Subject: Re: Cats/birds
Date: Apr 19 10:51:09 1995
From: "David B. Wright" - wrightdb at pigsty.dental.washington.edu
Teresa Michelsen chose her cats' perceived contentment over the lives of
who knows how many native birds. On a small scale this mirrors the curious
inconsistency of the majority of Americans who claim to see themselves as
"environmentalists," but nevertheless choose to vote for anti-environmental
candidates.
One of our two cats started out as a mighty outdoor hunter. She had been
abandoned by some folks down the road in bucolic Belchertown, Mass. After
she started coming around our house, she took to leaving some of her
catches on the porch -- frogs, shrews, snakes, squirrels, the occasional
rabbit or mole, even a bluegill once. No birds, which fits the pattern
described by Al Jaramillo. When we assumed responsibility for the cat and
moved her to Seattle she became an indoor cat. She handled the transition
with the grace and dignity I have come to regard as typical of her species
(at least when food is not involved). We do take the cats out in the yard
occasionally "under supervision" (i.e., on a long lead). So in answer to
Anna Coles, yes, outdoor cats can be moved indoors without trauma in at
least some cases.
David Wright
dwright at u.washington.edu