I completely agree with Andrew. That is why I am pushing for desexing
cat lovers and not cruelty to the much beset pussy itself.
Just think, if we can get rid of this catophilic gene from the human
population, we will decrease the commonness of cats and we will stop
their spread. At the same time no harm will come to cats: they will just
dwindle because of disinterest.
Yes, we do have to face the fact that the human supporters of cats are
the cause of the spread of these animals. However, while I agree with
Andrew in substance, I think he is being disingenuous in pointing the
finger at ALL humans for the cat.
There is hardly any justice in blaming people who were not involved in
their spread in the past, nor is their any justice in blaming those
disinterested in them now, and into the future. Such a broad brush of
accusation is hardly caring and very insensitive.
ONLY cat lovers should be blamed. And, Andrew, you should have the
emotional, ideological and intellectual courage to hand in your
secondary sexual characteristics if you want to keep your pussy.
I for one would be amongst the first to applaud you.
Glen Ingram
Brisbane, Australia
"Cats don't have owners, only people who stock the refrigerator for
them."
>----------
>From: Hoschke, Andrew AH[SMTP:
>Sent: Monday, 29 September 1997 11:04AM
>To: Brandis, Chris CC
>Cc:
>Subject: RE: Save our birds. Desex cat supporters.
>
>Human meddling is the thing that most upsets the ecology, nature will
>correct the imbalance as it has done since god created the universe. If
>you remove one feral species, say cats another will flourish eg mice and
>rabbits. We cannot get rid of all the ferals, the best we can hope for
>is an imperfect imbalance held up by human meddling. Aren't we just
>adding more ferals eg the calisi virus, cane toads etc., hoping to get
>rid of the ferals already here.
>
>I didn't say cats should not be enclosed, I said I don't believe it is
>the "kindest thing".
>
>I'm not sure what the extinction figures include but I would be
>surprised if they said 3% for ferals and still included that in 97% for
>humans, I'll try and find the details.
>
>On another topic I was wondering if the bird mail list is doing anything
>to help the battery hens in Australia that are tortured their whole
>lives? Or is the chicken considered a feral and therefore has no rights?
>If you wish I can forward you some information from Animal Liberation
>about battery hens that you could forward to the list.
> ----------
>From: Brandis, Chris CC
>To: Hoschke, Andrew AH
>Subject: RE: Save our birds. Desex cat supporters.
>Date: Monday, 29 September 1997 1:57AM
>
>I agree that humans are the biggest pest, but they the only creatures
>that can correct the imbalance, eg water buffalo in NT. Your figure of
>3 % is only correct if you blame the humans for introducing the ferrals
>in the first place. It is unnatural to keep any animal as a pet, would
>you say the same if my "pet" lion ate your family just cause I thought
>it cruel to keep it in a cage.
> ----------
>From: Hoschke, Andrew AH
>To: Brandis, Chris CC
>Cc: 'smtp:
>Subject: RE: Save our birds. Desex cat supporters.
>Date: Monday, 29 September 1997 9:30AM
>
>Thankyou Chris,
>
>But you're preaching to the converted. All our cats are desexed, they
>have an outdoor enclosure for the day and are inside at night. I do
>question that "the kindest thing to do for our cats is to keep them
>indoors". Surely this is unnatural, would you have a happier life kept
>indoors in case you may be run over by a car?
>
>Cats are insignificant when compared to the environmental destruction
>humans inflict on the environment. Figures I've seen quoted put 97% of
>the extinctions in the last 200 years, in Australia, are due to humans
>and less than 3% are due to feral animals. Let's start a campaign DESEX
>HUMANS. Why don't we accept that humans are the most hideous affliction
>on Australia's environment and stop looking for scapegoats? Is it
>because you can see a cat eating a bird and therefore all bird
>extinctions are due to cats? Let's ignore the air and water pollution
>causing birds to become infertile, and noise and light pollution causing
>birds stress and driving them away from their nests we can even ignore
>that we are destroying their habitat and their foods habitat at a
>phenomenal rate, because I saw a cat eat a bird. Or is it because I LOVE
>birds therefore my actions could not be hurting birds, this steak I'm
>eating comes from a native cow living in a natural environment, acres of
>land weren't cleared to grow the cow and it's food, huge amounts of
>pollution weren't created producing the infrastructure to kill, butcher
>and package this cow, natural eco-systems weren't upset by producing and
>dumping fertilisers on the land for this cows food, no land or water
>degradation was caused by the fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides,
>antibiotics, hormones, etc., used in the production of this cow; cats
>must have killed the birds.
