[NatureNS] Quantifying Human-related Mortality of Birds in Canada

From: Hans Toom <htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 12:25:52 -0300
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All,

I have been on this forum for 14 years and have endured the anti-cat and =
anti-dog manias in silence. They occur from time to time fostered by =
insensitive and ignorant people who have no understanding of the =
problems. I've also awaited an intelligent response to this issue and it =
finally came from Ian Woodman. Thank you, Ian.

The article in discussion is titled, "Quantifying Human-related =
Mortality of Birds in Canada". Place the emphasis on, "Human-related". =
Like so many things we witness on media, facts are taken out of context =
to fit an agenda. This is clearly the case with Mr. "All cats found in =
the wild or loose should be killed". I expect Mr. "All cats found in the =
wild or loose should be killed" also means we should be gunning down =
loose dogs.

Feral cats have a life expectancy estimated at 3-4 years whereas an =
indoor cat can live a long and happy life for up to 20 years. Clearly if =
education of cat owners can show success then house cats will cease to =
be a major problem. Feral cats will die off naturally in time if their =
numbers are not replenished and they are captured and neutered. The =
problem is replenishment of the feral cat population by irresponsible =
people aka monsters. These are students who have cats as pets during a =
semester because they are so cute but when they leave for home during =
the break or at the conclusion of their studies the cat is redundant so =
it gets dumped in a field or left to die slowly in an abandoned =
apartment. The home owner discovers to her horror that cats scratch =
furniture so out it goes into a local wood to fend for itself. The =
couple that wants to go on a holiday in their motorhome can't find a =
home for their cats so out go the cats to try and survive as feral cats. =
This new supply of abandoned cats comes from numerous sources and =
continues to replenish the population of feral cats. It is probable that =
more birds are killed naturally by avian predators such as raptors and =
corvids, snakes, lizards and squirrels, especially during nesting time =
when entire broods are wiped out. The mass die offs of birds during =
migration should also be quantified and compared to human-related =
mortality of birds to put things into a balanced perspective. =
Unfortunately, a balanced perspective will compromise the agenda. Humans =
are the problem and have always been the problem, not cats.

I have an empathy and respect for all living things including cats. =
Indeed I have three cats, all rescued as kittens(see monsters above). =
They don't go out and never want to go out. It's a myth that cats need =
to roam.=20

Please provide humane solutions to the cat problem not suggesting a =
genocide of cats like during the Black Death even though the cats were =
innocent of spreading the plague.


Hans
_________________________________________________________________________=
_______________________________
Hans Toom
Portuguese Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
http://www.hanstoom.com/


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<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>I have been on this forum for 14 years =
and have=20
endured the anti-cat and anti-dog manias in silence. They occur from =
time to=20
time fostered by insensitive and ignorant people who have no =
understanding of=20
the problems. I've also awaited an intelligent response to this issue =
and it=20
finally came from Ian Woodman. Thank you, Ian.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial>The article in discussion is =
titled,=20
"Quantifying Human-related Mortality of Birds in Canada". Place the =
emphasis on,=20
"<STRONG>Human-related</STRONG>". Like so many things we witness on =
media, facts=20
are taken out of context to fit an agenda. This is clearly the case with =
Mr.=20
"All cats found in the wild or loose should be killed". I expect Mr. =
"All cats=20
found in the wild or loose should be killed" also means we should be =
gunning=20
down loose dogs.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial>Feral cats have a life expectancy =
estimated=20
at 3-4 years whereas an indoor cat can live a long and happy life for up =
to 20=20
years. Clearly if education of cat owners can&nbsp;show =
success&nbsp;then house=20
cats will cease to be a major problem. Feral cats will die off naturally =
in time=20
if their numbers are not replenished and they are captured and neutered. =
The=20
problem is replenishment of the feral cat population by irresponsible =
people aka=20
monsters. These are students who have cats as&nbsp;pets during a =
semester=20
because they are so cute but when they leave for home during the break =
or at the=20
conclusion of their studies the cat is redundant so it gets dumped in a =
field or=20
left to die slowly in an abandoned apartment. The home owner discovers =
to her=20
horror that cats scratch furniture so out it goes into a local wood to =
fend for=20
itself. The couple that wants to go on a holiday in their motorhome =
can't find a=20
home for their cats so out&nbsp;go the cats to try&nbsp;and survive as =
feral=20
cats.&nbsp;This new supply of abandoned cats comes from numerous sources =
and=20
continues to replenish the population of feral cats. It is probable that =
more=20
birds are killed naturally by avian predators such as raptors and =
corvids,=20
snakes, lizards and squirrels, especially during nesting time when =
entire broods=20
are wiped out. The mass die offs of birds during migration should also =
be=20
quantified and compared to human-related mortality of birds to put =
things into a=20
balanced perspective. Unfortunately, a balanced perspective will =
compromise the=20
agenda. <FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Humans are the problem and have =
always been the=20
problem, not cats.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>I have an empathy and respect for all =
living things=20
including cats. Indeed I have three cats, all rescued as kittens(see =
monsters=20
above). They don't go out and never want to go out. It's a myth that =
cats need=20
to roam.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><