Speculative cat fiction: what if...

[dandv]

Hello fellow cat lovers!

I'm a 30-something feline fan from California, who occasionally engages in speculative fiction. Yesterday, during a chat with a friend, we got on the topic of what the world would be like if cats developed flight ability, given their essential predatory nature and sheer numbers (close to 100 million pet cats in the US alone).

How do you think the world would change if cats suddenly acquired flight ability?

[bobbys girl]

[dandv]

A fun question, no?

Would cat owners keep cats in cages, like birds? Would cats stay domesticated, or just fly out the window and never come back?

[Themogfather]

If cats could fly i doubt very much they would have been domesticated in as higher number as they have been . If kept as pets i imagine they would be more like Birds kept as pets today and need to be kept in avaries thus reducing their appeal to some people. It would also affect the bird population as they would be able to follow birds and maybe become better predators.
Dogs would be worried to.LOL
Theres also the question of wether man would have domesticated them. animals are domesticated for food , protection , work ie sheep dogs , hunting or to be a pet. I feel if they flew they would be even more independent so would not be easy to domesticate and as they were first domesticated to kill vermin i dont see it happening as owls havnt been domesticated for this job .
They might have been used in hunting like falcons but would need to be fast flyers.
It also raises the spectre of flying big cats. Just think of a world of flying tigers and lions. How would early man have coped.
But a problem with flying cats is that there bones would have to be like birds bones ie very light and easy to damage. This would mean there behaviour would be very different from our cats.
But also remember cats can fly . They just use a broom stick.

[bobbys girl]

But also remember cats can fly . They just use a broom stick.

Especially this weekend!

[claire_lee]

I think opposable thumbs would worry me more......

[bobbys girl]

You're right there!

[Themogfather]

They dont need wings or aposable thumbs they rule us already

[hgale]

Talking of opposable thumbs, anyone on here remember the Cravendale advert?! Very funny. "Jog on Kitties!"