Thread: Cats?

Just read this in the NZ herald.
Interesting that Safe have been left out of the loop.
Below is the article
"""
Eradicating feral cats and controlling the country's stray cat population are just two of key features of a leaked report of a national group formed to solve the country's "cat crisis".

Domestic cats could face a curfew if the Morgan Foundation has its way, while the SPCA would be keen to implement a de-sexing programme.

The National Cat Management Strategy Group got together in November 2014 and includes members of eight organisations including the SPCA, Morgan Foundation, New Zealand Veterinary Association [NZVA], NZ Companion Animal Council, Local Government NZ and the NZVA Companion Animal Society.

Ministry for Primary Industries and Department of Conservation have technical advisory members on board.

The group's 'strategic intent report' states that there "are estimates that indicate that there is a significant cat crisis in New Zealand."

It states it's estimated there were about 1.4 million domestic cats along with an additional 196,000 stray cats.

Geoff Simmons of the Morgan Foundation said various studies showed there were also between 2.4 and 14 million feral cats across the country.

He denied the Foundation wanted to get rid of the country's domestic cat population.

"We were never getting rid of all cats, the point was the problem is cats wondering into wildlife areas. Stray and feral cats are a major issue ... but also where people are living close to sensitive wildlife areas then domestic cats that wonder are a problem too."

Mr Simmons said once founder, Gareth Morgan, began airing his views about cats a few years ago, it led to NZVA to carry out some research.

"[The] research really backed up the point that we were trying to make ... given the emotiveness of this issue the Government is unlikely to take any action until there's some consensus amongst the major players, so that's why we thought it was worth sitting around the table and coming to a common view."

He said microchipping and keeping cats inside at night was good for the cat and environment.

"It's not really about a curfew although it may be in some areas that is a discussion but there's pretty good evidence that keeping the cat inside at night reduces its accident rates."

It was hoped the group would have something ready to put to Government "within the first half of the year".

RNZSPCA chief executive Ric Odom said progress was slowly being made, but public consultation was still to take place.

"It's really based around some principles which we've all agreed to; cats make good pets and we've got to recognise that for many, many New Zealand families cats are an integral part of the family, but we also have to recognise that particularly in some sensitive areas where we have native birds, cats can be a problem. So in respect to cats and cat ownership how do we educate the public and say we need to act responsibly.

"How will it pan out? I'm not really sure."

However, if he had one goal it would be to set up a "properly co-ordinated de-sexing programme"

But Craig Dunn of Paw Justice was unimpressed at being left out of the discussions and said the report was "heavily weighted against cats".

"We need to have facts around the information what they're saying ... I believe that cat owners should have a say about this as well, not just people that don't like cats. The big thing is that people's pets aren't caught up in this as well."

If too many cats were being wiped he wondered how that would impact the country's eco-system.

Hans Kriek, executive director of animal welfare organisation SAFE, was aware the group had been set up but was out of the loop in regards to its details.

He also backed Mr Odom's proposal of making it compulsory for cats to be desexed.

As for the cost to a cat owner, Mr Kriek said, "if you can't afford the de-sexing, you can't afford the animal".

In regards to a curfew, New Zealand Veterinary Association vice president Pieter Verhoek said he wasn't completely against the idea.

However, how and if a curfew would work was yet to be discussed.
"""

People are the biggest treat to native wildlife period. More PC BS

Why don't we start discussing getting rid of farmland and pine plantations, turning them back to native forest and fencing it all off?

"heavily weighted against cats"


ROFL

About 1968 I was asked by the local council to shoot wild cats that had invaded the edge of town after a large forest fire. All residents were advised in writing to have all pets locked inside by 8pm and I began shooting ( Ruger 10/22 and spotlight) at 9.30pm, having free reign through people's back yards. I shot about 200 over a couple of weeks, and my best area was the local cemetery. No pets were shot and everyone was happy. I can't see that being a popular option today!

I think they are correct on this issue and that given our unique ecosystem nobody in NZ or Oz should allow a cat free reign to wander where it likes and kill whatever it wants. If a dog did that it would get taken to the pound. Ferrets ownership is restricted for the same reasons. Shoot the lot of them.

Originally Posted by Tussock

New Zealand's unique ecosystem once had crocodiles and coconut palms in the central South Island.

Trying to freeze biodiversity at a point in time is exceedingly stupid. Its pointless, absolutely guaranteed to fail and just an enormous waste of money.

