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Who, me?

13/10/2023

6 Comments

 
PictureHarry and friends
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.


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?
6 Comments
Peter Bogg
20/10/2023 04:19:50 pm

Mr Highpurr,

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!

Reply
Mark Robertson
20/10/2023 04:27:09 pm

Not sure if that would stand up in court......



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Monica Smith link
20/10/2023 06:12:55 pm

Though I love cats I hate to see birds or any other small native of any description killed by cats. It's fine having a law forbidding cats to roam but how is it going to be policed? It must be very hard on cats & owners alike whose cats are of an age when they where never required to be kept inside. How are the owners expected to restrict them? To make any type of cat enclosure costs a lot more expense than some people can afford. What is the answer? Perhaps help from the goverment (local & otherwise to donate cat enclosures on a means test basis? Also make de-sexing either free, or again means tested, which would cut down on unwanted kittens which very often become feral. They then kill native animals to survive, if they are hungry are they expected to say, "Ho hum, I'm hungry but I'll just sacrifice my life for the common good!" I know these cats also kill because it's their nature to hunt , but if there were no feral cats because of desexing & containing, all the money thats expended on destroying these ferals (dogs as well as cats) could be put into all these preventative measures instead of playing catch up & causing so many people to worry about fines if they can't keep their cat from roaming!!

Reply
Joy Herring
21/10/2023 05:41:17 pm

To put things in perspective, there have been no published studies which demonstrate that cats in the Australian suburban environments have a negative effect on native wildlife. (Australian Pet Welfare Foundation and The University of Queensland).
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.
I

Reply
Harry Hyper Highpurr
22/10/2023 09:05:47 am

Thank you so much for reading my article. I really liked Joy's points in particular - but Mark - I am sure I could convince you with a few head butts where you couldn't resist me. We have achieved so much by getting rid of the puppy farms - it seems that the same should be applied to cats. If every cat before it is sold is de-sexed and only sold through registered providers over time the problem will start to shift. All that is happening now with the response to the Council's decision is that people refuse to register their cats (it took some time for me to convince my servant to keep on registering me even though he is normally a very law abiding citizen). Anyway - I am heading back for a nap now after being well fed and watered.

Reply
Mark Robertson
22/10/2023 12:02:00 pm

Thanks Mr Highpurr, your dreamy eyes are no defence. I used to dissect many "feral" cats at the penguin parade, most of their stomachs contained penguin feathers, lizards and rodents, so perhaps you could email your island mates and ask them to behave. We could arrange a debate between your purrfect self and our Dalmatian. Great article and hello to your human slaves.

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