Keep Your Cat Indoors, For Natures Sake

[Hopeuhavechange]

Originally Posted by jobberone

I wouldn't trust those numbers but I don't know for certain they aren't valid.

Surely it is hard to get our minds around such a boggling number, but I've been following these reports for years and this is consistent across studies. Years ago they estimated a huge range of 100 million to 1 billion birds killed by cats. But upon closer study and more accurate measurement of both roaming cats and feral species coupled with their avg kill rt, it really isn't terribly difficult to make a fair assessment.

And suppose these numbers are high. What number would be an acceptable U.S. wild bird kill number by domestic cats? 39 million? 97 million? 543 million? More credible/acceptable? I understand not all people share the same values but as I see it it is people who long ago domesticated cats and we now bear responsibility for them as an obligation to nature.

Another take from 2011:

"Bird Kills by House Cats

News from the American Bird Conservancy (Washington, D.C., August 6, 2012)

A new study of house cats allowed to roam outdoors finds that nearly one-third succeeded in capturing and killing animals. The cats, which wore special video cameras around their necks that recorded their outdoor activities, killed an average of 2.1 animals every week they were outside, but brought less than one of every four of their kills home. Of particular interest, bird kills constituted about 13 percent of the total wildlife kills. Based on these results, American Bird Conservancy and The Wildlife Society estimate that house cats kill far more than the previous estimate of a billion birds and other animals each year.

The study was carried out by scientists from the University of Georgia and the National Geographic Society's Crittercam program."

http://www.sequoia-audubon.org/conservation.html

[Teren_Kanan]

Wow Cats are cooler than I thought. I wish our cats could kill a bird, they are too retarded though. One of our cats catches lizards sometimes, but the other 2 dont' know what to do with them so they pretty much ignore them.

Originally Posted by TheCount

Vermin aren't the only animals being killed.

What else are they killing? Vermin are the only ones I saw listed in the article. Rabbits, Birds, Moles, Shrews, Chipmunks, Snakes, Bugs, lizards, frogs and voles. Did I miss some non vermin?

I don't see any problem with cats being able to roam free, so long as it's ok in your community. I didn't grow up with cats as pets, but I never lived in a neighborhood where they weren't allowed to roam outside, never had a problem with a cat growing up.

Still not a big fan of them as animals because dogs exist and are better in every way, but hey to each their own. I mean hell, some people own birds, and I can't think of a more useless pet, so much so that I list them as vermin. I mean, they poop on my motorcycle, not cool.

But hey some neighborhoods are full of bird feeders and it's pretty commonplace to have birds everywhere. I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood where that was common cause birds are awful and noisy, but again, to each their own. I certainly wouldn't move into a neighborhood where bird feeders were common, and then complain about birds.

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by Teren_Kanan

I don't see any problem with cats being able to roam free, so long as it's ok in your community.

See, if I edit the rest of your crazy statements out, you almost sound logical.

[Lonestar94]

Originally Posted by vta

No kidding? They are generally wild animals and I wonder if they're factored into the equation as well.

Not really, but I have a grey manx cat, which looks like a baby lynx.

[kristie]

i have 3 cats of my own, & my husband & i keep them inside. for us, that's just how it is.

[ScipioCowboy]

Someone definitely needs to have a stern discussion with these cats, and make them understand in no uncertain terms that what nature has equipped them to do is unnatural.

[burmafrd]

Originally Posted by TheCount

Of course, it's stupid if you refuse to read it. Vermin aren't the only animals being killed.



Did you even read the article?

do you ever think before you post?

[burmafrd]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

Someone definitely needs to have a stern discussion with these cats, and make them understand in no uncertain terms that what nature has equipped them to do is unnatural.

that is why this is a joke frankly. They are doing what they are meant to do and suddenly some here are whining and crying.

[TheDallasDon]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

that is why this is a joke frankly. They are doing what they are meant to do and suddenly some here are whining and crying.

Animals kill other animals, its what they do.

[burmafrd]

Originally Posted by TheDallasDon

Animals kill other animals, its what they do.

not according to Disney and the PC. They are mislead and need education.

[ConcordCowboy]

My Cat Dexter like the person he was named after is an absolute Serial Killer.

His skills are finely honed and you would be hard pressed to find one better.

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

do you ever think before you post?

Typical response from you. When you have nothing better to say, insults are your trump card.

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

Someone definitely needs to have a stern discussion with these cats, and make them understand in no uncertain terms that what nature has equipped them to do is unnatural.

That's precisely the point. Keep your pet cat inside because it is a killing machine.

[Romo 2 Austin]

So? Should they eat grass?

[Hopeuhavechange]

Originally Posted by Romo 2 Austin

So? Should they eat grass?

Cat Chow. Or make if Suzy Homemaker feels industrious she can whip something up.

[Hopeuhavechange]

Originally Posted by ScipioCowboy

Someone definitely needs to have a stern discussion with these cats, and make them understand in no uncertain terms that what nature has equipped them to do is unnatural.

Points for being funny. But a plea for a little little clarity here. Nonnative species introduced into an ecosystem isn't natural. And, btw, a majority of kills are from stray cats living in their various colonies, some 40 million of whom are rounded up and euthanasized every year, lest they overwhelm the environment and broadly communicate diseases within the population and without (nature hard at work-- self-preservation being the 1st law of nature and pathogens are hardly excepted fr the law).

Ultimately people are accountable for it and it's not fair to the lovable(?) feline in my view. Domestic cats belong in the domicile playing with string and chasing their shadows. Suppose most dog owners let loose their dogs to roam in packs to hunt little Fluffy wherever he's found...would not this instinctive predation be natural for Rover and Spike? Is this what we want?