Even if they don’t kill, say, a bird, a cat’s mouth and teeth are loaded with bacteria. It generally doesn’t harm humans that much, but birds and small mammals stand a good chance of dying from infection if they’re bitten or scratched up by a cat.
If there’s a setting where cats can survive and kill “wildlife”, I would push back against the use of the term “wildlife”, because in order for this to be true humans have eliminated most predator species in the “biome”. All I hear when people in a city say they don’t want feral cats is they want cute birds at their feeders.
In an area rural enough to have coyotes…feral cats can be a positive addition to the biome so you don’t get overrun by rodents. Birds don’t have to worry because the cats need to stay close to cover due to various predators.
Seriously. People are claiming to be worried about biomes in the middle of a city where the only lawns allowed are grass and pavement and the town is bombed with bug killers every year and mice are dealt with by having them killed indiscriminately by pest control. It’s actually illegal in my city to plant edible plants on our forested parts because of some bullshit about drawing homeless populations.
But yeah the outdoor cats are the issue. That shit ain’t even close to the top on my triage.
I think I’ve read that they can really hurt the local wildlife as they’re excellent hunters. Also they poop in sandboxes and you can get really sick from it.
It’s cruel to the cat. There is no shortage of outdoor hazards that can injure them or make them sick. It’s also very bad for biodiversity. Domestic cats alone are responsible for the endangerment and extinction of hundreds of species. There are other, better, more targeted ways to deal with pests. Do not keep your pets outside.
Your question suffered in part because another person was in the comments arguing that cats aren’t a problem. Sometimes, someone who is just asking questions appears alongside someone who is “Just Asking Questions” and being a total asshole about it.
Can places still keep them for pest control? What’s wrong with an outdoor cat?
EDIT: It’s so weird getting downvoted for a genuine question. See y’all in the next thread about why isn’t Lemmy more popular.
They kill a lot of wildlife, which in many settings is not desirable.
Even if they don’t kill, say, a bird, a cat’s mouth and teeth are loaded with bacteria. It generally doesn’t harm humans that much, but birds and small mammals stand a good chance of dying from infection if they’re bitten or scratched up by a cat.
Here’s the often cited study from 2013 that estimates outdoor cats kill billions of birds and mammals annually in the US alone:
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
If there’s a setting where cats can survive and kill “wildlife”, I would push back against the use of the term “wildlife”, because in order for this to be true humans have eliminated most predator species in the “biome”. All I hear when people in a city say they don’t want feral cats is they want cute birds at their feeders.
In an area rural enough to have coyotes…feral cats can be a positive addition to the biome so you don’t get overrun by rodents. Birds don’t have to worry because the cats need to stay close to cover due to various predators.
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You didn’t say anything.
Feel free to engage with my reply.
I can translate for you!
translation: shut up
Someone pointing out logical fallacies is most definitely them saying something.
Unfortunately, often the willfully ignorant and those who live lifes free of logic cannot understand these words and decide they are meaningless.
They also tend to think people smart than them are dumber than them, but that’s often a defense mechanism over a paper thin ego.
Man, mind like an ocean indeed… Mostly empty, with a few bits of bacteria and just enough sentient meat to function.
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Seriously. People are claiming to be worried about biomes in the middle of a city where the only lawns allowed are grass and pavement and the town is bombed with bug killers every year and mice are dealt with by having them killed indiscriminately by pest control. It’s actually illegal in my city to plant edible plants on our forested parts because of some bullshit about drawing homeless populations.
But yeah the outdoor cats are the issue. That shit ain’t even close to the top on my triage.
I think I’ve read that they can really hurt the local wildlife as they’re excellent hunters. Also they poop in sandboxes and you can get really sick from it.
And cats hunt for fun, not just food.
Hunt for practice.
On a farm you pretty much need a cat or you’ll be overrun by mice.
What you call a pest, the ecosystem calls native wildlife. The “pest control” is what’s wrong.
It’s cruel to the cat. There is no shortage of outdoor hazards that can injure them or make them sick. It’s also very bad for biodiversity. Domestic cats alone are responsible for the endangerment and extinction of hundreds of species. There are other, better, more targeted ways to deal with pests. Do not keep your pets outside.
Your question suffered in part because another person was in the comments arguing that cats aren’t a problem. Sometimes, someone who is just asking questions appears alongside someone who is “Just Asking Questions” and being a total asshole about it.
100%, this would have happened on Reddit, too.