- Published on
As told to Matt Stone
MY NAME is Harry Hyper Highpurr. Some people call me adorable – and I think I am with my fluffy coat and my bright blue eyes. But others call me a murderer. They say that I should be eradicated – well perhaps not straight away but over time.
I can understand that people might get concerned about feral cats. After all they don’t have loving servants owners to feed and groom and cuddle them. They have to eat and so they do kill a lot where they roam.
The trouble is that the professors who did their study try to make out that we domestic cats are a bigger threat. "Whilst each urban cat kills fewer animals on average than a feral cat in the bush, in urban areas the density of cats is much higher (over 60 cats per square kilometre). As a result, cats in urban areas kill many more animals per square kilometre each year than cats in the bush." Now – really – surely that is playing with statistics, isn’t it? It is like saying that my owner eats more when they sit at a large table with friends than if they eat alone.
MY NAME is Harry Hyper Highpurr. Some people call me adorable – and I think I am with my fluffy coat and my bright blue eyes. But others call me a murderer. They say that I should be eradicated – well perhaps not straight away but over time.
I can understand that people might get concerned about feral cats. After all they don’t have loving servants owners to feed and groom and cuddle them. They have to eat and so they do kill a lot where they roam.
The trouble is that the professors who did their study try to make out that we domestic cats are a bigger threat. "Whilst each urban cat kills fewer animals on average than a feral cat in the bush, in urban areas the density of cats is much higher (over 60 cats per square kilometre). As a result, cats in urban areas kill many more animals per square kilometre each year than cats in the bush." Now – really – surely that is playing with statistics, isn’t it? It is like saying that my owner eats more when they sit at a large table with friends than if they eat alone.
The report claimed that on average each pet cat kills about 75 animals per year, but then went on to say that many of these kills are never witnessed by their owners. So who did witness these kills? Did the writers of the report? How did they work this out when neither they (nor the owners) witnessed the kills?
And – just saying – my owners see all my kills – which is closer to 10 in a year. I am very proud of them and I want to show them off. I know I shouldn’t – but I do love bringing mice (and the occasional rat) inside to frighten them. For some reason my owners aren’t quite as enthusiastic as I am about my prowess.
As for killing birds, well that simply isn’t on. I like nothing more than sitting outside and watching them come to feed on the seeds my owners leave for them. I know I would be in trouble if I bothered them. Besides which, I am well fed and sleep about 20 hours a day so frankly I don’t have the energy or inclination to kill them.
Now I am told that I can’t go outside the fences of my house. I suppose I am better off than cats in other shires who have been told they have to stay inside – so I can’t complain too much. But when I visit my neighbours it is only to get another cuddle (or maybe some food) – it is not to kill anything.
But really – can you imagine if it was you? Being told you are restricted in your movement and even though you are registered and de-sexed and never a bother to anyone? After all I had enjoyed complete freedom previously and now I get in trouble (and my owners are fined) when I started off life being able to roam. It would be different if all I ever knew was to stay inside the property.
I know my owners would be prepared to pay more to the council to have me live my life in the comfort of their home as I used to on the proviso that the money be put to trying to eliminate the feral cats instead of rangers chasing me. Shouldn’t that be where the registration fees should be? Not punishing me – but punishing the naughty cats?
And – just saying – my owners see all my kills – which is closer to 10 in a year. I am very proud of them and I want to show them off. I know I shouldn’t – but I do love bringing mice (and the occasional rat) inside to frighten them. For some reason my owners aren’t quite as enthusiastic as I am about my prowess.
As for killing birds, well that simply isn’t on. I like nothing more than sitting outside and watching them come to feed on the seeds my owners leave for them. I know I would be in trouble if I bothered them. Besides which, I am well fed and sleep about 20 hours a day so frankly I don’t have the energy or inclination to kill them.
Now I am told that I can’t go outside the fences of my house. I suppose I am better off than cats in other shires who have been told they have to stay inside – so I can’t complain too much. But when I visit my neighbours it is only to get another cuddle (or maybe some food) – it is not to kill anything.
But really – can you imagine if it was you? Being told you are restricted in your movement and even though you are registered and de-sexed and never a bother to anyone? After all I had enjoyed complete freedom previously and now I get in trouble (and my owners are fined) when I started off life being able to roam. It would be different if all I ever knew was to stay inside the property.
I know my owners would be prepared to pay more to the council to have me live my life in the comfort of their home as I used to on the proviso that the money be put to trying to eliminate the feral cats instead of rangers chasing me. Shouldn’t that be where the registration fees should be? Not punishing me – but punishing the naughty cats?
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Good try:
""Whilst each urban cat kills fewer animals on average than a feral cat in the bush, in urban areas the density of cats is much higher (over 60 cats per square kilometre). As a result, cats in urban areas kill many more animals per square kilometre each year than cats in the bush." Now – really – surely that is playing with statistics, isn’t it? It is like saying that my owner eats more when they sit at a large table with friends than if they eat alone."
What it is saying that your owner and friends eat more in total than if your owner ate alone.
But of course you knew that!
The biggest destroyer and killer of wildlife is the loss of natural habitat followed by road kill. Cats cannot be blamed for either of these yet the focus is placed on unfounded evidence of suburban cats being wildlife killers.
If you love your cat and want to do what's best for it and wildlife, then feed your cat some meat. Being obligate carnivores, they must eat meat and just a handful of dry food containing lots of carbohydrates and fillers isn't doing your cat or cat's health any good. Cats do not eat grains which is why they were revered for centuries by the Egyptians for keeping the grain stores free from mice and rats.
Cats can be extremely lazy and a well fed cat will sleep most of the day. They are also nocturnal so night time is when they do most damage to wildlife so it is important that cats are locked in at night. In suburban areas a cat enclosure or cat run will allow a nocturnal cat to star gaze while keeping it safe from cars and other predators.
It is also important that a cat is desexed, as a pregnant queen can have up to four litters a year. A feral cat has an average life span of 5 years so having 4 litters a year means lots of kills to nourish both mother and babies.
So if you own a cat, do the right thing and have it desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, feed it some meat, and keep it inside at night. A win for the cat and wildlife.
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