Apparently Alley Cat Allies only wants to protect feral cats, an introduced predator that decimates native wildlife communities. And should a group dare question the wisdom of domestic cats being outdoors they are “extremists” in the eyes of the crazy cat people.
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
These crazy cat people are nuts. I have a Hav-a-Heart trap and I will use it to catch and remove any cats I find around my yard. If it is somone’s pet it will be returned to their home one time and the next time it will go to the county animal shelter. I refuse to have them stalking birds at my feeders, fighting in my yard, and pooping in my backyard vegetable garden.
I really don’t understand why two sides that are fond of animals can’t understand why the other side feels the way they do. I’m particularly aware of this because my wife insists on feeding a couple of outdoor cats and they eventually kill some of our local birds. I hate it and have tried to do what I can to have her put bells on cats, etc.
But that’s beside the point. There are plenty of antipathetic groups in the US today where it’s easy to understand how differently each views the world. In this case both parties are animal lovers. It should be a lot easier to solve or at least work towards a solution than engaging in the same name calling that truly opposing sides have.
As far as pooping in the yard I’m sure that plenty of people could say the same about birds pooping on their cars, etc. I’m not unsympathetic to the complaint since one of my wife’s charges is constantly pooping in my garden and destroying my plants. But it just seems silly to complain about it. It’s the nature of animals, whether they’re birds or cats. It’s when people of a certain political bent poop in my yard that I feel I have a legitimate right to get angry.
I’m something of an extremist birder. What of it, cat lady?
@Ken Januski: To me the problem is simple. An introduced, unnatural predator wreaks devastation upon native, wild animals that have a hard enough time coping with the effects of people upon the environment. There are people and organizations dedicated to keeping that introduced, unnatural predator in the environment – indeed, Alley Cat Allies claims that domestic cats are “a natural part of the landscape” and that they “live healthy lives outdoors and play important roles in the ecosystem.”
Those are lies.
Birders and those who advocate for keeping an introduced, unnatural predator that kills birds in the environment are on opposing sides. I like birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians wild, free, and alive. Alley Cat Allies and their ilk apparently do not – or, at least, their actions lead to birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians being killed in larger numbers then if they stopped advocating for outdoor cats.
Finally, I hope that if anyone pooped in your yard you would be angry…
I would add that the CDC has identified feral cats as hosts for rabies and toxoplasmosis, but it’s obvious those extremist public health agencies are pushing an anti-cat agenda.
Am I the only one who thinks “Joe Satriani” when reading the title?
I can go to a certain point in my attempt to see it from both sides, but at some point I run into a wall of ignorance and absurdity erected on the other side that blocks my vision. Despite Herculean efforts, I can’t come to any conclusion about ACA and similar groups other than that they have a pathological, almost religious adoration for cats that blinds them to basic facts about how destructive to wildlife and dangerous to people feral cat populations are. People that capitalize the word “cat” in their correspondence to show reverence are beyond my comprehension, despite my best efforts.
Disclaimer: I love cats. Have had cats as pets my whole life and think they are wonderful companion animals. I’m a cat-lover, yes. Cat (with a capital C) worshiper, no.
Whenever I deal with people who insist on feeding feral cats, I am going to direct them to this post and tell them to read Corey´s excellent comment. I think it sums up the situation nicely.
@Jochen: Yes.
@Tristan: Those darned extremist anti-cat agencies!
@Kirby: Exactly. And, for the record, I have two wholly indoor cats that I love a whole big bunch.
@Pat: Thanks!
In a way, the attitude of the cat people toward birds is the same as the atttitude of fisherman when confronted with the overstressed fisheries they utilize for their own good. “Natural things will adapt, so leave me alone.” The operative word here is “ME”.
An interesting news item on NPR today. A researcher placed critter-cams on a few dozen outside housecats, and followed them for several days. 30% actively hunted and killed wildlife, from squirrels to birds to earthworms. Herps were the main victims. What’s 30% of millions? So much for the cat people who whine “My cat never kills anything”.
The discussion on this topic is ludicrous. Studies for years now have proven the destruction caused by outdoor cats. I didn’t bother reading the Alley Cat Allies link because I didn’t want to start the day pissed off. The American Bird Conservancy has had a “cats indoors” program for years now. The answer is known, the science is conclusive TNR doesn’t work. If you want to see what feral cats have done in Hawaii, you can read the report by the US Geological Survey (USGS), a division of the US Department of the Interior, another “extremist bird group” I’m sure.
Sorry, I guess that link didn’t work, try this one to the USGS fact sheet.