Comments on: Feral Cats Kill Billions of Small Critters Each Year

By: Thomas Simmons

Thomas Simmons — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:59:21 +0000

So far my neutered ferals have eaten several mice, one squirrel, and many crickets and similiarly sized insects as well as the diet I provide. So far the owls, eagles, and hawks have killed 4 of my ferals. The birds are winning. Birds have more defensive equipment than cats. I have little sympathy for the bird people in this little war. Individual have rights too not just broader populations. As in any war, we have to choose sides. Rationality has nothing to do with it. “Reason” has lead us to disaster just as efficiently as emotion.

By: TX Tornado

TX Tornado — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:02:39 +0000

Cats are predators. Of course they will eat prey animals. And they are a potentially invasive species, because they’re tough and will eat just about anything that can’t eat them first. Overpopulation of pet species is a rampant issue in the US, specifically with regard to dogs and cats, because people don’t spay/neuter. I don’t agree with the idea of exterminating entire populations, but I otherwise fail to see what everyone’s issue is. Most of this article is just common sense facts repeated with large numbers. Of course cats eat birds and small mammals in an area. Sure, Woodsman is coming off as a jerk, but people will be people, and though he is coming off as a jerk, he may be right. If spaying and neutering isn’t affecting a population and it’s growing out of control, killing the population off may be the only option available. I’m a cat lover with two rescues at home, and that doesn’t change the facts of a situation.

By: KJ

KJ — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 03:01:34 +0000

Colour me not surprised, to see this coming from the institution that harboured Nico Dauphine as a ‘researcher’ into the impact of cats on wildlife, until the said ‘researcher’ was convicted of animal cruelty for attempting to poison cats.
Even then Dauphine was not dismissed, but was allowed to resign having published a number of papers on the topic.
Smithsonian has nil credibility on this issue.
http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/11/a-dc-bird-researcher-is-convicted-of-trying-to-poison-cats.html

That said, I do not expect this comment to be published. Too embarrassing, you see, for the Smithsonian.

By: S. O. Rooney

S. O. Rooney — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:04:32 +0000

I am outraged and sickened by the vicious, hateful message of this article. I am nearly unable to compose a thought. But I can say that focusing on cats as killers because they need to eat is quite heartless and tunnel-visioned. I believe that there are a few more animals in this world that have to kill to eat besides cats, and dogs are “killers” as well. If they aren’t out chasing squirrels and such other animal, they are eating dog food made from animals who were raised in unspeakable conditions and killed by cruel methods. I daresay a dog will kill a bird also, given half a chance. Even though I love cats and find their company wonderful, I respect the right of others to delight in birds or other animals. But I also expect my right to love my pets to be tolerated, if not appreciated. The love for a pet can be a very deep and serious relationship, which should be respected. I am absolutely stunned that The Smithsonian would publish such malicious tripe. My regard for you has just plummeted, as well as my regard for the Audubon Society.

S. O. Rooney

By: Itch Craft

Itch Craft — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:40:31 +0000

HaHa these comments are so predictable & laughable. Most of these fools including woodsman are just bird lovers in disguise. they advocate killing all stray & feral cats to further the repopulation of native birds. The fact of the matter is they would love to completely rid the world of all Cats domestic & otherwise because they love birds, end of story. ROFL

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:27:17 +0000

This article isn’t surprising science it’s junk science.

You do know Coyotes kill birds,foxes,rabbits,cats,small to medium dogs,deer,chickens,livestock ect… Coyotes are everywhere they are large they eat a lot more that a cat. They carry deceases especially deceases that effect dogs. They jump fences in suburban yards to grab pets. Why do we always have to blame cats when there are many other larger predators out there. Don’t forget Hawks eat small mammals and yes a lot of birds. There’s a long list of bird eaters, why only zero in on cats? Maybe because you see it where as the other bird eating predators are more on the sly I don’t know, but you should maybe you should do some research on other bird eaters once in the while.

