Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kill unwanted stray cats and keep the rest indoors, says US academic
UK Telegraph ^ | September 20, 2016 | Patrick Sawer

Posted on 09/21/2016 5:53:13 AM PDT by C19fan

It is not a suggestion that is likely to go down well with millions of cat lovers. An American academic has recommended that all stray felines should be eradicated unless they can be found a home, because of the huge numbers of birds they kill.

Not only that, but Dr Peter Marra, the director of the Smithsonian migratory bird centre in Washington, says all domestic cats should be kept indoors or on a lead to stop the “devastating impact” they have on wildlife.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: cats; predators; smithsonian; wildlife
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101 next last
To: C19fan

Export them to China.


41 posted on 09/21/2016 6:42:00 AM PDT by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paradox

That (birth control ) is being done in places here...people pay to have ferals rounded up, “fixed,” vaccinated, then returned to their home area where they keep the rodent population down


42 posted on 09/21/2016 6:42:26 AM PDT by goodnesswins (Hillary & Huma SUPPORT those who support CLITORECTOMIES for little girls...SICKOS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: RC one

Im going to guess that you dont enjoy feeding and watching the birds or like when they sing in the spring and summer.


43 posted on 09/21/2016 6:44:03 AM PDT by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Our cat, “Cattbutt”, says tell Dr. Marra to kiss her little
cat butt!


44 posted on 09/21/2016 6:44:11 AM PDT by Twinkie (John 3:16)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goodnesswins

That is a very humane idea to “fix” the ferals. I hate to seeing starving animals of any kind. If this “expert”, cat-phobic doctor is so concerned, why don’t they work on safe wild bird houses or some other constructive idea, instead?


45 posted on 09/21/2016 6:49:55 AM PDT by NewCenturions
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Paradox

In my town, and in many others, sterilizing stray cats is being tried. The theory is that, if you just kill feral cats, there will always be another one to take its place. But a sterilized cat would prevent other males from entering its territory....and not reproduce.

We’ll see if it works.


46 posted on 09/21/2016 6:51:22 AM PDT by lacrew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

A while back the British carried out a study of how house cats affect the small bird and other animal populations, and they were astounded by the vast numbers of these other animals the cats wiped out. Cats are highly efficient killers.

But this being said, the solution to this is not to kill cats or restrict them to the indoors. Instead it should be to breed *replacement* birds, especially, to repopulate and even overpopulate for the losses.

Captive breeding for release is very successful in restoring wild populations of both plants and animals. Done right, so many are released that even with a high attrition rate, eventually natural controls come into play.

It also has the double side effect of increasing the populations of predators that prey on them; but by doing this, to reduce the numbers of unwanted animals, such as mice and rats.


47 posted on 09/21/2016 6:51:41 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: I want the USA back

you got that right- - and from the Audubon soc.::

“Wind turbines kill an estimated 140,000 to 328,000 birds each year in North America, making it the most threatening form of green energy. And yet, it’s also one of the most rapidly expanding energy industries: more than 49,000 individual wind turbines now exist across 39”-

This is an article from this year- 328,000 I believe is on the LOW side- THERE is not much regulation to account for
bird kills by this insane govt obsession with wind mills-
ANY other industry would be SHUT down -if they were eliminating thousands of eagles per year


48 posted on 09/21/2016 6:54:10 AM PDT by mj1234
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Ditter

We’ve got a 21 y/o cat. It spent its first 15 years exclusively outside...and transitioned into full time indoors now. During that transition period, it was miserable - begging to go outside.

We have a much younger cat, who will come inside to eat and use the litter box (for some reason won’t go outside), and will sit by the door for hours, waiting for a chance to go out again.

Some cats like the adventure - a house is like a prison to them.


49 posted on 09/21/2016 6:56:04 AM PDT by lacrew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: lacrew

Build your kitties a “catio”...that’s what I want to do for ours...look on Pinterest...many ideas there


50 posted on 09/21/2016 6:59:03 AM PDT by goodnesswins (Hillary & Huma SUPPORT those who support CLITORECTOMIES for little girls...SICKOS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: MayflowerMadam

One of our cats is scared of the other one...and will do his business in a flower pot, on the carpet, etc...rather than use the litter box if the other cat is around. So we have placed more than one around the house. Next problem is we have to leave night lights...or he doesn’t seem to find the boxes. Oh yeah, he’s 21 years old...so he’s having senior moments.


51 posted on 09/21/2016 6:59:44 AM PDT by lacrew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: goodnesswins

Note nearly enough room to roam. We live in the country, and the cats just love to roam and hunt.


52 posted on 09/21/2016 7:03:34 AM PDT by lacrew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: lacrew

Well in the country I can understand cats roaming....on city lots not so much...telling my neighbors that I was putting out cayenne pepper to keep their cats out of OUR gardens created quite an uproar a couple years ago...but then I followed up with reminding them of the coyotes and cars which regularly kill kitties. They shut up...and less cats are in our yard.


53 posted on 09/21/2016 7:09:08 AM PDT by goodnesswins (Hillary & Huma SUPPORT those who support CLITORECTOMIES for little girls...SICKOS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: lacrew

Yes I know. We had a huge Maine Coon cat named Junior. He lived inside for 5 years then started slipping out when we opened the door. I wasn’t too worried because he just laid around in the grass.

Then one day I found his body with a little blood coming out of his nostrils. Don’t know for sure, probably hit by a car in the driveway. He only lasted a few months with his outside life.


54 posted on 09/21/2016 7:09:45 AM PDT by Ditter (God Bless Texas!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
One taxidermist is putting road kill cats to use. https://touch.trademe.co.nz/listing/view/1160421420
55 posted on 09/21/2016 7:14:17 AM PDT by Carthego delenda est
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ObozoMustGo2012

Pardon my off topic rant, but cats are by no means close to a problem as deer are.
*************************************************************

Not off topic at all....and absolutely correct. Around here they are nothing but giant rats with antlers. Good eating, though.

It is important to have some outdoor cats around. They are very good at keeping mice and rats down.

But the deer are a real problem: they destroy property and endanger humans. My old Dodge pick-up has hit so many deer, that a lot of my hunting rifles are jealous of it.


56 posted on 09/21/2016 7:31:16 AM PDT by RepRivFarm ("During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." -George Orwell)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
Has he ever considered how predators like cats keep the mice, rats, and other rodent populations under control?

Around here hawks seem like more effective predators against birds than stray cats - coyotes eat the cats.

57 posted on 09/21/2016 7:32:16 AM PDT by freeandfreezing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C19fan

Wind-turbines kill more birds


58 posted on 09/21/2016 7:34:29 AM PDT by butlerweave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ObozoMustGo2012

ROADS are the hazard the way the deer see it. The DEER were
here FIRST! Of course, back in the early days of this
country, deer were hunted for FOOD any time food was needed.


59 posted on 09/21/2016 7:36:29 AM PDT by Twinkie (John 3:16)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: C19fan
I'm calling Trump about this right now!
60 posted on 09/21/2016 7:41:30 AM PDT by dezrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson