Thursday 26 June 2008

Cats, cats and damn cats


Aren't they just the cutest darn things? They have the softest fur, the most heart-tugging purr and they just want to curl up next to you and sleep. You get the yummiest feeling from just having them there on your lap.

A cat won't waste it's time trying to impress you by chasing sticks or catching balls. But it will let you know if you've taken too long to fix its meal. And they'll fend for themselves as well. Do you think if the dog is hungry it will just go out and catch something? I don't think so.

Your average cat however, can not only convince you that it's the master of the house but beware any interloper in your yard as well; or your neighbour's yard. What cat respects boundaries? Never mind if it's the local wildlife just passing through for a nibble in your garden (after all, that's the reason you planted those bird attracting plants in the first place).

Today, my son came in to ask if he could kill the next-door neighbour's cat because it had caught and killed a Crimson Rosella just in front of our yard. This cat wasn't in the least perturbed when I came outside and found it devouring the bird a few minutes later. It was still there when I came back with my camera about 10 minutes after that. This must be one hungry cat! Sadly, the photos didn't turn out all that well (too much foliage in the way).

So the killer got off through lack of evidence!

In my view owners should be better educated about the havoc their pets are wreaking on wildlife. Since many owners are still reluctant to keep their pet indoors after dark, more stringent measures need be put in place such as a mandatory cat curfew in national park fringe areas in particular.

Do you have an opinion on this important issue? Join the discussion here.

And if you do have a cat that likes to get outdoors, consider getting or building a cat run to keep the wildlife safe and your cat in your yard. This one is available from Amazon.com

Kittywalk Town & Country Pet Enclosure
 

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