with plastic trellis mesh and the frame was made from PVC pipe. We had a rarely used door in the raised section by the tree. The other side was against the asbestos fence.
The whole structure took no more than a few days to construct. The mesh was held to the PVC tube with zip ties and replacing the zip ties was the only maintenance needed over about a 12 year period. I picked up a tree from the Busselton dump and pruned it, applied a plywood base and stood it at the entry to the overhead bridge. Both cats would scoot out the rear door, up the tree, across the bridge, down the other tree and spend a lot of their day outside in the run. We never had a litter tray inside.
I found another similar tree for inside. I also pruned it and applied a plywood base but with tiny ball type wheels underneath so it could be moved. I put two platforms, one about 200mm from the top and the next about 500mm below with a bit of carpet to lie on. The boss always took the top. I bound the bottom 400mm with 8mm hemp rope for a scratching post although they preferred the bark of the tree. Most of their lazing around time was spent around head height up the tree.
The only time the cats left the house and the enclosure was if we took them bush to camp then I'd string a piece of fencing wire between trees and each cat had a lead on a keyring sliding along the wire. I might be able to find some old photos later.
The whole structure took no more than a few days to construct. The mesh was held to the PVC tube with zip ties and replacing the zip ties was the only maintenance needed over about a 12 year period. I picked up a tree from the Busselton dump and pruned it, applied a plywood base and stood it at the entry to the overhead bridge. Both cats would scoot out the rear door, up the tree, across the bridge, down the other tree and spend a lot of their day outside in the run. We never had a litter tray inside.
I found another similar tree for inside. I also pruned it and applied a plywood base but with tiny ball type wheels underneath so it could be moved. I put two platforms, one about 200mm from the top and the next about 500mm below with a bit of carpet to lie on. The boss always took the top. I bound the bottom 400mm with 8mm hemp rope for a scratching post although they preferred the bark of the tree. Most of their lazing around time was spent around head height up the tree.
The only time the cats left the house and the enclosure was if we took them bush to camp then I'd string a piece of fencing wire between trees and each cat had a lead on a keyring sliding along the wire. I might be able to find some old photos later.
Would love a 'Meerkat'.... Be handy as a look-out for the Cops...
Haven't seen one in the Wild here yet, But im looking...
LW.....
Haven't seen one in the Wild here yet, But im looking...
LW.....
silver
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Recon stroking a beaver could be the go lol,
actually think they should introduce them into one of our isolated river systems(so they don't end up everywhere) just to do a study of how well they hold up the water flow and top up the underground supply in the area. You could end up with an aquifer system that spills all its springs into life again. And you could pet them in the wild at least..... until they chew the flesh off your arm.
actually think they should introduce them into one of our isolated river systems(so they don't end up everywhere) just to do a study of how well they hold up the water flow and top up the underground supply in the area. You could end up with an aquifer system that spills all its springs into life again. And you could pet them in the wild at least..... until they chew the flesh off your arm.
heres a bever joke. A family friendly one. We have foxes here. They are a beautiful animal really, smart too but they tend to have unfortunate medical emergencies in my yard. Sudden lead poisoning mainly. Dont blame me though blame the idiot that brought them out from England. 
I always thought a dog was an alternative to a cat.
I wondered when some one would say that. Have actually considered a small dog that could stay indoors like a cat most of the time. If we get a cat these days the council have curfews for the sake of the local fauna also I am not real keen on changing turd filled kitty litter trays and also have kids in and out all doors all the time so it would constantly get out. We also have alot of small animals here. The Bandicoots around here are cute but they arnt the sharpest tools in the shed so wouldnt last long.
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Far be it from me to encourage anybody to own a cat in an area where there are likely to be native animals. However, some years ago I bought a pair of binoculars from a woman living in the Perth hills, where all the houses in the road were on the edge of or amongst native bush. On the way up the front path to the house, I noticed several cats lolling about and when I came out to return to the car, there were also a couple of plump bandicoots wandering around.
I asked the woman how the bandicoots got on with the cats and she explained that there appears to be a truce in place! Apparently, the cats and bandicoots studiously ignore one another as they go about their business and she's never seen any conflict or signs of harm, although the same cats do hunt rats, mice and lizards. The bandicoots for their part, come and go as they please, drinking the cats' water, eating the cats' food if they find any and even bringing their young ones along to visit!
It all seemed pretty remarkable to me and I can't speak for it being typical cat behaviour. Maybe bandicoots are stronger and more savage than we give them credit for and these cats have found out the hard way that they're not to be messed with?
You could be right, maybe they were extra civilised in that area or something but a baby bandicoot doesnt look much different to a small rat or large mouse and know I we never had Bandicoota around the house until the last cat we had died. Perhaps keeping the cats extra well fed would help, like this guy.
yes this has probably been exaggerated by photo shop, lol 
yes this has probably been exaggerated by photo shop, lol
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There is No greater Killing Machine in Australia than the cat and their owners who just let them out to wander at night...
I like cats , But I can never eat a whole one....
And Yes I do own one but she is House Bound as she has FIV.. ( Feline version of AIDS ).. And can't be anywhere near other Cats...
LW...
I like cats , But I can never eat a whole one....
And Yes I do own one but she is House Bound as she has FIV.. ( Feline version of AIDS ).. And can't be anywhere near other Cats...
LW...
Ooooo Big Rats with no tails...
LW...
LW...
Anyone ever seen a baby crow? 
Seen baby (or at least very young) magpies, but never a crow.
That’s a good alternative to a cat. Can take it travelling, bit of personality, can say a swear word
Seen baby (or at least very young) magpies, but never a crow.
That’s a good alternative to a cat. Can take it travelling, bit of personality, can say a swear word
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R U OKAYAnyone ever seen a baby crow?
Seen baby (or at least very young) magpies, but never a crow.
That’s a good alternative to a cat. Can take it travelling, bit of personality, can say a swear word
Yeah, come to think about it, never seen a baby crow.Anyone ever seen a baby crow?
Seen baby (or at least very young) magpies, but never a crow.
That’s a good alternative to a cat. Can take it travelling, bit of personality, can say a swear word
