villainess

I thought bells had been shown to be ineffective?

At any rate, naturally it is true that preserves for rare species need to be kept clear of feral cat colonies, and also, for preference, rats and brown snakes and in many cases humans; unfortunately unless the species is native to a fairly small island this is somewhat difficult. Cat lover that I am, I wouldn't have a problem with the idea of killing off a colony of cats that had taken up residence in the habitat of a severely threatened prey species, if there was no practical way to relocate them - of course I'd also expect to see some kind of exclusion methods put into place thereafter, because usually when you elimanate one group of cats from suitable habitat another moves right in.

To wax emotional about the death of a English sparrow (finch thing) or wren at the cruel claws of tabby is silly and melodramatic, though. And with a few exceptions, the species of birds that thrive in suburban gardens (prime housecat territory) are not the species of birds under the most pressure right now.

At any rate, I know that this has historically been a touchy subject, but I myself don't believe that it is inherently cruel to keep a cat indoors, so long as you're not talking fifteen cats to a studio apartment and so long as the owner puts some effort into providing sources of diversion. After all, indoor cats can still hunt mice and spiders - that's what they're for.

the_villainess

BrotherMan

I didn't feel the need to read much further.

godfry n. glad

Heh.... We have a neutered male that we took in as a street stray. Although still fairly young, he had obviously been brought up in a household with a dog and a refrigerator. He showed no fear of dogs, turning and stalking, clear-eyed and snarling, _toward_ any dog that attempted the "lunge to make the cat run" move. He has even taken to taunting all the indoor dogs in the neighborhood by parading back and forth outside the windows where the dogs are kept prisoner (generating a type of abstract art based on canine snot & saliva on glass). Also, when he was adopted, it was obvious that he knew that the refrigerator meant "tasty treats" to him; an opening 'frig sent him into "lobby the human" mode (complete with ankle-buffing and wistful looks).

Anyway, my wife's concern about the songbirds grew from our fuzzwad's proclivity for hunting and successfully killing squirrels. Not too many cats I've known have been fast enough to catch squirrels, but in his first two months with us, he bagged at least six, that we know of. Yeah, yeah...I know, they were the sick, slow, aged and stupid squirrels. Anyway, his track record garnered him a bell on a collar.

Y'know what? That cat mastered the ability to move about the house without ringing the bell much at all. Oh, it rang occasionally, but so rarely as to obviate its original purpose.
The only time we really heard the bell was when we'd arrive home and he'd come running from some far-flung locale in the immediate neighborhood. Ta-ding, ta-ding, da ding, ding, ding.

His conquest of squirrels and birds dropped precipitously after he put on weight from the regular square meals he got from us. By the end of his first year with us until now, all he has been able to master amongst bird prey is the helpless fledglings.

Here's the problem: Bells need collars. In my estimation, collars are either ineffective, or too dangerous for cats. Our first collar came up missing. We replaced it. The second collar we took off after we found the cat struggling for his life to extricate himself from it after getting hung up on a grape arbor. We switched to break-away collars (yeah...belatedly). He promptly lost the next three collars (all with bells, of course) over the next month. Either it was safe and he couldn't keep it, or it was dangerous to him.

Then, after three years of each year taking him in for an abcess in his facial/neck region, the veterinarian suggested that the collar might be serving as a hinderance (and source of the infected wounds) in his ongoing battles to maintain his place in the local cat heirarchy. We lost the collar permanently....

Result: He's better off without the collar. That means without the bell. Five years now running. Yes, he still kills an occasional fledgling bird (although he's not so eager about it since the local Mr. & Mrs. Jay took him on for killing one of their offspring...man, those birds are _vindictive_!), but he also brings in an occasional juvenile rat and the more frequent doormat offering of mice and voles. That's work well done.

The article is over the top and linking the domestic cat to SARS seems to be pandering to the lowest uncommon denominator in species slander. She did point out some of the real problems with the unchecked proliferation of cats (and dogs, too) and what needs to be done to bring the problem under control. But, it's not those cats that are neutered and have a loving home that are the problem, it's those that don't. They are spreaders of disease amongst the _cat_ population, including Tiddles and Fluffy. The overprotective cat-owners tend to lean on that as the best reason to make your cat a housecat with no leave privileges.
Personally, I think if I denied my cat access to the out-of-doors, he'd explode from all the retained body waste he'd refuse to place in the litter box provided for him....He just _won't_ use them.

As for irresponsible pet owners, all I have to do is see dog owners running their pets off-leash in a public park within clear sight of postings that off-leash dogs are illegal (and small children playing nearby) to be reminded where unresponsible pet-ownership lies. That, and the charming gifts of feces left in my yard by those ever-diligent canine owners. I've come to believe that "Taking the dog for a walk" is a euphemism for "Taking the dog to crap on somebody else's property."

And, as for the chip implant, we've done that. As to how she thinks it's going to reduce the carnage in the garden, I haven't a clue. It hasn't slowed my fuzzwad down at all....and it doesn't beep, either.

