Why should cats be allowed to run free to kill birds and crap on my garden?

[England my lionheart]

Don't worry. I will return the favor.

y

Are we talking about Australia or New Zealand now?
I thought these two were separate countries, was I mistaken?

Separate but the same applies.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I suppose the Australian government is doing its utmost to preserve the environmental living spaces of its native animals, too?
Or do their policies start and end with killing cats?

Bit of both, in truth.
We have a lot of unique wildlife, and there is a lot of effort made to protect it. Apart from when there is not.

For various threatened species you'll find management plans freely available (I've linked to one as an example);
Bilby - Parks and Wildlife Service

Commonly feral cats, foxes and rabbits (food competition) can be found as key threats, and there has been afforts to limit their impact for many years now, encouraging desexing of cats,v registration of pets, tightening animal cruelty laws (to promote responsible pet ownership) and introducing night curfews for cats. The culling of cats is obviously more extreme, and in many ways unfortunate, but the vast majority of the animals under threat are birds or very small nocturnal land marsupials...they're defenceless against feral cats, and saving them is important.

As to the more general thrust of your question, it's a mixed bag. Our government isn't great at this. But there is a strong and active conservation movement here, which absolutely includes government funded organisations. It's the nice thing about having autonomous groups. It's also frustrating when climate change is clearly identified by those groups as a key threat to habitats, yet our government are a bunch of recalcitrants acting like an extension of the fossil fuel industry.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Are we talking about Australia or New Zealand now?
I thought these two were separate countries, was I mistaken?

I lived in NZ for multiple years. They have completely different wildlife, etc.
But at a macro level there are some similarities. There are a marked lack of natural predators in either country. Some of the native wildlife...heck, most of it...is HIGHLY susceptible to predators. A kiwi (as a dumb example) has far less chance than a chicken against a fox. Which isn't great.

Animals with better defences (eg. Emus and kangaroos) really aren't bothered by feral cats. Bilbies, on the other hand? Ouch.

NZ and Australia also have many unique species. We don't often have the option of repopulating from populations outside our borders.

Incidentally, worth acknowledging cats aren't always the issue. In the case of Tassie Devils, it's contagious facial tumours that are the biggest threat. For koalas? STDs. And habitat destruction is ALWAYS a thing.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

Farm cats are different and make sense,mr and mrs smith who throw their cat out so it can crap in someone elses garden,torture some unfortunate small bird or spray smelly stuff doesn’t,if you have a pet be responsible for it and keep it inside.

You keep repeating yourself. Just don't throw stones at cats.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

Bit of both, in truth.
We have a lot of unique wildlife, and there is a lot of effort made to protect it. Apart from when there is not.

For various threatened species you'll find management plans freely available (I've linked to one as an example);
Bilby - Parks and Wildlife Service

Commonly feral cats, foxes and rabbits (food competition) can be found as key threats, and there has been afforts to limit their impact for many years now, encouraging desexing of cats,v registration of pets, tightening animal cruelty laws (to promote responsible pet ownership) and introducing night curfews for cats. The culling of cats is obviously more extreme, and in many ways unfortunate, but the vast majority of the animals under threat are birds or very small nocturnal land marsupials...they're defenceless against feral cats, and saving them is important.

As to the more general thrust of your question, it's a mixed bag. Our government isn't great at this. But there is a strong and active conservation movement here, which absolutely includes government funded organisations. It's the nice thing about having autonomous groups. It's also frustrating when climate change is clearly identified by those groups as a key threat to habitats, yet our government are a bunch of recalcitrants acting like an extension of the fossil fuel industry.

Humans are the most destructive invasive species ever. Criticizing cats and other animals, that humans brought with them to the lands they colonized. For being destructive to indigenous life forms. Is the height of hypocrisy. Humans are directly responsible for the extinction and endangerment of thousands of species. Cats are the lesser evil. By a huge margin.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Cat aren’t as clever as you may think which this one will find out,should be kept at home.

No cat can break any law.
You can quite easily do so if you hurt the cat.
So take care

 

[ChristineM]

The Council may have traps. They offer that service where I live, as feral cats are in plague numbers.

Regards Tony

Ferel cats (chats errant) were rife around out village. On several occasions (before i moved to france) the council hired hunters for an annual cull. I intervened and suggest trapping the cats and paying for them to be neutered (i would have paid but the council took responsibility). It worked, 6 years later we are seeing a decrease in chats errant. And with an arrangement with a local vet it works out cheaper than paying for a cull every year.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

You keep repeating yourself. Just don't throw stones at cats.

