Debates
27 Nov 04
27 Nov 04
1 edit
Our cat, 'TC' which is to say 'The Cat' is quite content to snarl and hiss at the Feral cat.
The Feral cat comes and eats our food. At night. In our garage. We leave the bag to be had by this terrible phantom.
Because it is hungry?
Poor TC. She suffers a 1200 dollar case of ulcerative colitis. So we provide her fifty dollar bags of peas and lamb food.
But the Feral cat steals it. And lives. Quite well. We hope. We even fill the water bowl in the garage and hope the Feral one is not want.
27 Nov 04
Originally posted by StarValleyWyWe have just been banned from fox hunting.Can we come over your range and bring our dogs to hunt in packs and blow our horns on horse-back.It is vermin?
Our cat, 'TC' which is to say 'The Cat' is quite content to snarl and hiss at the Feral cat.
The Feral cat comes and eats our food. At night. In our garage. We leave the bag to be had by this terrible phantom.
Because it is hungry?
Poor TC. She suffers a 1200 dollar case of ulcerative colitis. So we provide her fifty dollar bags of peas and ...[text shortened]... ite well. We hope. We even fill the water bowl in the garage and hope the Feral one is not want.
27 Nov 04
Originally posted by bestmateDon't ask. I once owned five acres in the south end of Star Valley. My most precious "possession" was to awake and go grab a smoke on my deck and watch the fox as they came awake for the day.
We have just been banned from fox hunting.Can we come over your range and bring our dogs to hunt in packs and blow our horns on horse-back.It is vermin?
They are more beautiful than anything I can dream.
But should you, or anyone choose to kill them for sport.
You may.
I am just a co-equal human. I have seen and tried all of the emotions of the hunt. I once killed a deer knowing I could not get it out and into my freezer. The shame of this act made me a non-hunter.
You rule. You can only guide yourself.
Is our majesty over animals complete. Yes.
Is our right to kill complete? Yes.
Should we insist on our right of dominance. No. Out of mercy and recognition of a very crowded planet. No. Let us share what little is left.
28 Nov 04
Originally posted by StarValleyWyThat is, with out doubt, the coolest name for a cat i ever heard, LOL 🙂
Our cat, 'TC' which is to say 'The Cat' is quite content to snarl and hiss at the Feral cat.
The Feral cat comes and eats our food. At night. In our garage. We leave the bag to be had by this terrible phantom.
Because it is hungry?
Poor TC. She suffers a 1200 dollar case of ulcerative colitis. So we provide her fifty dollar bags of peas and ...[text shortened]... ite well. We hope. We even fill the water bowl in the garage and hope the Feral one is not want.
29 Nov 04
I used to like cats. A lot. Before we had children, we made lots of movies (8 mm still in those days) of our cat, which, later, terribly annoyed our children that we should have lavished such attention on an animal! 'Struth, we made less movies of them!
Anyway, no more. I am now a bird lover and a cat-hater. No, hater is maybe too strong a word, more cat-ignorer.
I live in a small townhouse with a miniscule garden but have counted 76 different bird species at my feeding troughs - we put out seeds, fruit and pet's mince. Sometimes there are 7 or 8 species at one time.
Cats are Enemy Number One. They have, fortunately learned to stay away, lest they get doused with the garden hose.
Feral cats, yeah. You're welcome to them. Over there!
CJ
29 Nov 04
Originally posted by CalJustI would like to label myself as a general animal lover. Whenever I stumble (very clumsily) upon animals and birds in the wild, I almost always stop to gaze on their beauty for as long as they let me. I gaze equally at pedetors and prey; I find kestrels and sparrows equally beautiful.
I used to like cats. A lot. Before we had children, we made lots of movies (8 mm still in those days) of our cat, which, later, terribly annoyed our children that we should have lavished such attention on an animal! 'Struth, we made less movies of them!
Anyway, no more. I am now a bird lover and a cat-hater. No, hater is maybe too strong a word, m ...[text shortened]... et doused with the garden hose.
Feral cats, yeah. You're welcome to them. Over there!
