Re: RE: [BIRDING-AUS] Possums and cats

Thanks Marian, I have to agree with you on that score.  The last thing our former neighbour's cat ever did was catch and kill a buff breasted paradise kingfisher, after which it was given the 12 gauge treatment suggested by a birder for the raven yesterday.  

Here's to cat owners who have 'cat runs' in their yards which stop cats from doing only what comes naturally to them - hunting.  A big boo to the cat owners who blindly profess "my cat would never catch birds or wildlife" when they let their cats run freely at night or to the irresponsible owners of cats who dump kittens in the rainforest areas like the one I lived in the hills behind Cairns.

I don't wish ill of any animal but I have to admit I have been heartbroken to see an Emerald Dove torn apart by a feral cat in the rainforest.

Still, I could go further with this but in the best interest of all, I will stop here.

:-)

Sent by: 14/07/2005 08:57 AM

To:        Tim Murphy <>,         cc:                 bcc:        Inger Vandyke/AUNOR01/Power/ALSTOM         Subject:        Re: RE: [BIRDING-AUS] Possums and cats

Tim
I hope you lock your cat away at night?? Cats are born predators and being a wildlife carer I have heard people say many times "my cat doesn't attack birds or possums?" They do and they have a bacteria in a cats saliva so even if the cat picks up a bird/possum/glider and there are wounds without the appropriate antibiotic that bird/possum/glider will die. Birds can be flying around eating and within 24-48 hours the bird will drop dead. With tiny little gliders and possums it can take up to 6 days for infection to settle in and it will also die. 
I hear people say "my cat picked up a bird but it was okay and I released it??" Without antibiotics from a Vet that bird will die even if it looks okay.
Cat owners lock your cats up!!!! or don't own a cat!!
Marian
Wildlife carer

> 
> From: "Tim Murphy" <>
> Date: 14/07/2005 8:13:39
> To: <>
> Subject: RE: [BIRDING-AUS] Possums and cats
> 
> My neighbourhood possums appreciates my cat (my daughter's technically
> dumped on us after she went to England) - it comes every night and eats any
> cat food the cat hasn't finished. There is no indication the the cat is
> interested in it or that it worries the possum it in anyway (it will even
> tolerate people as long as they don't move). And yes the possum is not
> toilet trained, big deal!
> 
> The cat doesn't go after birds as far as I can tell - the only time it
> showed any interest was when a young Grey Butcherbird came and sang to my
> wife and my self while sitting on a chair back at the outside table - the
> cat snarled a bit seeing the Butcherbird about three feet away but didn't
> move. It is a very big cat, well fed, and sleeps 90% of the time.
> 
> Tim  Murphy
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: 
> [ Behalf Of Val Ford
>   Sent: Thursday, 14 July 2005 6:04 AM
>   To: 
>   Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Possums and cats
> 
> 
>   Hi all
> 
>   My daughter-in-law, who lives in inner suburban Melbourne, is stressed out
>   with possums [mainly brushies and some ringtails] pooing on her patio etc.
> 
>   She had now gone out and purchased 2 cats as she was told they would deter
>   possums.  As I have never heard this theory before I wondered if anybody
>   else had.
> 
>   I am stressed out thinking about what the cats will do to the birds and
> other wildlife in
>   the area!
> 
>   Cheers
>   Val
> 
> 

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