tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post3550415379983716918..comments2023-10-26T03:19:41.569-07:00Comments on Stephen Bodio's Querencia: The Crazy Cat LobbySteve Bodiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14434597061701369867noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post-7910734361120153882013-03-29T10:24:09.826-07:002013-03-29T10:24:09.826-07:00Considering the more informed comments, and the qu...Considering the more informed comments, and the quality and knowledge of those who defended you against the rants of the"Ted Haters"* you are being generous and Audubon, with what seems a grudging not- quite- apology, is lucky. Still, good to see you back.<br /><br />Why DON'T they have a stated position contra feral cats, anyway? {;-)<br /><br />*I am thinking of those going over to your article on second level poisoning of raptors and abusing you there, not to mention their confusing two entirely separate issues.Steve Bodiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14434597061701369867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post-18729312783475891152013-03-29T09:00:59.380-07:002013-03-29T09:00:59.380-07:00Well it's been a long week for Audubon and me,...Well it's been a long week for Audubon and me, but I think we've done the right thing. Go to:<br />http://magblog.audubon.org/audubon-and-ted-williams<br /><br />Thanks.<br />Best,<br />Ted WilliamsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post-75746513749016804492013-03-26T09:40:53.567-07:002013-03-26T09:40:53.567-07:00Although I agree that Audubon is idiotic in dumpin...Although I agree that Audubon is idiotic in dumping this guy(what helps SELL magazines better than controversial issues? And what better to stir the pot than the Kat Krazies? Are the editors just STUPID??!!)--I do(somewhat) disagree(in certain particulars) that feral cats are THAT big a threat to songbird survival. And I'm not disagreeing with the "statistics"--though I ALWAYS view any statistics with suspicion! I live in the U. S. after all! And cats used to kill way more birds than they do now--in areas that I have personal experience with. I used to find(or my dogs did!) feral cats, or their sign, commonly in even the remotest of places, far, far from human habitations. Now I rarely do. Why? I'm purty sure it's because of the now nationwide expansion of coyotes(which did not used to live in my area)--even to urban environments. Wherever there are good populations of coyotes, feral(and pet!) cats are kept well under control(though, of course, there will always be SOME...) And despite the accuracy of the "numbers", they aren't taking everything into account--cats are just a convienant scapegoat. Cat predation hardly takes any more birds(in my opinion) than hawks, owls, snakes, weasels, foxes, raccoons, 'possums and a zillion other bird/egg munchers out there, many of which have been severly reduced in numbers thanks to human pressures(others have adapted and increased!)--cats have merely stepped in to predate in their places. And the death rate of songbird populations is ENORMOUS no matter what the causes, but this tends to get ignored in these emotional issues. Cats are villified because they are not NATIVE predators--and although they HAVE done irreparable damage to native wildlife on small island environments, and certainly in Australia, I think here in North America, people are wasting their time and emotions wringing their hands on something Nature has already taken care of.....L.B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post-23528708965832676682013-03-25T18:50:43.158-07:002013-03-25T18:50:43.158-07:00The data is neither sparse nor inconclusive about ...The data is neither sparse nor inconclusive about population-level effects of feral and free-ranging cats on native birds in the wildland/urban interface. Outdoor cats are a deadly exacerbation of human impact on nature -- there is no "balance of cats vs birds". The expanding feral cat population is simply an ever-more-deadly cause of native bird mortality, especially for declining neotropical migrants which continue to suffer habitat alteration from human development. While some people attract birds to their yards with landscaping and food, outdoor cats transform those suburban environments into an avian "mortality sink". Native ground nesting and cup nesting birds are especially vulnerable to cats, while native cavity nesters are relentlessly displaced by non-native house sparrows and starlings. The trends are clear and undeniable. We should take steps to reduce mortality on our declining native bird populations from ALL types of human impacts, and feral cat control would be a good place to start. If you noticed that your own windows or automobiles were unnecessarily killing hundreds of birds a year, I suspect you would do something about it. MEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post-61006428244823197182013-03-23T05:06:41.068-07:002013-03-23T05:06:41.068-07:00Thanks, Steve. As always, you know how to say trut...Thanks, Steve. As always, you know how to say truth beautifully.<br /><br />Susan Beckhornnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8732486.post-15973627157412950322013-03-22T17:38:38.795-07:002013-03-22T17:38:38.795-07:00I haven't followed the debate specific to fera...I haven't followed the debate specific to feral cats much, but have read a bit on outdoor cats and wildlife. I don't doubt that the issues surrounding feral and outdoor cats will be unique to every time and place, so there won't be one answer to every situation.<br /><br />My impression is that while feral cat advocates can be quite vociferous, the anti-feral/outdoor cat lobby can similarly be overzealous. Their extrapolations of numbers of birds killed can be based on sparse data, and they are too often short on context. A frustration that I have had with the bird body counts is that the researchers may give estimates for absolute numbers of birds killed, but they largely ignore the more important question of how this rate of predation affects the overall population. Another question that needs to be addressed is what, if anything, has changed with the balance of cats vs. birds in North America to suddenly produce a crisis. North American birds have been coexisting with cats for hundreds of years.<br /><br />This article gives a broader overview on influences on global bird populations: http://www.gcrio.org/CONSEQUENCES/vol3no1/songbirds.html<br /><br />This debate strikes me as part of the philosophy that wants to separate man from nature. My cat goes outdoors and he joins--other wildlife, humans, hawks, dogs, motor vehicles, windows, habitat alteration, disease... -- in killing wildlife. He mostly kills rodents, and I am happy for this service he provides. He also bridges the human world with the natural world, as he is fully part of both. The same with my dogs, all forms of hunting, fishing, hiking, etc. I really don't want to live isolated from nature-- as though that was possible.<br /><br />Ted Willams being fired for writing his piece is another topic altogether. Let the discussion and debate go on.<br /><br />SHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com