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Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 2:49 pm
by plwk
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A campaign to eradicate New Zealand’s cats as a way of protecting native wildlife has raised the hackles of pet lovers, with critics leaping to the defence of their feline friends. Gareth Morgan, a businessman turned philanthropist, has called for New Zealanders to give puss the boot, citing research showing the average cat kills at least 13 native birds or animals each year. More here

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 8:00 pm
by Sam Vara
Don't worry - I'll take them all.

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 8:02 pm
by m0rl0ck
Unless they can prove that humans are less damaging to native wildlife, i say ban the humans.

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 10:41 pm
by mikenz66
It's certainly true that the Maori and European immigrants were rather effective at burning and cutting down most of the forests...

Unfortunately, the Europeans went even further, introducing possums (from Australia), deer, cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, stoats (the latter two to try to deal with the rabbits, I believe). Not to mention sheep, cows, thar, various small birds. Oh, and bees for pollination of crops...

Did I miss anything?

:anjali:
Mike

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 12:30 am
by Cittasanto
Sam Vara wrote:Don't worry - I'll take them all.
well unless you are this person

you may have a fight on your hands!

their is a music version in the sidebar by schmoyoho.

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:27 am
by Ben
mikenz66 wrote:It's certainly true that the Maori and European immigrants were rather effective at burning and cutting down most of the forests...

Unfortunately, the Europeans went even further, introducing possums (from Australia), deer, cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, stoats (the latter two to try to deal with the rabbits, I believe). Not to mention sheep, cows, thar, various small birds. Oh, and bees for pollination of crops...

Did I miss anything?

:anjali:
Mike
I believe you did, Mike. Magpies from Australia.
When I attended a 20-day retreat in New Zealand five years ago, I couldn't believe my eyes when I witnessed Australian possums, as bold as brass, chillin' at the meditation centre. I understand that NZ is over-run by possums and they have done enormous damage to the remaining native forest.
And you didn't include rats and mice which are incredibly destructive.
kind regards,

Ben

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:03 am
by tiltbillings
  • The emergence of intelligence, I am convinced, tends to unbalance the ecology. In other words, intelligence is the great polluter. It is not until a creature begins to manage its environment that nature is thrown into disorder. Until that occurs, there is a system of checks and balances operating in a logical and understandable manner. Intelligence destroys and modifies the checks and balances even as it tries very diligently to leave them as they were. There is no such thing as an intelligence living harmony with the biosphere. It may think and boast it is doing so, but its mentality gives it an advantage and the compulsion is always there to employ this advantage to its selfish benefit. Thus, while intelligence may be an outstanding survival factor, the factor is short-term, and intelligence turns out to be the great destroyer. -- written by a crazy character in SHAKESPEARE'S PLANET, a sci-fi novel by Clifford Simak, 1976.
Free-roaming house cats kill an estimated 4 billion wild animals across the U.S. every year, including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians
.

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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:39 am
by manas
Ben wrote: And you didn't include rats and mice which are incredibly destructive.
kind regards,

Ben
If that's the case, then my fine feline friend is doing her bit for the environment; she hunts down and kills rats and mice quite often.

_/I\_

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:08 pm
by Ben
manas wrote:
Ben wrote: And you didn't include rats and mice which are incredibly destructive.
kind regards,

Ben
If that's the case, then my fine feline friend is doing her bit for the environment; she hunts down and kills rats and mice quite often.

_/I\_
If that is all she is killing, then I would agree with you.

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:26 pm
by yawares
Dear All,

Never in a million years!! Get rid of them cute cats???...NO NO NO CAN DO :jumping:

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I love cats :heart: ..even they all ran away from me when they were older...they stayed only when they were young :tongue: ...didn't know why they ran away????
yawares :heart:

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:49 am
by tiltbillings
http://news.yahoo.com/staggering-stats- ... 39117.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cats being cute:

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Best never to let them outside

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Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:55 am
by GraemeR
tiltbillings wrote: Cats being cute:
We have adopted two cats. The cute kitten has almost eradicated our house of cockroaches! My kids don't want to kiss her after they saw one jump out of her mouth :)

Graham

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:03 am
by tiltbillings
GraemeR wrote:
tiltbillings wrote: Cats being cute:
We have adopted two cats. The cute kitten has almost eradicated our house of cockroaches! My kids don't want to kiss her after they saw one jump out of her mouth :)

Graham
The only problem with kitties eating cockroaches is the possibility of worms. Because feral domestic cats eat insects and such they are often highly infested with parasites, and as a result they lead short, miserable lives. As for your cockroach eating kitty, you might want to get some deworming pills for it.

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:10 pm
by yawares
Dear Tiltbillings,

Thanks for the pictures...now I know why my cats ran away..they didn't like my foods! They preferred flying/running foods!!

MAY BE THEY PREFERRED " FREEDOM/TRAVEL "...all my cats loved to go walking on the roof/climbed the trees or walking along the fence.

Dear Graham,

You should apply insecticides in and around your home .

Nothing run in my house/in my closets,
yawares

Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 4:36 pm
by tiltbillings
yawares wrote:Dear Tiltbillings,

Thanks for the pictures...now I know why my cats ran away..they didn't like my foods! They preferred flying/running foods!!

MAY BE THEY PREFERRED " FREEDOM/TRAVEL "...all my cats loved to go walking on the roof/climbed the trees or walking along the fence.

Dear Graham,

You should apply insecticides in and around your home .

Nothing run in my house/in my closets,
yawares
You let your cats outside, you are then responsible for what they kill.