Australias big pussy cat problem

I absolutely loathe feral cats. They are an invasive pest and do a lot of damage to native bird populations, among other species. They also kill more than they eat, so even though the stomach contents of this cat showed 2 mammals, a bird and a reptile, who knows how many other creatures it killed that day. Where I live there is a massive feral cat population. they climb on people's vehicles and scratch the paint, poop in gardens, attack domestic cats and dogs (I watched a feral tom attack some poor woman's toy poodle without provocation, while she was walking him on a leash, the other day right in front of my house. By the time I made it out my front door she'd managed to beat the cat off her dog but the poodle had several deep cuts on his face requiring a vet visit) and generally make a giant nuisance of themselves.

Tell you what, if I'm ever sitting in my backyard with my parrot on her leash and a cat attacks her or me ... that cat will be hanging from our crabapple tree as a warning to all the other ferals out there. Only way to take care of the problem is to eliminate it.

-- Kai

Agreed, feral cats are the responsibility of every cat owner who allows their cats to roam outside unfixed. I've never owned a cat (nor would I ever own a cat or dog that wasn't fixed) so I can safely say I have not contributed to this problem. I've never understood why people do this ... in most places it is considered poor ownership to let your dog, for instance, run loose. Same with horses. Same with just about every other pet I can think of. Why, then, is it acceptable to allow one's cat to roam? The excuse of "they're outdoor animals" doesn't hold water since, as many people have proven, cats can be trained to walk on a leash, thus allowing them to enjoy the outdoors without risk of being eaten, run over, lost, or any number of other things. Personally I feel that if someone truly cares about their animal they would take steps to ensure its safety, up to and including keeping it off the streets.

I do understand their plight, such as it is. However I disagree that they are starving ... at least every one in my area isn't. They are in good body condition most of the time, unless they have been set upon by another feral pest. I will however, NOT tolerate attacks on me, or on my animals. I don't care about the ferals three blocks over, or the one across town, or that one over there ... I care about the one(s) that make my life, or my pet's life, miserable. The problem children are taken care of. I will not sit idly by and coo over the poor helpless kitty that tears my leg up because he's just hungry, or the one that attacked that poodle. A cat that attacks people and animals needs to be put down just like a dog that attacks people and animals - or a raccoon, or a bear, or anything else.

-- Kai