OK, I'm going to play a bit of Devil's (Cat's) Advocate here. Out in
pre-human, pre-house cat nature, wild birds were and continue to be
subjected to predators at least as skilled and persistent as the
average house cat. This predator pressure is part of the evolutionary
process (natural selection) and, one might argue, helps "hone" the
reflexes of birds. While some die, some also escape. I will surely
grant that the density of cats in a suburban neighborhood far exceeds
that in nature, but I think it is a point worth considering.

A second issue I have with this argument is that I seriously doubt
that house cats really play more than a highly insignificant role in
the decline of bird populations on a continental or regional scale.
The environmental destruction caused directly by HUMANS, not their
cats, is the PRIMARY cause. Now, maybe we should pass a law requiring
all humans to stay indoors and not build new sub-divisions, cut down
forests, plow prairies, spray toxic chemicals, build dams, drop
bombs, breed incessantly, and spread invasive weeds. I think that
would be far more effective at reducing the decline of birds than
keeping all cats inside -- and probably just about as realistic of a
goal!

While I also hate to see individual birds killed by well-fed cats
just for the fun of it, many well-fed humans do the exactly the same
thing for SPORT and with even less biological justification, for
example, our current excuses for a president and vice-president...
Perhaps, being of the same species, we should place some better
restrictions on OURSELVES before we go after the local tabby.

Yours, with my tongue at least partially in cheek,

Mark





>Hi Tweets,
>Given the threat that cats pose to birds, especially ground birds, I really
>would like to see a law that requires cat owners to keep their cats indoors.
>
>
>That might seem draconian, but given the recent data on the dramatic decline
>of common birds, I think it's a reasonable step to take and not out of
>proportion to the seriousness of the problem.
>
>At the least, birders and birding organizations should be campaigning for
>this.
>
>(For the record, I myself am a cat owner with an indoor cat who is very
>happy, healthy, trim, and content.)
>
>Tina Blade
>Kirkland, WA
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
>[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of ns johnson
>Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2007 7:44 AM
>To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>Subject: [Tweeters] neighborhood killer cat
>
>Hi, Tweeters,
>
>How do you all deal with a neighborhood hunter cat?
>One that jumps your 6 foot fence, stealthily
>approaches the shrubs near the feeders, lies in wait,
>selects his prey, attacks swiftly and makes off with a
>little passerine in his mouth. Yesterday I saw a pile
>of grey feathers in the middle of the back lawn and I
>knew he had returned for another successful theft. I
>think I know who he is but I don't know where he
>lives. A marmalade cat, he was very friendly and
>sweet before I saw him get his first of my birds and I
>started throwing rocks at him and chasing him off the
>property. Now he's a sneak and I don't see him.
>
>I have thought of netting all the shrubs he hides
>under where the little birds like to run also.
>
>Does anyone else have effective techniques?
>
>I couldn't really ever bring myself to harm him - I
>love cats and have 3 of my own who also enjoy bird
>watching from the windows as they are not allowed out.
>
>Thank you.
>Nancy Johnson
>near Echo Lake, Snohomish County
>
>
>
>____________________________________________________________________________
>________
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>http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/
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--
Mark Egger
Seattle, WA
USA
mailto:m.egger at comcast.net