I’ve been looking at several websites that promote adopting cats to use as rodent defense in barns and outbuildings in rural areas. I think the people running these programs are wonderful, kind hearted, and are doing all they can to try and stem the tide of unwanted animals.
But I must completely disagree with their good intentions. And if a reader is one of these good intentioned people or is close to a similar program, I’m very sorry.
But I think that it is absolutely appalling to dump a flood of unwanted city cats in rural areas. And if you are thinking of doing this, Stop!
While initially it sounds like such an obvious and wonderfull solution. It is not. Outside cats kill the native reptile preditors, they kill our song birds, and discourage the presence of owls and hawks.
I was a member of a big community garden and we finally got rid of the cats. Against several old “cat ladies” wishes. We then actually had less rodent damage. And fewer gophers. The redtailed hawks would come down and sit on fences and railings and get the gophers. :-)
I actually saw the red-tailed hawks doing just that, eating gophers and dropping their skulls, on multiple occasions. I, on several occasions, walked over and got the skulls that the hawks dropped and know that several were gophers. And I love biology and its not that hard for me to tell the difference between a vole skull, a mouse skull, and a gopher skull
More and more people are realizing that outside cats are not the answer. And to take the flood of city bred cats and place them in a rural environment where they cause great havoc is not a long term solution.
And to the people running these programs, I realize that you are trying to make a living but sometimes its best for the environment to find another way.
Best to everyone for a great 2016