The forecast around here was for an ice storm so I drove out to the farm yesterday after work to feed the quail. I decided to bring the Ruger # 1 in 45.70 just in case Mr. Muy Grande was lurking around the clubhouse. Any way I went down to the pen to water and feed the birds and out from under the pen streaks a big ol' yellow tom cat. I mean big. Boone and Crockett. He runs straight up a dead oak tree about 15 yards from the old tobacco barn that houses the pen and comes to rest in a crotch about 20 feet off the ground. He just sits there flexing his tail and staring down at me. When I put the crosshair on his nose I noticed he had one green and one brown eye. It was a difficult choice.
The Hornady 300 grain hp caught him just below the chin and lifted him about 40 feet into the air. It rained kitty inards for about 10 seconds.

Think I used too much gun?

"When I put the crosshair on his nose I noticed he had one green and one brown eye. It was a difficult choice."

So which eye did you shoot?

Seemed to be the right gun for the task considering the brown eye shot. It takes a little more gun when executing the infamous Texas heart shot.

you really should post this on the small game forum the guys will love it.

congrats on a nice shot.

I decide to split the difference and aimed for the tip of his nose. Guess I am a little low at 15 yards.

Them tom cats can be a lot tougher than they look. I would have opted for a 400 grain bullet just to make sure that both shoulders were broken and the cat couldn't charge you in such tight quarters.

good one...thanks for the post

Next time use a 416 Rigby. As every one knows, a 45-70 is not enough gun for game!

I shot a big feral cat up the ass at around 8-10 yards with a .416 Rigby and 400 gr Taipan bullet at 2650-2700 fps............................seeing as I got a direct hit up the ass there was very little cat left

Nice shot! I did have a run-in with an agressive tree rat one year in Colorado while deer hunting. Absolutely wouldn't shut up, and I finally got tired of him. Sitting on a brach facing me, tail curled up behind him, I put the crosshairs of my .30-06 dead center and nailed him with 180gr. All that came floating to the ground was about 2" of his tail...