I reeaallly thought hard about posting this since it is related to an issue that is prone to heated emotional debate that usually gets people nowhere. Bear with me. My topic is NOT about the merits of letting cats outside or keeping them in the house, though said topic is intimately connected to that question. No, this topic has to do with animal cruelty, which I think most of us are passionately against.
That said...Wisconsin's Conservation Congress will decide next month whether hunters should be allowed to shoot stray cats. It is an advisory referendum, not law as of yet. I am incensed and outraged, of course. Their definition of a stray cat is one without a collar OR not under direct control of their owner. All it takes is a legal excuse justifying the actions of a trigger happy few (since not all hunters are the type to consider anything that moves fair game) to cause a situation where cruelty can run rampant.
So if someone's cat runs away, making it "not under the control of the owner", that cat can be shot at the whim of any idiot who doesn't like cats or just feels like taking aim at a living thing. As someone who has suffered the loss of a missing cat, not knowing what happened to a beloved pet is nearly unbearable. What we are going to end up with is an individual seeking a brief feeling of vindication against a cat for whatever reason they see fit versus a family or owner that loves that cat very deeply and will suffer the loss of a family member for a very long time.
Feral dogs are trapped and euthanized, at least in northern Wisconsin. Deer in Milwaukee county, which are so numerous they are a constant road hazard in the suburbs, are protected by laws prohibiting hunting. But a cat may be shot on sight by anyone with a gun. Considering that it is more likely for people to either love cats or hate them (unlike for deer and dogs) I forsee a lot of pain and suffering on the part of both cats and owners. We are at the mercy of those who do not like cats.
As for feral cats, their population should be controlled by spay/neuter programs and responsible ownership. There should be no reason for feral cats to exist. Going to the source of the problem and seeking answers is far more humane than what has been proposed in Wisconsin. The last few paragraphs of a Milwaukee newspaper article summarize briefly how I feel:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/mar05/308434.asp
Open season on cats
Moderator: Chris_W
That would make it totally necessary for all pets to be kept indoors only. And if one gets out by mistake - well you are correct. I keep my cats indoors - but I'd be horrified to think that if one did escape, the hunters could take aim at it - and I know a few who would enjoy doing so. One lives not far from me, and I know he hunts (illegally) in the woods behind my house. This sort of law is going too far, in my opinion.
~*Snow*~
Re: Open season on cats
We have the same problem here in New Zealand - stray cats.
I live right next to a river and the easiest way for people it to throw them in a sack and throw them in the river. Most times they survive, and live at the river, breeding. These cats have sometimes even made the way down to my house (some 150m away).
What bothers me if in the first place, why did the get a cat if they're only going to throw it in a sack and chuck it in a river? Why not give the cat to the SPCA?
There does need to be a program in place for fixing cats, but peole would argue until they're blue in the face that the cost of that would be too expensive, especially for those on some sort of gov. benifit where money is tight.
NZ has done something similar to this (fixing program) in some of the 'danger dogs' here (pitt balls are 1 breed I think. From my understand there are several breeds which they're trying to stop breeding because of the danger level they bring into the society).
Back to the cats.
Having lived with ferral cats I can understand the want for them to be 'shot'. But I also can see that it isn't the cats fault it was bred into this world.
These ferral cats here are a problem - they eat young chickens, wildlife etc.
For you in America there needs to be some sort of 'screening program' in place to define what is ferral and what isn't. How you would get aroudn that I'm not sure...[/b]
I live right next to a river and the easiest way for people it to throw them in a sack and throw them in the river. Most times they survive, and live at the river, breeding. These cats have sometimes even made the way down to my house (some 150m away).
What bothers me if in the first place, why did the get a cat if they're only going to throw it in a sack and chuck it in a river? Why not give the cat to the SPCA?
There does need to be a program in place for fixing cats, but peole would argue until they're blue in the face that the cost of that would be too expensive, especially for those on some sort of gov. benifit where money is tight.
NZ has done something similar to this (fixing program) in some of the 'danger dogs' here (pitt balls are 1 breed I think. From my understand there are several breeds which they're trying to stop breeding because of the danger level they bring into the society).
Back to the cats.
Having lived with ferral cats I can understand the want for them to be 'shot'. But I also can see that it isn't the cats fault it was bred into this world.
These ferral cats here are a problem - they eat young chickens, wildlife etc.
For you in America there needs to be some sort of 'screening program' in place to define what is ferral and what isn't. How you would get aroudn that I'm not sure...[/b]
That is pretty incredible....and ridiculous. Every time we start "humanizing" animals, there will be problems. I tried to go back to the article to be able to accurately quote a statement, but some survey kept popping up, so I'll interpret as I remember....Someone was quoted referring to cats "murdering" the birds.