I wonder if the author of the article would have bothered to wail and weep over a baby starling or pidgeon?

Lastly.... As a gardener, I resent being placed in some silly category of hating cats because I'm a gardener. I appreciate the cats. All of them who stop by and socialize with me, at least. (And, yes, I wear gloves to work in the soil....) I am a gardener who keeps a rabbit, though, so I might be an anomoly.

godfry

Mecha_Dude

Put a collar on my cat and he has it off by the end of the day. It just doesn't work

godfry n. glad

...and if it did, it wouldn't be safe for him.

beth

Grrrr... I'd love to sick my sis-in-law's evil cat on her. He's black, evil, and has six toes on each paw. He will attack just for looking the wrong way. I think she deserves to have that cat thrown on her. Meow!

godfry n. glad

Ahh... six toes. A true mutant.

Luiseach

Alli:

I share your upset at this current anti-cat sentiment being stirred up in the U.K...

Born Free

I sent an email with the article to the cats protection people in the UK and asked them to take a look at it. This was their response.

Hi there

They will have received our statement on this issue, which is attached fyi.
Best Wishes

Emma


Emma Osborne

Cats Protection Press Officer

27 May 2003

Cats Protection�s statement on the Mammal Society�s new survey

Cats Protection today responded to the Mammal Society�s latest survey findings concerning the lack of popularity of cats in gardens.

�Yet again, the Mammal Society seems hell-bent on portraying cats as the major environmental threat to birds and other wildlife in this country,� said Cats Protection�s Chief Executive, Derek Conway. �It�s time to get things back into perspective and examine some facts, rather than the hype around these issues. As far as we know, no reputable research currently exists that shows cats to be the main cause for bird depredation.�

The facts are as follows: -

1. Cats are the UK�s favourite pet with more than 4.5 million households caring for more than 7.7 million felines.
2. Many cat owners are also wildlife lovers and keen gardeners. Some thoughtful planning, coupled with the right information for cat owners and non-cat owners alike, helps to ensure that cats, birds, small mammals and gardens can, and do, co-exist together.
3. When it comes to cats� predatory habits: -

 Cats are too often held simplistically and wrongly as the main cause of bird and mammal species loss.
 Not all cats hunt.
 Many cats are kept as indoor pets.
 Some cats do not leave their owners� gardens.
 Predatory activity amongst cats often significantly reduces after the first three years of life.
 Cats have their own predators � cruel humans, other larger mammals and cars.

4. The blue tit, the second most common garden bird killed by cats, is actually increasing in number across the UK.
5. Bird species that have undergone the most serious population decline in the UK, i.e. skylarks, tree sparrows and corn buntings, rarely encounter cats, therefore it is impossible to hold cats responsible for their decline.
6. Making cats the scapegoat for bird and mammal species� loss is simplistic and na�ve. Humans are the main cause of environmental destruction and the ensuing effect on wildlife � not cats. Species� loss occurs for many reasons � the decline of hedgerows, climate change, modern building techniques, development of land for housing and commercial purposes and intensive agricultural practices, to name but a few. People, not cats, are responsible for this negative state of affairs.
7. Cats Protection encourages responsible cat ownership � this includes a recognition of the cat, garden and wildlife debate. To this end, the charity fully supports keeping cats in at night (partly to protect them from predators) and advises the public on ways to humanely deter cats from visiting neighbours� gardens. Neutering is also encouraged by the charity, partly because it reduces a cat�s tendency to wander off and encounter cruelty.
6. Any moves to restrict a cat�s right to roam would be impractical and impossible to monitor. It is in their nature to explore their territory which is not always delineated by garden fences.

Cats Protection does not support tying fixed collars, bells or sonar devices around a cat�s neck as their natural agility places them in danger of catching the collar on branches and strangling an innocent creature going about its natural business.

Anyone requiring further information on humane ways to deter cats from gardens, should contact Cats Protection�s Helpline. Tel: 08702 099 099.

~ends~

Note to editors: Issued by Cats Protection�s Press Office. Please contact Emma Osborne for further information. Tel: 08707 708 634 (media queries only).

Kuu

I live in Tasmania were cats have also lived for almost 200 years. In those 200 years the only animals that have become extinct in Tasmania are the thylacine and two subspecies of emu (the Tasmanian emu and the Maria Island Emu). These species are large animals and their extinction is due to being hunted by Man.

On the Mainland of Australia the extinction rate is much higher.

Many small animals that have become extinct on the Mainland thrive in Tasmania. The difference between Tasmania and the Mainland? Foxes and dingoes have never made it to Tasmania.

I will admit that their are a few species of birds that are at risk from cats here but such species would be under great stress even if the cat wasn't here though things such as habitat destruction (not as severe in Tasmania as many other places) and the introduction of other feral animal such as birds whose numbers might even be kept down by feral cats.