[LinuxBender]

Cats are hard wired to hunt. It isn't their fault. The fault lies with the owners. People in cities can reduce the problem by getting their cat fixed unless their goal is to sell kittens. Having an indoor/outdoor cat is a choice but I believe it is an unhealthy and risky choice as the cat will pick up all manor of infestation which then has to be countered with chemicals that are not safe for the cat or the humans despite what the packaging says. Many people do not even bathe their pets on a regular interval. Worse yet, people trim the claws of their pets which gives them zero ability to defend themselves. If the indoor/outdoor cat is not fixed it will most certainly have kittens and they are hard wired to do this in a place not near bigger mammals like humans so there is a high probability these kittens will become feral cats that will have kittens and the cycle repeats and thus the problem you describe is exacerbated.

This is less of an issue in rural areas that have natural predators for cats. Once in a blue moon I see a cat hunting my chipmunks. I feed horses, deer, chipmunks and about 20 species of birds. Even then it is rare to see a cat here as they are hunted by coyotes, large owls, eagles and mountain lions. I just had 3 giant eagles in my driveway eating a deer that didn't look both ways before crossing the highway. Feral cats do not last long with them around. For that reason alone people in rural areas should keep their cats indoors or avoid getting a cat in the first place. It is not fair to put domesticated animals in the mix with bigger predators.

[salad-fan]

If you’re in California know that feeding wildlife is illegal. And regardless of where you are it’s a bad idea as it habituates them to humans and attracting prey animals (like deer) will also attract their predators.

[LinuxBender]

I left Cali, too many laws for me. The game warden and Sheriff here are quite happy that I and others feed the deer. It helps repopulate the wilderness behind my property. Bird lovers also appreciate that I feed all the birds. Nobody aside from me seem to care about the chipmunks. I am working towards unlocking the Crazy Chipmunk Dude title and achievement.

I am happy to attract the coyotes. It keeps them away from town and away from peoples children. My only gripe with them is when they are mating, they always choose 3am to do there little mating noises but that is only for a few weeks per year. They and the eagles clean up after the deer that get hit by cars i.e. the Circle of Life or nothing left to waste. I keep the coyotes, wolves and bears away from the house with vinegar. My high powered LED lights appear to be keeping the mountain lions away.

All of that said, I am working on making things safer for the deer and the officials here appreciate it as it reduces car accidents. By next spring I should have enough fences and high voltage in place to corral them into a little sanctuary. Every year about 25 to 30 mule deer live in my yard and peek into my windows when they are hungry or their heated water buckets are empty.