[TN-Bird] Re: Cats and Birds Did Not Evolve as Mutually Exclusive Species
- From: Luvsbirdn@xxxxxxx
- To: wtthornton@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 21:00:19 EST
Mr. Thornton & other roaming-cat cat-lovers,
It is most unfortunate that you have chosen to ignore facts because they
don't fit "your beliefs". Dev, Meryl and others have taken the time to
articulate exactly where scientific literature can be located that
specifically refutes what you "believe to be the case". You would be wise to
read a few such articles and reconsider your position on allowing your house
cat(s) to roam.
Unfortunately, Mr. Thornton, many bird species are not managing "nicely" -
and many in the scientific community put the blame largely on the house cat -
conservatively estimated to number 100 million (domestic and feral) in the US
alone. That is why the American Bird Conservancy has begun a campaign called
"Cats Indoors!". You would be wise to remember those two words. It is also
why they, along with the National Audubon Society, the International
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and other groups have concluded
that domestic and feral cats have caused MAJOR declines in bird populations
worldwide. Your "beliefs" are at odds with scientific findings.
You mention theat you "don't believe that having outside cats and being a
birder are mutually exclusive activities". So what? Beating your children
and being a birder are not mutually exclusive activities either.
I imagine that those dedicated workers that have spent years captive-breeding
and reintroducing California condors, or the guy piloting an ultra-light
airplane across the country with whooping cranes in tow might take exception
to your comment regarding "our puny attempts to manage" birds. There are
countless other examples of dedicated work to save species from extinction
that hardly qualify as "puny".
Have you ever considered the ripple effect that your free-roaming cat(s) has
on wildlife in general? Everytime your cat kills a bird, that is one less
bird for a bobcat, a hawk, or whatever other wild animal that must DEPEND on
such prey for its survival. But that example only accounts for the birds
your cat has killed - not the other 26-83 vertebrate species that it also
kills each year! Multiply that times several hundred million! But that's OK
Mr. Thornton - you've already demonstrated that facts aren't important to
you.
Your cat no longer fits into the ecosystem the way that cats did "eons" ago.
They have been "semi-domesticated" - retaining the "hard-wired" instinct to
kill but having few natural predators of their own. They can retreat every
night to the comfort and security of a warm home and a bowl of Purina cat
chow, only to rest and refuel and kill again.
As a final thought to all who are still not convinced - consider how outraged
most of you (roaming-cat cat lovers) would be if I told you that I
indiscriminately killed a couple hundred songbirds every year! You'd be
forming a lynch mob, even though you'll open your door every day and allow
your cat to do the same thing!
All cat owners have a responsibility to not allow their cats to roam freely.
The roaming-cat cat-lovers on TN-Birds however, have an extra-responsibility
to keep their cats indoors because they have been made aware of the havoc
they are wreaking on wildlife, not to mention the spread of diseases (such as
feline distemper) from feral (and unvaccinated) cats. At least the average
cat owner who lets their cat roam can be given the benefit of the doubt -
maybe they truly are ignorant of the problems they cause. TN-Bird cat lovers
cannot be afforded the same degree of latitude - they HAVE been informed!
Ignoring scientific evidence and research is directly at odds with what
birding is all about! In this case, continuing to ignore it is a display of
arrogance or faulty logic to jusitfy irresponsible behavior.
Please reconsider & lets go birding.......
W. Kelly Roy
Knoxville
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