By: Carrotcake

Carrotcake — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:14:35 +0000

I’m a bit puzzled about the whole TNR thing. Pro-TNR people will say it is morally wrong to euthanize a feral cat instead of fixing it and letting it go, and many will send death threats to anti-TNR people. However, shelters are euthanizing healthy friendly cats every day, whether it be due to lack of space or simply because it is easier to kill an animal than put in the effort to start a fostering program or keep the shelter open for longer hours to promote more adoptions.

How come pro-TNR people aren’t sending death threats to shelter workers? Why is it okay to kill a friendly cat, but not an unfriendly one? Why don’t shelter cats deserve to be let loose?

If these were feral ball pythons (which are completely harmless to humans) we were talking about instead of cats, there would be no argument. Even reptile owners are fine with removing invasive reptile species. It’s like there is something about cats that makes people act irrational.

By: Rich

Rich — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:38:38 +0000

As usuall it’s more the humans fault that the infestation occurs. I am a cat person and our cats stay indoors exclusively. The feral cat issue is solely due to the irresponsible humans who turn them loose instead of taking the resposibility of taking care of their pets and if they didn’t want them, don’t take them in in the first place. If activists are going to take pity on feral cats they need to be responsible about it as well and try to find them homes or get them neutered or spayed. The other side of this debate also needs to realize that cats have been wild for centuries in areas of the world like Egypt and India without devastating the small critter community. Cats provide a valuable service to us all by keeping the mice and rats to a manageable level. Maybe instead of killing the feral cats we should trap, neuter , then ship them to The big cities to feed on the rats In the sewers and warehouses… I have helped out local cat coalitions and have found homes for a few and taken in others. In conclusion, we need to take Bob Barker’s advise and please spay and neuter your pets!!!

By: ABS314

ABS314 — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:14:40 +0000

We have a creek in the apartment complex suburb where I live, with Mallard ducks, mourning doves and all sorts of songbirds. There were a few feral cats that didn’t really cause any problem. Then a crazy cat fanatic moved in who started leaving deli trays on the parking lot, actually left old sofa cushions in the wooded area behind the apartments so the cats would have a place to lounge, and left all sorts of food all over the proerty. Thanks to this nutjob, we now have a cat army of aggressive predatory ferals roaming all over the property and we cannot get any help with this. They killed all of the early season ducklings last spring, plus a number of adults, we found dead decapitated songbirds all over the place, we no longer have any doves. This crazy cat person volunteers for a cat rescue group but lies about doing TNR. We are trying to work with the group’s head person, now, to get this mess under control, but frankly, I have my doubts. My experience with cat people is, unfortunately, all they care about are cats, they have no regard for other animals and I think they have control issues and this is how they act out.Like all animal problems, it is caused by humans. But the animals pay the price.
I know there is some claim that the Smithsonian study is tainted but I have to say, after seeing what cats did here – and I have lived in my development for 40 years without any problem until this cat situation got out of hand – I believe they are 100% on target.
The feral cat problem is completely out of control and TNR is not working.

By: cat lady

cat lady — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 23:44:56 +0000

Complete claptrap. I will not read anymore Smithsonian materials nor will I ever support this place again. This is bad science, and totally slanted. No eveidence, no fact and data given – thus we can only conclude what the cat hater bird lover crazy wants. Perhaps they (the bird lover crazies) should focus on the man made threats to song birds – population, pollution, habitat loss, pesticides and the like. Unfortunately they are using this as scince and feeding it to kids and others who don’t know enough about science to be descriminating in their consumption of “facts”. And yes, a large portion of those “mammals” killed are rodents that damage crops, carry fleas and ticks and are disease vectors(hum, Lyme’s disease, Hanta virus, bubonic plague, babiosis or bartonella ring a bell, anyone??)

By: D. Advocate

D. Advocate — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:32:04 +0000

P.s. The “research” for this article is funded in part by the U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. What do they want? More game for hunters to shoot.
Let’s take this into consideration when reading.