>
>I hope I haven't offended you with this, but it is an emotive issue and
>cats have been getting a lot of bad press lately. I agree cats should be
>desexed and kept away from native wildlife; but cats are not the
>villains.
>
>Your's sincerely
>Andrew
> ----------
>From: Brandis, Chris CC
>To: Hoschke, Andrew AH
>Subject: FW: Save our birds. Desex cat supporters.
>Date: Monday, 29 September 1997 7:38AM
>
>FYI
> ----------
>From: Glen Ingram
>To:
>Subject: Save our birds. Desex cat supporters.
>Date: Sunday, 28 September 1997 12:19PM
>
>For those Birding-aussers who still celebrate their cats. Of course,
>both the cats and them need to be desexed!
>
>Let's start a campaign.
>
>DESEX CAT SUPPORTERS.
>
>Glen Ingram
>Brisbane, Australia
>
>
>"He whose laugh lasts, laughs last."
>
>
>>----------
>>From: Richard Danca[SMTP:
>>Sent: Friday, 26 September 1997 9:50AM
>>To:
>>Subject: [BIRDCHAT] It's official: Free-running cats kill birds
>>
>>WASHINGTON (Reuter) -- For the sake of birds, small wildlife and your
>>cat, keep your cat indoors, animal welfare groups said Wednesday.
>>
>>Launching a national awareness campaign, the Humane Society of the
>>United States (HSUS) and the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) held a
>news
>>conference to try to persuade cat owners that their pets will live
>>longer, healthier lives indoors.
>>
>>And hundreds of millions of birds and other wildlife killed each year
>by
>>cats will be spared.
>>
>>"Our message is simple: free roaming cats kill birds and other
>wildlife,
>>spread disease, and suffer themselves," George Fenwick, ABC president,
>>said in a statement.
>>
>>"Outdoor cats are run over by cars, mauled by dogs, poisoned, and lost
>>by the millions every year. The suffering endured by cats and birds is
>>all the more tragic because it is unnecessary," John Grundy, HSUS
>senior
>>vice president, said.
>>
>>A four-year study by scientists at the University of Wisconsin
>estimated
>>that free-roaming cats kill at least 7.8 million and possibly up to 217
>>million birds a year in Wisconsin. Just one rural cat may kill more
>than
>>100 animals in a year, according to the study cited by the animal
>>advocacy groups.
>>
>>As non-native predators without a natural niche in the ecosystem, cats
>>may beat out native predators such as owls and raptors. Isolated
>>remaining fragments of wildlife habitat become easy hunting grounds for
>>cats, the groups said.
>>
>>But while cats are generally successful hunters, outdoor pets typically
>>just live two to five years, falling victim to poisons, automobiles and
>>other hazards, they said.
>>
>>"This campaign is not cats versus birds; it's cats and birds. Cats'
>>needs can be accommodated indoors, and the kindest thing to do for our
>>cats is to keep them indoors," Martha Armstrong, HSUS vice president
>for
>>companion animals, said.
>>
>>In addition to urging pet owners to keep their cats indoors, the
>>campaign will try to discourage people from feeding strays unless they
>>intend to adopt them and keep them indoors, and encourage humane
>removal
>>of cats from areas protected for wildlife.
>>
>>Copyright 1997 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>===
>>Richard Danca, Newton, Mass.
>>===
>>
>
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