🚀 go-pugleaf

Vicki Whyte <vickiwhyteusenet@litterkittecat.com> wrote in message news:<Xns92BB33CD4CDF2vickiwhytekittecat@61.9.128.12>...
> Whilst licking their paws in aus.tv on 31 Oct 2002, Woofie purred:
> 
> > Can't give any references for this one but a few years ago an army
> > mate of mine was part of a team who were shooting feral cats in
> > western Queensland and other parts. A very large number of the cats
> > were shot near rabbit warrens. Some biologist types with the army
> > blokes found that the shot moggies had bellies full of mostly young
> > bunnies. It would be logical to assume that young bunnies, not yet
> > bush aware would be easy targets for hungry cats. Far eaasier to catch
> > than birds and small reptiles.
>  
> I remember the front page news article with the army men holding up all of 
> the dead cats.  Now I'm a cat lover (just look at my email address or 
> website) but I also understand that you have to take responsibility for any 
> animal that you take into your care.  For cats, that means keeping them 
> completely under control indoors at all times or only allowed out on a 
> leash with you hold ing the other end (yes, cats will get used to leashes 
> if you train them up from young enough).  So my cats only ever leave the 
> house in a cat carrier if they are to go to the Vet or something like that.

I like cats, too. I know men are supposed to be dog people and not be
especially fond of cats but I have a refugee puss who didn't like the
lunatic dog and kids next door. When the builders moved in to renovate
the place "Furball" did his last jump of the fence and has been in my
yard ever since. He has caught mice and a few sparrows and I can't
find fault with that. Mice and sparrows are unwanted species.


> I can be a cat lover and an environment lover at the same time.  My cats 
> are all desexed at five months of age so there is no breeding involved (and 
> neither should there be when tens of thousands of cats are being destroyed 
> every year due to overbreeding of moggies).  I also only take in rescue 
> cats - ones that would otherwise not have a home.
> 
> Anyway, as much as I love cats, I didn't find this picture to be all that 
> horrible.  The army has the best shart shooters (or one would hope) in 
> Australia and therefore they are able to kill with one hit.  I don't 
> believe in making any animal suffer  - it wasn't it's fault that it died, 
> it was the fault of the careless people who bred them in the frist place. 

I haven't seen any evidence supporting the feral cat's origins in this
example, but some could be originally abandoned cats when somebody has
moved house. Cats are really just sensitive small humans in a cute fur
coat. I have experiences of cats suddenly dissapearing when there is a
death in the house or when everything is being packed for a move to a
new address.

Its interesting that the army found that cats in red soil areas were
generally red or ginger cats, in scrubby or grassy country the cats
were generally the grey or tabby patterend cat. It appears that
kittens were also being preyed on by various birds until they acquired
their bush sense. Cats with the "wrong" colour for the landscape would
be easily spotted by crows and other predators.
 
> And as baiting doesn't work (kills too many native species as well 
> especially dingoes) and things like trapping are just cruel, shooting, if 
> done by professionals who are trained to do so, is probably the best way to 
> get the population down to a managable size (or perhaps even elliminated 
> one day).

I do not like baiting. I have seen some "environment" persons who will
not tolerate shooting but don't mind poison baits. Anyone who has seen
a good dog die from a bait will know that the death is not swift,
clean or painless. A bullet kills once, a bait can spread out of
control though the food chain.

Oh yeah, nice sig line !!!


> 
> -- 
> See ya!
> 
> Vicki Whyte
> vickiwhyte@litterkittecat.com
> http://www.kittecat.com
> Take out the litter to email me.
> 
> Women and cats will do as they please and men and dogs should relax and get 
> used to the idea.