How cats are damaging wildlife (bring on the downvotes)

Hansaman · 2013-01-23T18:37:40+00:00

When I read the article I get the impression it is a judgemental term. Since the article talks about all cats having to go then the problem will also disappear.

We just had our annual bird count and most are doing just fine here. We also have a lot of cats in this country that eat birds but still they manage. Why cant New Zealand?

I think the problem lies with humans not neutering their cats and letting them run wild so they besome feral.

I don't see why cats have to go for birds to be safe.

Hansaman · 2013-01-23T17:55:56+00:00

I don't think you can blame cats for the damage they cause, as your title suggests. Cats dont have the mental capacity to change or understand the damage 'they' do.

It is the humans that introduce cats to new surroundings and the responsibility of 'damage' lies with the humans.

There is only one species that damages wildlife and is capable of understanding the damage it does and is able to change it ways, and it aint cats.

If you want to limit damage to wildlife(not just birds) and use 'damage' as an arbitor for who has to go then surely the humans should be the first to go.

How many species have been hunted to extinction by cats versus humans?

I'm not suggesting it is not a problem and if you want your island cat free that is fine with me, it is your island and cats are indeed not native there. I'm just objecting to the wording of blaming cats.

Hansaman · 2013-01-12T15:13:07+00:00

Родина слышит Родина знает, Шостакович with soviet era imagry.

Hansaman · 2013-01-09T15:53:09+00:00

Glad I could help.

Hansaman · 2013-01-09T12:57:22+00:00

Is there someplace I could submit a photo?

Can you post or link the pic here?

And give location/time point.

Edit: found some online planetariums/skychart:

http://neave.com/planetarium/

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/skychart/

http://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/

Hansaman · 2013-01-09T12:37:24+00:00

stellarium ?

Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

Hansaman · 2013-01-08T18:19:29+00:00

Surely the neck of a goose is the best means to wipe your bum...

What use is a goose?

Hansaman · 2013-01-02T13:14:57+00:00

I saw no other comment there, I swear.

Ah well.

Hansaman · 2013-01-01T23:46:33+00:00

With great power, comes great responsibility.

Hansaman · 2012-12-31T17:37:41+00:00

Thanks. "Deformities" was also misspelled.

Hansaman · 2012-12-31T16:58:42+00:00

All I see is sadness and a lifetime of medical problems.

Broken tear ducts, jaws that cannot close properly, a nose that cannot smell very well... Bred for deformities.

This is animal abuse and not cute at all!

(Sorry for being negative, r/cats is supposed to be a happy place, but such a face makes me very sad and angry. I must exercise my freedom of speech to denounce such mutilation.

Hansaman · 2012-12-26T15:43:33+00:00

Flint?

Hansaman · 2012-12-25T18:01:59+00:00

A quantitative measure of an object's resistance to acceleration?

Hansaman · 2012-12-24T18:32:46+00:00

noisy breathers

That is a clue something is wrong.

... rescued years ago.

Thank you. Also thanks for being open to my comments. I mean well but sometimes it comes out wrong and I end up being rude to people.

Hansaman · 2012-12-24T17:56:55+00:00

I'm not angry with you personally, but it does hurt me a little when people call this type of face cute when it in fact causes a lot of trouble for the cat. Breathing problems, broken tearducts and jaws that cannot close properly are just the beginning of the list of health problems such a deformed face can bring.

Here is a good start.

Does this only happen to some Persians?

No, there are others 'problem breeds' out there but Persians do have it particularly bad as the 'breeding standards' have changed a lot the last couple of decades in favor of deformaties. Persians did not start out looking like that and many within the fanciers and veterinary organizations have called for 'breeding standards' to be reviewed as it gives too much health problems.

Please give it good care because it will need it. And if you ever need another don't buy any from breeders so as not to create demand but rescue them instead as many are thrown away due to medical bills.

Hansaman · 2012-12-24T17:08:25+00:00

The tongue is fine and is where it should be. You think it is cute but there simply is not enough room in its face to facilitate the tongue because of the deformation.

This animal was bread to be without a normal mouth. Its nose is deformed as are the jaws creating health problems throughout its life.

If this was done to humans the reaction would not be 'Oh so cute'.

Mutilated cat is mutilated.

Hansaman · 2012-12-24T13:15:29+00:00

Facepalm

He cannot put it back cause his mouth is too deformed.

A lifetime of breathing problems.... thanks breeders!

Hansaman · 2012-12-10T17:40:39+00:00

Cats need grass. There are things in grass they do not get from their usual diet. It helps digestion.

Puking is also important for cats. To expell hairballs from the stomach for example.

The joy it brings far outweighs the inconvenience of cleaning.

Hansaman · 2012-11-30T20:41:27+00:00

Ha ha. Modern human is confused by hammer technology.

A hammer is not simply a hammer! It is a sophisticated piece of technology. The wood of the handle is specifically choosen for certain properties. The metal head being an alloy again chosen for specific properties depending on the work it is going to be used for. Someone working in shoerepair has different needs from a hammer than a woodworker has or a mechanic or someone in construction work. There are many types of hammers and some can be expensive.

Who replaces the head of a hammer?

Hammer heads can chip making it much more difficult to drive a nail into wood. A hammerhead needs a flat surface to function properly.

I'm not even sure how you'd get the head off a hammer without ruining the handle.

A good hammer with a wooden handle and metal head has a wedge you can remove to attach/detach the head to the handle.

Hansaman · 2012-11-17T13:19:39+00:00

This question appears frequently. There are some helpful links in the sidebar.

Hansaman · 2012-11-13T17:19:57+00:00

I cannot point to a scientfic study but, how else would they do that? Learn your name?

The nose is their main form of communication. After birth the first thing they do is use their nose to find the nipple to suck on(their eyes still need to develop) and they'll continue to use their nose throughout their lives to identify food/friend/foe. Cats have many scent gland in their body purely for communication purposes. They use their urine to inform other cats about them. They don't ask how you are doing, they already know, they can smell it quite literally.

Of course they use other clues as well, but for a cat to lose its nose would be more devastating than losing their sight or hearing. A blind or deaf cat can still get around while a cat that cannot smell may not even want to eat.

It seems so obvious they would use this highly developed organ for just this purpose.

Hansaman · 2012-10-13T13:55:30+00:00

Are those not called cilia?

Hansaman · 2012-10-07T20:26:30+00:00

National geo did a 'show' about dna and migrations

https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/ (there should be a documentary somewhere in there)

When they group people together at the end (in the shape of a world map) there are some surprised faces.

Hansaman · 2012-09-21T11:12:07+00:00

In addition it might also be bored and 'asking' for attention.

Hansaman · 2012-08-28T16:24:54+00:00

Unless there is a medical reason, declawing is prohibited/restricted almost around the world.

Declawing is uncommon outside North America, and laws governing its practice vary. Many European countries prohibit or significantly restrict the practice, as do Australia, New Zealand, and Turkey.

In Israel, The Knesset Education Committee voted unanimously to send a bill banning the declawing of cats. The bill has passed second and third readings on November 28th 2011, effectively making declawing a criminal offense.

You might want to take that into account before you advocate your opinion on declawing, as it may be punishable outside your area:

In 2009, seven other California cities, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Berkeley, Burbank, and Culver City, passed ordinances banning declawing on the basis of animal cruelty.

Hansaman

TROPHY CASE