Feel there is a movement against cats in the media lately

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Sheila M
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Feel there is a movement against cats in the media lately

Post by Sheila M »

I'm worried about a movement that I've noticed recently in the media against domestic cats, usually based on the amount of wildlife they kill each year. I'm always having to defend cats to people who always cite the killing of wildlife as a point against cats, and it's difficult to argue against, because I personally don't have any data to work with! All I can attest to is that I've always had outdoor cats and the wildlife around my house has always proliferated - that includes birds like pheasants, tits, magpies, crows, blackbirds, chaffinches, starlings, robins, and other life like hedgehogs, mice, frogs and voles. My aunt and uncle have dogs who kill rabbits and hedgehogs on a regular basis, but no-one seems to pick on dogs like they do cats. I have noticed throughout my life that for some reason cats are often disliked by people and I think those people who are prejudiced against them like to pretend they have a legitimate reason for this, so they go on about wildlife. Obviously, I'm not advocating the killing of wildlife, but I think cats get a bad press, and I know many cats who never go outside at all. So not all cats even kill. I'm interested in finding out if there exists any campaign to defend cats against those people who seem to be running a sneaky campaign against them?
Themogfather
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Re: Feel there is a movement against cats in the media latel

Post by Themogfather »

My reply to people who go on about cats killing wildlife is to ask them what their gardens front and back are like. Lots of people have either concereted over parts of their garden , pulled up edges and replaced them with fences , chopped down trees or planted their garden with foreign species of plants which are not suitable or even poisonous to native species. Destruction of natural enviroment as caused more of a decline in native birds and animals than cats ever will.
The other problem cats face is from gardeners who understandably are not to pleased with cats pooing in their gardens. The cat watch program gave an interesting solution to this. If you feed the cats in your garden they dont mess in the same garden.
The poo problem also leads to another bugbear of mine . I hate when people say they dont like cats because they are dirty. When i ask them to explain they say that they are dirty as they bury their poo. I then ask them do you like dogs. Most say yes so i then point out whats more clean burying your waste or just leaving it lying there. I also point out that cats groom more than dogs and are very clean animals.
The best thing to do is educate people , point out the facts and their own misconceptions.
I find bringing people who say they dont like cats into a house with friendly cats especially kittens converts all but the most hard hearted.
Also when sharing positive views on cat please be restrained as the last thing we need is to be labled crazy cat people whos views can be ignored
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bobbys girl
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Re: Feel there is a movement against cats in the media latel

Post by bobbys girl »

I've seen this argument from both sides.

As a life-long gardener, I can say that in my pre-cat days I used to get really steamed up about cat poo in my veg garden. :x We were surrounded with cats and when neighbours waffled on about how clean their pets were I'd say 'that's because they cxxp in MY garden!!!'

I must be honest and say that I still hate it when they do that. I can never sow seeds directly into the ground, as a seed bed looks a lot like a lovely big litter tray. :roll: Finding it in the borders is yucky enough, but next to a lettuce? When my OH says 'where do you expect them to go?' I say 'they have the WHOLE OF FERMANAGH, why just here?!'

Being very rural we used to have rats raiding the bird table - we don't now. 2 of our five are real hunters, the other 3 can't be bothered. It does upset me when I find baby bird corpses on the doorstep (6 robins in 2 weeks) and I feel very guilty on finding the remains of pygmy shrews (not a common animal - and less common now). But on the other hand my style of gardening teamed with all the bird boxes (cat-proofed of course) mean our garden is teaming with life compared to our neighbour's frequently mowed prairie.
Themogfather wrote:I find bringing people who say they dont like cats into a house with friendly cats especially kittens converts all but the most hard hearted.
This has happened with us. A non-cat friend was won over by our soppy Thomas. Who could resist his 'Puss in Boots' look?

There is a strong, black gene in the cats around here, and with it all sorts of stories and nonsense about black 'Bog Cats'. Having 2 black cats (and the fact that stray cats follow me up the street) makes me a witch in some people's eyes..... whatever :roll: :lol:
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Lyn from Australia
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Re: Feel there is a movement against cats in the media latel

Post by Lyn from Australia »

You ought to try living in Australia!!

http://optimail.com.au/berrime/wildcats.htm#ref" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I read this article recently, which is fairly well-balanced with for and against cat arguments, but I find the most significant argument is at the beginning "The disappearance of bird and other wildlife species is the fault of humans, not cats".

The eco system NEEDS cats, every bit as much and sometimes more than it needs birds - do we really want to be overrun with rodents and other vermin? There are many for and against arguments, but for your suburban cat-hater it is worthwhile to point out that bird feeders and waterers attract birds closer to the ground than they often land, and therefore will attract the attention of cats. Cats are generally ground predators and birds aren't their natural prey. Many of us in attracting birds to our gardens are actually doing them a disservice in many ways. I believe there is a place for cats in every country, even Australia, it is we humans who have to alter our behaviour - I wish there were many more TNR programmes for starters!!!!
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lilynmitz
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Re: Feel there is a movement against cats in the media latel

Post by lilynmitz »

When I had a cat who was a ferocious and accomplished hunter, I did stop feeding the birds in the garden as it just became bait for his prey. I since had self-imposed house cats, so I can feed the birds to my heart's delight, and have made up for the many Mo killed by sustaining them with good quality food through some hard winters - cost me a fortune!

Cats are a big issue with wildlife population, there's no doubt about that, and with every adult killed in fledgling season, that's a brood lost. And with every fledgling, there goes next year's brood.

BUT, and its a big BUT, humans have a far more detrimental impact on animal/bird/insect populations by loss of habitat and natural food sources and overuse of pesticides killing the insects the birds eat, and removing seed/berry producing plants that are their natural food source. We can all help by the way we plant and manage our gardens, campaign for nature conservation, support the reputable conservation bodies, and feeding the birds in winter (if we can keep it away from the cats).
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Sheana
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Re: Feel there is a movement against cats in the media latel

Post by Sheana »

Alleged cat hoarders offered assistance in Schaghticoke
Residence where 150 felines were found is contaminated with fleas and animal waste
By Kenneth C. Crowe II
Updated 9:51 pm, Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The town building inspector on Wednesday condemned the River Road residence in which 150 cats were found, and Rensselaer County offered housing and medical assistance to four people who lived there.

State Police cleared the scene as an investigation continues while the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society has rescued about 100 cats and located 11 dead felines.

The remaining cats are not being removed because they are packed into the small, single-family residence's walls, said Tina Murray, director of operations for the humane society.
"It's not a very big house. It has a large number of cats," Murray said summing up the situation at the home.

Fire, police, town and county officials discussing the actions necessary to close off 1106 River Road due to extensive contamination from fleas, cat urine and fecal matter, along with building instability.

It's the second time in four years that authorities have been called to 1106 River Road to remove a burgeoning feline population.

Bertha A. Ryan, the property owner, and her sisters, Mary A. Ryan and Regina Millard, were in the residence in street clothes while emergency workers wore hazmat suits to rescue the cats, Murray said.

The sisters and other relatives were involved in cat-hoarding incidents in Schaghticoke, Halfmoon and Vermont. Humane society officials estimated that the family collected 450 cats in the different incidents including the latest one.

"This is one of the worst occurrences," Murray said.

Full article:
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article ... 855245.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.scienceclarified.com/Ex-Ga/Felines.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... s-out.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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