[TN-Bird] House Predators

From: "W. Kelly Roy" <roywk@xxxxxxxx>
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 10:52:29 -0500
Thanks to Mark Greene, Wes Biggs, and others for trying to impart logic and 
facts into what appears to be a very emotional issue regarding house cats 
as predators.  I have no bias for or against house cats, and I hope to not 
give an impression of a bias for or against any pet.  HOWEVER, the words 
"house" as in house cat, "domestic" as in domestic cat, and "ownership" as 
in pet ownership, should be a clue that some degree of responsibility is 
imperative upon the "owner".

Using Carol Reese's logic, it should be safe to presume that she also has 
no problem with her neighbor letting his rottweiler, "intact with teeth and 
claws" (as she puts it), roam free (no attacks from Rotty owners please - I 
love all dogs & cats - it simply makes the point).

Two questions for Carol (or anyone):

1) If said rottweiler ate 3 or 4 house cats a year (as Carol claims her cat 
does with birds) is it still "evolution at work" as Carol puts it?

2) If said rottweiler ate Carol's cat, does that make Carol's cat "old, 
sick, and stupid", as Carol claims such are the wild birds that her cat kills?

I realize that Carol has many allies on this topic, and I'm not picking on 
her.  But if she, Meredith, Terry or anyone could answer these two 
questions it would help me understand how you justify letting your 
domesticated cats wreack havoc on wild birds.  I'm also struck by the 
naivete of anyone who thinks that the "3 or 4 birds a year" that they see 
their cat with is representative of what the cat is actually killing.

One final point:

Carol made the statement "The real threat to wildlife is too many @%^&!#* 
humans, and their enterprises."  I wonder if she ever considered that 
irresponsible pet ownership might be one of those "enterprises"?

NOTE:  All questions rhetorically posed.  I have no "beef" with any of the 
people mentioned.  I do, however, hope that cat owners who let their cats 
roam free will reconsider........

W. Kelly Roy
Knoxville

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[TN-Bird] House Predators

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