Posted on 08/06/2012 2:16:31 PM PDT by ColdOne
Pet kitties and their wild feral relatives kill a shocking 500 million birds and over 3 billion other animals according to new studies, prompting a leading Washington-based bird protection group to demand that local governments order their dog catchers to snag cats too.
One disturbing new study is based on evidence from "KittyCams" strapped on to 60 outdoor pet cats in Athens, Ga. The results: They each averaged 2.1 "kills" a week. Just 13 percent were birds, the rest voles, lizards, chipmunks, frogs and small snakes.
Based on the joint University of Georgia-National Geographic study of pet cats and another of feral cats from the University of Nebraska, the American Bird Conservancy said over 4 billion birds and animals are killed yearly by the felines, four-times the previous estimate. The group blames the extinction of some birds on the killer cats. "Cat predation is one of the reasons why one in three American bird species are in decline," said George Fenwick of the conservancy.
While it would be hard to get cat owners to keep their pets inside, the group wants cat lovers and local governments to stop coddling feral cats and round them up.
"Wildlife are being slaughtered and so often community leaders only seem to express concern for the cats," conservancy spokesman Robert Johns told Secrets.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
Far better to have wise solons on high to determine the winners and losers, just like in economics. After all, that's why our economy is doing so well right now!!
Great story...smart kid...lol
Sothen. Prevent the birds from flying over kitteh territory. Simple!
Bird feeders bring in rats and mice too. I have several feral cats that live around here and they rarely bother my feeders , but they do hunt the mice and rats at night around the feeders. I feed the feral kitties and they live in my greenhouse in the winter(yes I put in pet doors for them...lol). They have all been spayed or neutered by someone else. I suspect they are getting dumped around here from time to time. There are 3 that have been around for several years now.
Rome also has a problem with ferals. The famous “gattis” take care of them. When I was in Rome last, I dropped a few bucks into their coffers.
And yet, there are still millions and millions of birds, all doing what G-d intended.
Just last week, we had hundreds of starlings thugging it up in our yard and scaring the robins.
They’re all over the neighbor’s corn fields, and we could use some outdoor cats to quell them a bit.
My three cats stay inside 100% of the time because there are eagles, hawks, and turkey vultures flying around here all the time.
The birds are 100% more in danger from raptors and other predators than from my cats.
Stinkin’ liberals should quit trying to think that they know better than G-d about what the balance of nature should be.
Second-guessing the Creator. Never a great idea.
Trying to take my pets away. A really, really, really BAD idea.
ROTFLMAO! Perfect.
I saw a Coyote doing his part to reduce the excess cat population. They like to eat Chihauas also.
I’m part of a program set up by the ASPCA called (I think) Capture, Neuter/Spay, Release. I took home two ferals (with microchips and rabie shots), a tiny shelter, and freed them in my backyard. I feed and water them everyday. One is less afraid of me but the other is a real tiger! She resents having to take food from me and turns over her water bowl every night with real violence. But she still comes and eats...
Plants and animals migrating from one part of the planet to another is as old as life itself and about as natural as natural gets.
They should expand Chinese restaurants to all neighborhoods.
Guns don’t kill.
Kitties do.
Register all felines!!!!!!
You will have to pry mine from my cold, dead hands.
Between 8 and 217 million? That's the closest estimate they could get??? Yeah... sounds like a reliable statistic to me.
I call BS. I’ve had multiple cats (usually 3 at a time) my entire life. Some of these cats were fierce hunters making kils every day. Even those cats caught birds only rarely - not as often as once a year. Birds are difficult for cats to catch. They typically catch only those birds who have poor survival skills.
Circle of life starring cat and rat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QcCOpEsV4I&feature=endscreen&NR=1
Circle of life starring cat and rat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QcCOpEsV4I&feature=endscreen&NR=1
What do you know? Dogs kill rats too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxQksEF2uso&NR=1&feature=endscreen
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.