Darnright,
I wasn’t going to get into this discussion because oftentimes people get a little batty over the cat/bird debate (almost as batty as the circumcision/no circumcision threads; I consider THEM actual entertainment).
However (and I know this is anectodal, but hey...I figure if everyone else is doing it...), it’s been my long experience that that old saw about how outdoor cats only live to be 3 years old is...well...nonsense.
The first kitten I ever got was born to two cats who were what we USED to call “wild,” but now I guess is “feral”. She was a thoroughly outdoor cat — a stone cold killer of big old water rats who only came inside when she dang well wanted to, and lived to be 23 years old. In fact, all my cats have been outdoor cats and NONE of them have died at anything but a ripe old age. One of my current ones is nearing 20 right now. She’s got arthritis, and doesn’t kill any mice anymore, but she’s still kicking, and still goes outside every day.
It’s not like I live in the country, either — I was born and raised in NYC and now live on Long Island.
And thus endeth the anecdote of the day.
Best regards to you,
Hi VK,
The 3 year lifespan is an average. I, too, know of outdoor cats that lived to advanced ages. Think of it as a 4 pack a day smoker living to 90.
My concern about cats killing birds in my area is specifically about ground-dwelling game birds, like quail and turkeys. The babies are hatched on the ground, then they follow the hen until they’re able to fly. I’ve sat and watched my neighbor’s cats stalking a hen and her poults, it’s sickening to me. I’d feel the same about watching a dog stalking a litter of kittens. I’ve got a Siamese cat that’s the most spoiled beast on the planet. She’s a house cat, and I live way out in the boonies.