Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Are cats bad for the environment?
http://blogs.courant.com/susan_campbell ^ | 11 July 2011 | Susan Campbell

Posted on 07/13/2011 9:08:14 AM PDT by smokingfrog

According to this Mother Jones article, cats kill birds -- many of which are vital to the ecosystem -- at an alarming rate. Wind tunnels have nothing on Kitty.

Also, feral cats are disease-toting menaces -- and their population has tripled over the last four decades. Efforts to staunch the numbers with trap-neuter-return aren't enough.

(They do not, however, suck the breath out of new babies. At least give them that.)

Seems harsh, yes? I am not a cat lover. In fact, I'm a card-carrying not-cat lover, though I've owned cats -- if you can actually own a cat. I once wrote about my disgust that my house had acquired two cats at the same time, but I've never stopped and thought about their impact on the environment (just as I haven't stopped to think about a horse's impact, or a gerbil's).

But you can read more here or here.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.courant.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Pets/Animals; Society
KEYWORDS: birds; cats; environment
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-58 next last
Video at link.


1 posted on 07/13/2011 9:08:17 AM PDT by smokingfrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

They kill mice and rats too.


2 posted on 07/13/2011 9:09:43 AM PDT by SC_Pete
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

Who the frak comes up with this type garbage?! What a frakin’ waste.... =.=


3 posted on 07/13/2011 9:11:27 AM PDT by cranked
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
Should be an interesting thread. Can't wait till our resident wackaloon shows up. :)


4 posted on 07/13/2011 9:11:43 AM PDT by Constitution Day
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
We once had some irresponsible neighbors who allowed feral cats to populate out of their barn. Many of us had running battles with the cats, finding our bird feeders littered with feathers, pieces of dead birds, and finding these cats entering garages and eating the food of house cats.

Then one day the problem was solved permanently.

5 posted on 07/13/2011 9:13:58 AM PDT by lormand (A Government who robs Peter to pay Paul, will always have the support of Paul)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

The crap that passes for blogs these days. What a loon. My cats are serial killing death machines but not birds. Mice and chipmunks who would otherwise wind up in my house.

They do their job and I do mine.


6 posted on 07/13/2011 9:14:12 AM PDT by Peter from Rutland
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SC_Pete

Yes, the are, and lesbians are, also.


7 posted on 07/13/2011 9:15:39 AM PDT by ConservativeDude
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

Science is NOT a friend of liberals.

H*ll, the two are not even on speaking terms.


8 posted on 07/13/2011 9:15:49 AM PDT by Da Coyote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

Let’s see which is more environmentally harsh, rodent pellets or cats? My cat catches many rodents and since he’s a big cat (17 lbs with little to no fat), he also keeps away the raccoons. Hunting rabbits, raccoons and mice with pellet guns doesn’t really do the trick and using rodent pellets would poison the environment and make the food in my garden inedible. Sorry, kitty stays. My kitty doesn’t contain rat poison...


9 posted on 07/13/2011 9:16:02 AM PDT by NorthStarStateConservative (From the land where nothing is allowed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

10 posted on 07/13/2011 9:16:43 AM PDT by moehoward
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
No they are not.
Seems like I remember reading that just before the black plague Europe got rid of as many cats as they could, then the rat population explodes........well the rest is history as they say.
11 posted on 07/13/2011 9:17:00 AM PDT by svcw (democrats are liars, it's a given)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

I don’t have a cat. I have a neighbor’s cat, he’s my buddy. Two ways to go with a cat. The cat can manage you or you can manage the cat.

Cats are part of the environment, for cryin out loud.


12 posted on 07/13/2011 9:17:11 AM PDT by Avery Iota Kracker (He hate me)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

More environmental wackoism.


13 posted on 07/13/2011 9:17:59 AM PDT by fwdude
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Peter from Rutland

For every occasional bird my cat catches, he catches about 10 mice/rats. I’d say that’s a good trade-off.


14 posted on 07/13/2011 9:21:07 AM PDT by fwdude
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

15 posted on 07/13/2011 9:21:28 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open ( <o> ---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog

If you look at anything through a large enough magnifier; it’s HUGE! This is a non-problem. I’ve had cats my entire life. Mostly, they didn’t mess with birds. Oh, I had one who’d get them riled up and then swat them out of the air when they attacked, but mostly they eat rodents. If you’re feeding them they seldom even eat the rodents, they just catch them. I’m all for rodent population reduction.

We live in an age where the requirement for problems is insatiable. Problems sell products. Remember the made up “heartbreak of psoriasis?” This is one problem we don’t need to take on. Especially, we don’t need a $10,000,000 government study on the impact of feral cats to ecosphere.


16 posted on 07/13/2011 9:21:31 AM PDT by Gen.Blather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
I'm sorry, but cats are on the same level as rat dogs. They are a menace to society. I don't trust either... Labs rule! (He said running away)
17 posted on 07/13/2011 9:23:49 AM PDT by Harry Pothead (Go Sarah!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fwdude

I see mocking birds and bluejays attacking cats all the time. The morning doves seem to be easy prey for the cats, but we have too many of them around here anyway.


18 posted on 07/13/2011 9:23:53 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open ( <o> ---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: NorthStarStateConservative

Gee Maw, the dang ol’ cat don’t hardly touch his food but he’s at least two pounds heavier than he wuz last year.


19 posted on 07/13/2011 9:26:01 AM PDT by ichabod1 (Nuts; A house divided against itself cannot stand.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: smokingfrog
As expected, some cat freaks cannot distinguish between a feral cat, and their own domesticated cat.

And to those of you who own cats and live in urban areas, but allow them to roam freely, you are a feral human.

Keep your damn cat in your home, or don't whine when something happens to it. If you want to be a good neighbor, then act like it.

The only cat we ever had, spent it's entire life in our home without ever walking on our neighbors car, crapping in their yard, screaming wildly outside a bedroom window at 2AM, spraying urine on the hedge right next to our entrance...etc.

20 posted on 07/13/2011 9:26:32 AM PDT by lormand (A Government who robs Peter to pay Paul, will always have the support of Paul)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-58 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson