[RP TownTalk] This N That

[Cranky old Coot]

Yes Sarah, that is a poetic description of the state of things. But you 
may have missed my point.

Domestic cats are not a natural part of the local environment, they are 
an invasive species. As such they do not have a natural predator to 
control their numbers nor their predation of local species. In fact they 
have an other "invasive species" adding and abetting them!

Yes the local hawks, I have seen several variates, do make their 
"living" at the expense of others, yet a hawk in a stoop is a beautiful 
thing to watch. The feral domestic cat causes the same damage to the 
local fauna as kudzu has causes to the southern flora and for the same 
reason, no natural control.

Introducing one invasive species, the feral cat, to control an other, 
the Norwegian rat, that has become a nuance because of poor hygiene of a 
third, us - is a course of action that has gotten civilization in 
trouble more than once.

Using "rat control" as a justification for feral cats instead of 
insisting on stringent enforcement of the health code (and control of 
garbage) is truly an example of treating the symptom and not the 
disease. Just gives me a headache.

-- 
I'm the Cranky Old Coot's keeper, and I approve this message

Lou King

Sarah Wayland wrote, On 11/12/2010 1:31 PM:
>
> Cranky Old Coot - I really understand the issue about the birds, and
> feel bad about it. But I eat chicken for dinner sometimes too. Nature
> is red in tooth and claw.
>
> -Sarah