Slug pellets and cats
Discussion
Even though they are meant to be repellent to animals they still eat them (inc cats) Look up symptoms of Metaldehyde poisoning. They can and do die from it, eventually leeds to continous fitting and death if untreated and can still occur with treatment.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=...
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=...
Edited by bexVN on Friday 15th June 13:58
Edited by bexVN on Friday 15th June 13:58
Our Whippet survived a case of Metaldehyde poisoning, about a year ago. It is a deeply unpleasant thing to witness and we were lucky to get her treated in time.
We can't be sure it was slug pellets - Metaldehde is also found in other products.
I'm sympathetic to the OP, but don't have a solution.
We can't be sure it was slug pellets - Metaldehde is also found in other products.
I'm sympathetic to the OP, but don't have a solution.
I have a wildlife pond and adjoining wildlife area, I have frogs, I have newts, I have slow worms, I have blackbirds nesting in the archway, I've met two different hedgehogs in the garden this week.
I also have more slugs and snails than you can shake a severely gnawed lettuce leaf at. It's horrific.
I do resort to careful and limited use of slug pellets in areas that I have excluded wildlife and pets from, because otherwise they would simply destroy all my crops. I'm pretty sure that the poisoned slugs and snails never make it out of the netted off or enclosed areas to where they can be eaten by my assorted lazy and underperforming predators, but it does still worry me.
I also have more slugs and snails than you can shake a severely gnawed lettuce leaf at. It's horrific.
I do resort to careful and limited use of slug pellets in areas that I have excluded wildlife and pets from, because otherwise they would simply destroy all my crops. I'm pretty sure that the poisoned slugs and snails never make it out of the netted off or enclosed areas to where they can be eaten by my assorted lazy and underperforming predators, but it does still worry me.
Easiest way of controlling slugs is to go out at dusk and snip any you see in half with a pair of scissors - no matter how small the slug is. This takes persistence, but it will work in the end.
Protect any tender seedlings in the meantime with diatomaceous earth: this is a fine grit that slugs won't cross.
Protect any tender seedlings in the meantime with diatomaceous earth: this is a fine grit that slugs won't cross.
Thanks for the replies. We used to get hedgehogs in the garden when the land behind was allotments. Now it has been built on and there hasn't been a hedgehog in the garden for a while. We get the occasional toad though. Pond is not an option with young children.
Sadly there has already been an incident. My cat is fine but two others aren't. I don't know if the pellets are too blame but some of the cats that visit our garden are real scavengers and regularly go into my bin looking for food etc.
Sadly there has already been an incident. My cat is fine but two others aren't. I don't know if the pellets are too blame but some of the cats that visit our garden are real scavengers and regularly go into my bin looking for food etc.
Should say, if you have a small garden, Nemaslug is effective. We pretty much eradicated the slugs from our old garden with it, but that was 30 square metres and 50% paved and the current house is 300 square metres and 10% paved, so the cost of treating the whole thing becomes prohibitive.
This was talked about on Radio 2 yesterday. The arguement was about the use of slug pellets and the fact they will kill whatever
eats the poisoned slug.
One solution was to spread raw porridge oats in the garden. Seemingly slugs love these but die shorlty after eating them. It wasn't explained why only it works.
Might be worth a try.
eats the poisoned slug.
One solution was to spread raw porridge oats in the garden. Seemingly slugs love these but die shorlty after eating them. It wasn't explained why only it works.
Might be worth a try.
Don't know about cats, but they're lethal to dogs. We found our dog nosing around some and next day he was sick . Now we use salt on the pests, and encourage Thrushes/Blackbirds into the garden. Again don't know about Cats, but slugs/snails can cause lung worm in dogs.
Best solution might be old beer in trays. That way you only get a cat with a hangover
Best solution might be old beer in trays. That way you only get a cat with a hangover
Just thought i'd update this.
We have ruled out the slug pellets, or at least any I put down.
6 local cats are now dead and owners are rightly keeping the surviving ones in.
It' seems a lot to put down to accidental poisoning.
A few weeks back a racing pigeon was killed in our garden by a cat. I wonder if a cat got into a pigeon shed (there are several close to us) and the owner has put poison down.
We have ruled out the slug pellets, or at least any I put down.
6 local cats are now dead and owners are rightly keeping the surviving ones in.
It' seems a lot to put down to accidental poisoning.
A few weeks back a racing pigeon was killed in our garden by a cat. I wonder if a cat got into a pigeon shed (there are several close to us) and the owner has put poison down.
Edited by Devil2575 on Tuesday 26th June 17:08
Devil2575 said:
Just thought i'd update this.
We have ruled out the slug pellets, or at least any I put down.
6 local cats are now dead and owners are rightly keeping the surviving ones in.
It' seems a lot to put down to accidental poisoning.
A few weeks back a racing pigeon was killed in our garden by a cat. I wonder if a cat got into a pigeon shed (there are several close to us) and the owner has put poison down.
Last scenario seem most likely. Round here we had cats coming out of our ears, and peeing & sWe have ruled out the slug pellets, or at least any I put down.
6 local cats are now dead and owners are rightly keeping the surviving ones in.
It' seems a lot to put down to accidental poisoning.
A few weeks back a racing pigeon was killed in our garden by a cat. I wonder if a cat got into a pigeon shed (there are several close to us) and the owner has put poison down.