Humans murder. Cats kill. Vast difference. Cats are preditory animals and they kill instinctively as they always have, always will. Attributing "murder" to this behavior is simply ignorant.
Think of all those birds murdering all those cute little worms..Or those frogs murdering all those flies and mosquitoes!!!
The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!
Please.
Humans murder. Cats kill. Vast difference. Cats are preditory animals and they kill instinctively as they always have, always will. Attributing "murder" to this behavior is simply ignorant.
Think of all those birds murdering all those cute little worms..Or those frogs murdering all those flies and mosquitoes!!!
The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!
Please.
Thank you, Shelly, for bringing this to our attention. I share your sense of outrage at this ridiculous and heartless proposal.
After reading the article, however, I am convinced that such a piece of legislation never could be passed, either in Wisconsin or in any other state. As you mentioned, the Conservation Congress has only advisory status and cannot pass laws. There is always the possibility that the recommendations of the Conservation Congress could sway state legislators, but I doubt even that.
When one considers the ramifications that would ensue should a bill be presented that would legalize the wholesale slaughter of feral cats, one realizes that such a heinous proposition would be voted down by any legislator who values his or her political life.
If Mark Smith, the Lacrosse firefighter who presented this asinine idea to the Conservation Congress had any sense, he would have quoted more than number of birds killed in Wisconsin each year by cats. Any intelligent researcher, would have looked at the national statistics on the subject and quoted realistic figures. The truth is, more birds are killed each year in this country by people than by any other cause.
That's right: Human beings kill more birds each year than do cats. Here are the statistics from a variety of reputable scientific and wildlife sources as compiled by Curry & Kerlinger at the following site: http://www.currykerlinger.com/birds.htm
Glass Windows: Bird Deaths a year: 100 to 900+ million
Source: Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College
Automobiles and Trucks: Bird Deaths a year: 50 to 100 Million
Source: National Institute for Urban Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Electric Transmission Line Collisions: Bird Deaths a year: up to 174 million
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildife Service
Agriculture (Including pesticide use and the cutting of hay): Bird Deaths a year: 67 million
Source: The Smithsonian Institution
Hunting: Bird Deaths a year: 100 + million
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildife Service
Keep in mind that there are categories I haven't even included here (such as bird deaths from Land Development, Oil & Gas Extraction, Logging & Strip Mining, and Commercial Fishing), because the number of birds killed from these enterprises is incalculable.
Put the above gory statistics up against the national figures for birds killed by cats each year in this country:
Cats: Bird Deaths a year: 100 Million
Source: The National Audobon Society
According to Mark Smith's way of thinking then, we should pass legislation legalizing the hunting and shooting of humans, who destroy far more birds than cats do.
In my opinion, Mark Smith is an idiot who needs to get a life instead of waging war against helpless felines.
After reading the article, however, I am convinced that such a piece of legislation never could be passed, either in Wisconsin or in any other state. As you mentioned, the Conservation Congress has only advisory status and cannot pass laws. There is always the possibility that the recommendations of the Conservation Congress could sway state legislators, but I doubt even that.
When one considers the ramifications that would ensue should a bill be presented that would legalize the wholesale slaughter of feral cats, one realizes that such a heinous proposition would be voted down by any legislator who values his or her political life.
If Mark Smith, the Lacrosse firefighter who presented this asinine idea to the Conservation Congress had any sense, he would have quoted more than number of birds killed in Wisconsin each year by cats. Any intelligent researcher, would have looked at the national statistics on the subject and quoted realistic figures. The truth is, more birds are killed each year in this country by people than by any other cause.
That's right: Human beings kill more birds each year than do cats. Here are the statistics from a variety of reputable scientific and wildlife sources as compiled by Curry & Kerlinger at the following site: http://www.currykerlinger.com/birds.htm
Glass Windows: Bird Deaths a year: 100 to 900+ million
Source: Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College
Automobiles and Trucks: Bird Deaths a year: 50 to 100 Million
Source: National Institute for Urban Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Electric Transmission Line Collisions: Bird Deaths a year: up to 174 million
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildife Service
Agriculture (Including pesticide use and the cutting of hay): Bird Deaths a year: 67 million
Source: The Smithsonian Institution
Hunting: Bird Deaths a year: 100 + million
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildife Service
Keep in mind that there are categories I haven't even included here (such as bird deaths from Land Development, Oil & Gas Extraction, Logging & Strip Mining, and Commercial Fishing), because the number of birds killed from these enterprises is incalculable.
