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Re: cats and birds



<<Live-trapping, of course,
isn't really a good answer, whether you move the cat
to become someone else's problem, or to die. >>

Beg to differ but, live-trapping is usually the only solution-and for all of
the reasons that you mentioned.  Feral cats (actually any "outside" domestic
cats) are basically an unnatural predator (i.e. not in their "native"
habitat) in a natural world.  Humane Society's, etc. are there for a reason.
If the trapped cats get a good home -GREAT! ,but if not, think about how
much better the natural habitat surrounding your home will be because you
gave the birds and wildlife, who are in their natural habitat, a fair(er)
chance at life and the propagation of their young.
I previously lived in a second-growth oak woodlot-fairly extensive.  One of
my neighbors continually brought cats home-left un-neutered or un-spayed and
put them outside.  There seemed to be a new batch of kittens every three
weeks or so.  And after I saw a dead Flying Squirrel in one's mouth (which,
by the way, was the only documented report of these mammals in that county
in Pennsylvania) I went to work.  I did my best(-and also informed my
non-responsible neighbor of such-) job of trapping them all alive.  I found
homes for at least 6 of them through my employees-who had promised to spay
or neuter them and also keep them as "House Cats".
But you know what?  I used to have Ovenbirds in two areas behind my house
nesting -within 100 yards-and after about three years of "the cats", I no
longer had Ovenbirds calling-other than those about 400-500 yards away.
However, after eliminating most of the cats, the last two years I lived
there saw the return of the Ovenbirds!  And I felt ten times more joy from
the Ovenbirds than any sense of remorse over what may have happened to those
cats!
Jerry Pasquarella
Greer, SC
----- Original Message -----
From: Ward Linda <tankapoet@yahoo.com>
To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 5:55 AM
Subject: cats and birds


> John's cat story in Raleigh is a sad one, but I think
> not much else he could have done. We've had continual
> feral and neighbor-cat problems since we've lived at
> our present place, for about 12 yrs. We adopted 2 from
> the woods as kittens and they've been wonderful indoor
> cats who love to birdwatch from our windows and
> screened porch. We simple can't afford the time and
> money or space for more. Live-trapping, of course,
> isn't really a good answer, whether you move the cat
> to become someone else's problem, or to die. We've
> tried finding homes for them, but no luck, probably
> because most of our problem visitors are adults (who
> reproduce). In addition to "suburban" feeder birds, we
> have quail, ovenbirds, thrashers and other ground, or
> close-to-the-ground nesters who are at risk. I have
> read of groups formed in cities (can't recall their
> name) that are organized to care for cats inthe wild,
> or to find them homes. Perhaps if someone has a better
> memory than mine they'll know what I'm talking about
> and we could find out more about their solutions to
> this problem that seems to have no good answer. I love
> cats and birds and wish we could come up with
> something better than live trapping.
>
> =====
> --Linda Jeannette Ward
> --P.O. Box 231
> --Coinjock, N.C. 27923
> --U.S.A.
> --tankapoet@yahoo.com
>
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