Edited by Devil2575 on Tuesday 26th June 17:08
tting all over. None of the owners had the sense to have the cats doctored. But cars were getting peed on to the extent that they stunk. Then the numbers dropped. Turned out that some kind person was feeding the cats with Warfarin & Tuna.
I don't have a problem. I shut the gates out front, and if a cat comes in,front or rear, I get told. They soon get out with 11kg of anti furryness on their tail . If they stop ,to have it out, he'll just sit and wait for their next move,which is out when cat gets an early bath.
0a said:
Police and local paper time then I think, make it clear that this behaviour can have consequences.
Why - if the owners aren't going to be responsible and get the toms & she's neutered and provide litter trays outside, then the explosion in cat numbers will continue. So will the marking of territory ( often on the undersides of cars, reducing a £10k grand car value in a few nights of peeing) .I tried round my way to get our council to enforce the tenancy conditions on a local estate on cat ownership, to be told by a councillor that it wouldn't happen ,as cats are not considered as pets.
Honestly, faced with a front garden with more cat poo than ground ( with the risk to my 2 year old grandson) ,I considered humane traps and giving the cats a home in the country ,releasing them near farms. One owner nearby has at least 8 -10 cats, all looking to use my garden as a toilet . These days ,it don't happen, or we get furry slippers.
As said, dog poos on public ground it can present a health risk. BUT, due to a poor grasp of the health risks CATS are equally at risk of spreading the disease . Possibly more so ,as dogs are more controlled than Cats .
Whome said:
Why - if the owners aren't going to be responsible and get the toms & she's neutered and provide litter trays outside, then the explosion in cat numbers will continue. So will the marking of territory ( often on the undersides of cars, reducing a £10k grand car value in a few nights of peeing) .
I tried round my way to get our council to enforce the tenancy conditions on a local estate on cat ownership, to be told by a councillor that it wouldn't happen ,as cats are not considered as pets.
Honestly, faced with a front garden with more cat poo than ground ( with the risk to my 2 year old grandson) ,I considered humane traps and giving the cats a home in the country ,releasing them near farms. One owner nearby has at least 8 -10 cats, all looking to use my garden as a toilet . These days ,it don't happen, or we get furry slippers.
As said, dog poos on public ground it can present a health risk. BUT, due to a poor grasp of the health risks CATS are equally at risk of spreading the disease . Possibly more so ,as dogs are more controlled than Cats .
Sorry it's just not on to poison family pets - dogs or cats. I tried round my way to get our council to enforce the tenancy conditions on a local estate on cat ownership, to be told by a councillor that it wouldn't happen ,as cats are not considered as pets.
Honestly, faced with a front garden with more cat poo than ground ( with the risk to my 2 year old grandson) ,I considered humane traps and giving the cats a home in the country ,releasing them near farms. One owner nearby has at least 8 -10 cats, all looking to use my garden as a toilet . These days ,it don't happen, or we get furry slippers.
As said, dog poos on public ground it can present a health risk. BUT, due to a poor grasp of the health risks CATS are equally at risk of spreading the disease . Possibly more so ,as dogs are more controlled than Cats .
Aside from the moral side of things a child or dog could easily end up consuming the poison and ending up dead.
There are plenty more ways to discourage cats from using your garden.
0a said:
Whome said:
Why - if the owners aren't going to be responsible and get the toms & she's neutered and provide litter trays outside, then the explosion in cat numbers will continue. So will the marking of territory ( often on the undersides of cars, reducing a £10k grand car value in a few nights of peeing) .
I tried round my way to get our council to enforce the tenancy conditions on a local estate on cat ownership, to be told by a councillor that it wouldn't happen ,as cats are not considered as pets.
Honestly, faced with a front garden with more cat poo than ground ( with the risk to my 2 year old grandson) ,I considered humane traps and giving the cats a home in the country ,releasing them near farms. One owner nearby has at least 8 -10 cats, all looking to use my garden as a toilet . These days ,it don't happen, or we get furry slippers.
As said, dog poos on public ground it can present a health risk. BUT, due to a poor grasp of the health risks CATS are equally at risk of spreading the disease . Possibly more so ,as dogs are more controlled than Cats .
Sorry it's just not on to poison family pets - dogs or cats. I tried round my way to get our council to enforce the tenancy conditions on a local estate on cat ownership, to be told by a councillor that it wouldn't happen ,as cats are not considered as pets.
Honestly, faced with a front garden with more cat poo than ground ( with the risk to my 2 year old grandson) ,I considered humane traps and giving the cats a home in the country ,releasing them near farms. One owner nearby has at least 8 -10 cats, all looking to use my garden as a toilet . These days ,it don't happen, or we get furry slippers.
As said, dog poos on public ground it can present a health risk. BUT, due to a poor grasp of the health risks CATS are equally at risk of spreading the disease . Possibly more so ,as dogs are more controlled than Cats .
I'm not advocating poison, but RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP. My dog is stopped from fouling on garden ,then by mutual consent my neighbours cats should be stopped from fouling on my garden . My dog might have the worm, but can any cat owner provide proof that pussy is not a carrier . My dog gets treated, can any cat owner provide proof that moggy is similarly treated. I'm legally required to pick up dog poo. When cat owners are required to do likewise, then I'll be satisfied.
Aside from the moral side of things a child or dog could easily end up consuming the poison and ending up dead.
There are plenty more ways to discourage cats from using your garden.
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