Makes hand wringing do-gooders feel better about the reality that their lifestyle and existence impacts the world.

I hear what you are saying but if you own an animal then you are responsable for what it does. If you let it wanted into other peoples property to shit in their garden (potentially giving those people a harmfull disease), kill their chooks or kill a Kiwi then you are responsable for those crimes in the same way a dog owner who lets his dog attack sheep is. We don't let any other animals wander at will so why should we tollerate it for cats?

Tussock - I think the cat's mind control parasites have gotten to you and are influencing your thoughts and actions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii

Of course they have heaps of backing, their mind control parasites have infected over half the population who are now enslaved to their feline masters. That doesn't stop me trying to fight the evil overlords though.

If you dog attacks and kills one of those cats then they could well be put down for being a dangerous dog. That just doesn't make any sense.

Originally Posted by Tussock

A cat that wanders onto my property will need to survive my dogs if it wants to wander back off again.

I will point out this has little to do with cats. This is about pissing off one of the most intractable forces in our society. Little old ladies. They have phones, cats and nothing to do. They will form committees. Office after office of the government will go down due to being swamped in carefully hand written letters. Pressure will be placed on sons and daughters in high office.


These people are pissing into the wind. The biddies will tear them apart.

Cats have more backing than they do.

God I'd hate to meet Mrs Gold Memeber then

Originally Posted by Tussock

A. I'm not sure this is a law where I live
B. While they are kind to cats on the most part, if they killed one I would bury it and forget it happened.

You should have a good crop of tomatoes this year with all that blood and bone

Originally Posted by Tussock

So far we have a 4 year record of only killing what we are told to kill. There was the chicken that was loved too much, but we don't talk about that.

There's always one ahjust there to test the waters... Bet the cats said bet you can't cross that yard there and chicken said.......

Originally Posted by Tussock

A. I'm not sure this is a law where I live
B. While they are kind to cats on the most part, if they killed one I would bury it and forget it happened.

Do you live on the coast? The only law on the coast is that there are no laws....

Originally Posted by MassiveAttack

I hear what you are saying but if you own an animal then you are responsable for what it does. If you let it wanted into other peoples property to shit in their garden (potentially giving those people a harmfull disease), kill their chooks or kill a Kiwi then you are responsable for those crimes in the same way a dog owner who lets his dog attack sheep is. We don't let any other animals wander at will so why should we tollerate it for cats?

Tussock - I think the cat's mind control parasites have gotten to you and are influencing your thoughts and actions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii

Maybe we should ban all Dogs from the forests also as some do escape and kill Kiwis.

https://www.projectkiwi.org.nz/index...m&s2=Predators

I like both dogs and cats... but apparently dogs are adult Kiwi predator no1.

Originally Posted by Tussock

New Zealand's unique ecosystem once had crocodiles and coconut palms in the central South Island.

Trying to freeze biodiversity at a point in time is exceedingly stupid. Its pointless, absolutely guaranteed to fail and just an enormous waste of money.

Makes hand wringing do-gooders feel better about the reality that their lifestyle and existence impacts the world.

So True

I had my granddad who was a leading researcher on toxoplasmosis .
He was taking good care of the felines crossing the property under a 100m range!
I think cats should be registered, so that the money from that registration goes to contribute to desexing/ getting rid of the rest of the feral cats.
Also domestic cat should all have collars with 2 or 3 bells , as some can stalk preys with out making the one bell ring! The flashing light on the collar is a good thing as well.

Originally Posted by Friwi

I had my granddad who was a leading researcher on toxoplasmosis .
He was taking good care of the felines crossing the property under a 100m range!
I think cats should be registered, so that the money from that registration goes to contribute to desexing/ getting rid of the rest of the feral cats.
Also domestic cat should all have collars with 2 or 3 bells , as some can stalk preys with out making the one bell ring! The flashing light on the collar is a good thing as well.

Doubt you would achieve much by registering Cats, Dogs are primarily registered for their ability to hurt people and transmit things much worse than Toxoplasmosis. Otherwise I guess you could argue for registering a large number of domestic and stock animals. Look at the damage done by escaped rabbits and goats.

Registering and collaring Cats is pretty much what they do in parts of Australia. Seems silly after mowing down ever increasing swathes of land so that you can have your quarter acre of arid land and removing the natural habitat for the birds and lizards anyway.

I wont hesitate to shoot a feral cat if I see one, but this is just more do-good PC BS.