By: D. Advocate

D. Advocate — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:24:54 +0000

And here I thought the Smithsonian was a scientific, intelligent, fact-based institution dedicated to good sound research, um-biased reporting and education.
Guess I was wrong.
Turns out they’re just as susceptible to bias, pay-offs, and all-around nonsensical crap as everyone else. My faith in humanity is now knocked down another peg.

If this comment is not approved I will know for certain I am right.

By: Woodsman

Woodsman — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:34:58 +0000

Google for: “Cat-transmitted fatal pneumonic plague”, or Oregon man suffering plague, or Taos cats plague, or Yellowstone feral cats plague, or hundreds of others in the last decade. Yes, people have been dying from cat-transmitted plague in the USA. Not too bright, are you. But then what cat-lover is?

Totally disproving that oft-spewed myth that cats in Europe could have prevented the plague. No rats nor fleas even required. Cats themselves carry and transmit the plague all on their own.

These are just the diseases YOUR CATS have been spreading to humans, not counting the ones they spread to all wildlife. THERE ARE NO VACCINES against many of these, and are in-fact listed as bio-terrorism agents. They include: Campylobacter Infection, Cat Scratch Disease, Coxiella burnetti Infection (Q fever), Cryptosporidium Infection, Dipylidium Infection (tapeworm), Hookworm Infection, Leptospira Infection, Giardia, Plague (no rats nor fleas even required, cats themselves carry and spread it all on their own once infected), Rabies, Ringworm, Salmonella Infection, Toxocara Infection, Toxoplasma. [Centers for Disease Control, July 2010] Sarcosporidiosis, Flea-borne Typhus, Tularemia, and Rat-Bite Fever can now also be added to that list.

Especially dangerous today since cats attract rodents right to them with their Toxoplasma gondii parasite that hijacks the minds of rodents.

Its strange life cycle is meant to infect rodents. Any rodents infected with it lose their fear of cats and are actually attracted to cat urine.

Google for: parasite-hijacks-the-mind-of-its-host

Cats attract rodents to your home with their whole slew of diseases. If you want rodents in your home keep cats outside of it to attract diseased rodents to your home and family.

If the cats infect all rodents with their T. gondii parasite everywhere that cats defecate you’ll see a plague the likes of which have never existed before. Especially when you breed super-strains of plague with your overuse and irresponsible use of antibiotics.

The time has come to destroy them all whenever spotted away from supervised confinement. There’s no other solution. We have nobody but cat-lickers to thank for this disaster. All stray-cats, the very source of all feral-cats, must be destroyed too or you’ll never stop the feral-cat disaster that exists on every continent today.

By: Woodsman

Woodsman — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 00:30:34 +0000

Tammy, how about CAT TRANSMITTED FATAL PNEUMONIC PLAGUE

Cat-Transmitted PLAGUE:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8059908
http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2011/07July/072811/webplague.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/oregon-man-suffering-plague-critical-condition-article-1.1094782
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_20849462/health-department-said-taos-cat-has-plague

Totally disproving that oft-spewed myth that cats in Europe could have prevented the plague. No rats nor fleas even required. Cats themselves carry and transmit the plague all on their own.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:35:37 +0000

I have a friend who has a farm. She had barn cats Until they all passed away and then she began using pesticides to control the rodents that were overtaking her barn. Since she began using the pesticides, she noticed that she no longer sees barn owls, hawks and other birds of prey, After doing some research, she discovered that they were more than likely disappearing because of secondary poisoning from the pesticides. She was heartbroken to discover that she may be responsible for poisoning a lot more than the rodents. She plans on getting more cats (spayed and neutered, is course) and getting rid of the pesticides. And in argument that cats carry diseases like toxo which are hazardous to humans, don’t forget that they also kill mice which carry fleas that cause the plague and hantavirus, so that argument is really null and void. I believe that pollution, pesticides and deforestation have a much greater effect on the environment than cats.