Put the above gory statistics up against the national figures for birds killed by cats each year in this country:
Cats: Bird Deaths a year: 100 Million
Source: The National Audobon Society
According to Mark Smith's way of thinking then, we should pass legislation legalizing the hunting and shooting of humans, who destroy far more birds than cats do.
In my opinion, Mark Smith is an idiot who needs to get a life instead of waging war against helpless felines.
This is certainly an interesting post. Being a birdfeeder and cat owner I have come across all sorts of writings and claims of how murderous cats are to birds. My husband and I have kept anywhere from three to six cats at a time during our 17 year marriage. In that time, my kitties have killed three birds. Three. I believe that to be a fairly accurate count as my kitties go out only under my supervision, they are not allowed to roam the neighborhood freely.
We have several feral kitties in our neighborhood, as we are on the edge of town with thick woods on the perimeter of our land. Obviously, they survive through hunting other critters. It's the law of nature. That said, I do realize that a lot of problems with animals running loose would be helped by spaying and neutering but you can't force people to do this so ultimately, something like this idiotic proposal will crop up as a result. I've lost kitties before and thank God someone was good enough to call us when they found them. I think "open season" on cats is cruel and obnoxiously ignorant.
By the way, yesterday a lone Mourning Dove was strutting around in my backyard and out of nowhere a hawk swooped down, grabbed the bird in it's talons and flew off with it. Should the hawk be killed?
We have several feral kitties in our neighborhood, as we are on the edge of town with thick woods on the perimeter of our land. Obviously, they survive through hunting other critters. It's the law of nature. That said, I do realize that a lot of problems with animals running loose would be helped by spaying and neutering but you can't force people to do this so ultimately, something like this idiotic proposal will crop up as a result. I've lost kitties before and thank God someone was good enough to call us when they found them. I think "open season" on cats is cruel and obnoxiously ignorant.
By the way, yesterday a lone Mourning Dove was strutting around in my backyard and out of nowhere a hawk swooped down, grabbed the bird in it's talons and flew off with it. Should the hawk be killed?
Janet, thank you for your well thought out and researched post. You are probably right about this lunacy not being passed into law. Considering the response to his suggestions, Mark Smith is probably thinking about changing his name and phone number.
Not too long ago, there was a big controversy about hunting mourning doves in Wisconsin. Eventually the state passed a law legalizing hunting in September through October. This got me thinking that the cat hunting proposal could actually gain some steam. Determined and powerful special interest groups often lobby hard enough to get their way, even if it isn't what a majority of people want. However, in this case, there really isn't a coherent coalition of special interests supporting the hunting of cats and you are right that legislaters would have to fear for their political lives if they supported such a law.
My cats are out during the day (when I'm not working) and evening hours as I go in and out of the house and work in my gardens or as I'm sitting outside and relaxing before sunset. They usually hang out nearby, playing in the grass or just laying around watching bugs fly around. It is so nice to have their company and they enjoy it so much. They catch mice and voles in nieghbors' woodpiles and a very long stone retaining wall next door. They usually bring them to me as 'gifts'. They do not bring me birds.
Within the last 8 years, on very rare occasions, one of the four cats would wander off , sending me into a fit of worry. One time, one didn't come back and I still mourn her loss 2.5 years later. In the winter months, the cats stay inside and I feed the birds.
Janey, you're too funny.
Not too long ago, there was a big controversy about hunting mourning doves in Wisconsin. Eventually the state passed a law legalizing hunting in September through October. This got me thinking that the cat hunting proposal could actually gain some steam. Determined and powerful special interest groups often lobby hard enough to get their way, even if it isn't what a majority of people want. However, in this case, there really isn't a coherent coalition of special interests supporting the hunting of cats and you are right that legislaters would have to fear for their political lives if they supported such a law.
My cats are out during the day (when I'm not working) and evening hours as I go in and out of the house and work in my gardens or as I'm sitting outside and relaxing before sunset. They usually hang out nearby, playing in the grass or just laying around watching bugs fly around. It is so nice to have their company and they enjoy it so much. They catch mice and voles in nieghbors' woodpiles and a very long stone retaining wall next door. They usually bring them to me as 'gifts'. They do not bring me birds.
Within the last 8 years, on very rare occasions, one of the four cats would wander off , sending me into a fit of worry. One time, one didn't come back and I still mourn her loss 2.5 years later. In the winter months, the cats stay inside and I feed the birds.
Janey, you're too funny.
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