Also I don't care about your silly little garden, England...

 

[ChristineM]

Why should cats be allowed to run free to kill birds and crap on my garden?

@England my lionheart

Have you ever considered that birds also crap on your garden, perhaps cats are doing you a favour.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

Why should cats be allowed to run free to kill birds and crap on my garden?

@England my lionheart

Have you ever considered that birds also crap on your garden, perhaps cats are doing you a favour.

Foxes routinely crap in my garden. Which I don't mind at all. What's a bit of **** between friends? (I encourage them with food)

 

[Ashoka]

Farm cats are different and make sense,mr and mrs smith who throw their cat out so it can crap in someone elses garden,torture some unfortunate small bird or spray smelly stuff doesn’t,if you have a pet be responsible for it and keep it inside.

I understand to a point. I think keeping cats indoors is important, as they damage the ecosystem and can hurt thebird population. Plus, they are more likely to be hurt or harmed if they are outdoors. I don't think harming the cat will solve anything, however. In my area, you can call animal control, and they take the animal to a no-kill shelter. That might be a better option, if you can.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Humans are the most destructive invasive species ever. Criticizing cats and other animals, that humans brought with them to the lands they colonized. For being destructive to indigenous life forms. Is the height of hypocrisy. Humans are directly responsible for the extinction and endangerment of thousands of species. Cats are the lesser evil. By a huge margin.

I don't remember calling cats evil. Nor did I deny humans role in introducing species, destroying habitats, or anything else.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

I don't remember calling cats evil. Nor did I deny humans role in introducing species, destroying habitats, or anything else.

Good for you. However my post was rhetorical. I was highlighting your comments because they served as a useful focus point. So sorry for any misunderstanding on my part. I wasn't accusing you specifically of anything whatsoever.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

I understand to a point. I think keeping cats indoors is important, as they damage the ecosystem and can hurt thebird population. Plus, they are more likely to be hurt or harmed if they are outdoors. I don't think harming the cat will solve anything, however. In my area, you can call animal control, and they take the animal to a no-kill shelter. That might be a better option, if you can.

Keeping my cats under lock and key would harm them psychologically. I am their carer not their warden. Some cats would be fine with it, I am sure. But not my little monsters.

 

[England my lionheart]

I understand to a point. I think keeping cats indoors is important, as they damage the ecosystem and can hurt thebird population. Plus, they are more likely to be hurt or harmed if they are outdoors. I don't think harming the cat will solve anything, however. In my area, you can call animal control, and they take the animal to a no-kill shelter. That might be a better option, if you can.

Maybe.

 

[England my lionheart]

Why should cats be allowed to run free to kill birds and crap on my garden?

@England my lionheart

Have you ever considered that birds also crap on your garden, perhaps cats are doing you a favour.

Yes they probably do,the size of a robin or sparrows poo is a pee in the ocean compared to a cats,further,birds tend to poo on a fence or tree or roof,they do not mess my herb garden up then dump on it,cats crap stinks too and many cats have worms,do I really want that in my fresh herbs I cook with?,no so the cat has to be persuaded to Relocate.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

Yes they probably do,the size of a robin or sparrows poo is a pee in the ocean compared to a cats,further,birds tend to poo on a fence or tree or roof,they do not mess my herb garden up then dump on it,cats crap stinks too and many cats have worms,do I really want that in my fresh herbs I cook with?,no so the cat has to be persuaded to Relocate.

BIrd guano can contain some quite virulent pathogens...

 

[England my lionheart]

No cat can break any law.
You can quite easily do so if you hurt the cat.
So take care

I have no intention of hurting it,I’m just teaching it with water.

 

[Azrael Antilla]

Yes they probably do,the size of a robin or sparrows poo is a pee in the ocean compared to a cats,further,birds tend to poo on a fence or tree or roof,they do not mess my herb garden up then dump on it,cats crap stinks too and many cats have worms,do I really want that in my fresh herbs I cook with?,no so the cat has to be persuaded to Relocate.

Why not buy fresh herbs? It's not just cats that **** and **** on your herb beds at night. Rats, Hedgehogs, Foxes etc .

 

[England my lionheart]

Why not buy fresh herbs? It's not just cats that **** and **** on your herb beds at night. Rats, Hedgehogs, Foxes etc .

Hedgehogs are welcome and I have a place in the garden where they can hibernate,I love foxes but there’s nothing in my garden that would attract them,rats definitely not,there’s nothing to attract them either.