CJ
I recall hearing on a public radio talkshow a woman who was incredibly proud of her "frog garden" I believe she called it. Now, don't get me wrong--I like frogs, and when I happen upon them I admire them just as much as anything. This woman, however, went on for what seemed like the entire show about how she hated herons, than herons were "enemy number one."
Herons are beautiful birds, and deserve just as much respect as frogs. This woman should not have been upset that herons ate her precious frogs. She was making it easy for them! It was like making a heron "Country Buffet." She created a place where herons could avert starvation without as much effort, and she became upset at them for this, began to hate them becasue it disrupted her garden.
The same is true for your feeding troughs. You put them there so that you can admire nature from the comfort of your living room, and by doing so you create a smorgasbord for feral cats.
Feel free to cat proof your feeders as much as you can, but don't be upset at the cats for trying to stay alive. Oh, and by the way, cats are probably far from the only wild critter that is taking advantage of your generosity.
- Joined
- 20 Oct 02
- Moves
- 599523
29 Nov 04
Originally posted by StarValleyWyIf my cat had a 1200 dollar disease you can rest assured the feral cat would get a little 'something extra" in tonights friskies
Our cat, 'TC' which is to say 'The Cat' is quite content to snarl and hiss at the Feral cat.
The Feral cat comes and eats our food. At night. In our garage. We leave the bag to be had by this terrible phantom.
Because it is hungry?
Poor TC. She suffers a 1200 dollar case of ulcerative colitis. So we provide her fifty dollar bags of peas and ...[text shortened]... ite well. We hope. We even fill the water bowl in the garage and hope the Feral one is not want.
29 Nov 04
1 edit
Originally posted by Bobla45Giggle.
If my cat had a 1200 dollar disease you can rest assured the feral cat would get a little 'something extra" in tonights friskies
Me too. It's my daughters cat and her money.
I almost had a rapture and vision trying to see my Grandfathers as I explained how one of their great grand-daughters spent as much on a cat as a good dairy cow cost!
Not a pretty dream. They both layed me up against the barn and pummeled me well. As I rightfully deserve.
But It's her life. Her cat. Her kids cat. I love everything she does. I can take the abuse from dead granddads!
😵
- Joined
- 20 Oct 02
- Moves
- 599523
29 Nov 04
Originally posted by StarValleyWyI definately can relate, we have 3 cats and a dog that do their very best to keep us poor, but they are after all, our pets!
Giggle.
Me too. It's my daughters cat and her money.
I almost had a rapture and vision trying to see my Grandfathers as I explained how one of their great grand-daughters spent as much on a cat as a good dairy cow cost!
Not a pretty dream. They both layed me up against the barn and pummeled me well. As I rightfully deserve.
But It's her li ...[text shortened]... er cat. Her kids cat. I love everything she does. I can take the abuse from dead granddads!
😵
29 Nov 04
Originally posted by Bobla45And friends. And innocents who will never become "real" adults.
I definately can relate, we have 3 cats and a dog that do their very best to keep us poor, but they are after all, our pets!
I think this is why we cry so hard when they die. Human children grow up. They fight. They become like us. Animals are innocent forever. Like children.
Ever notice that people grieve as much or more for their pets as they do for adult humans who die? Rightfully so. Animals are innocent. Adult humans are not.
- Joined
- 20 Oct 02
- Moves
- 599523
29 Nov 04
Originally posted by StarValleyWyGood point. With us, its the fact that the kids are grown up and gone I think. The pets are substitutes for the real thing🙂 In some ways better, the dog never totalled my car🙂
And friends. And innocents who will never become "real" adults.
I think this is why we cry so hard when they die. Human children grow up. They fight. They become like us. Animals are innocent forever. Like children.
Ever notice that people grieve as much or more for their pets as they do for adult humans who die? Rightfully so. Animals are innocent. Adult humans are not.
30 Nov 04
Originally posted by thesonofsaulGood point.
The same is true for your feeding troughs. You put them there so that you can admire nature from the comfort of your living room, and by doing so you create a smorgasbord for feral cats. .
Actually, I would also agree that I am a general animal - and nature - lover. When I go into the game reserves with guests, they normally look for the "Big Five" (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard) and rate the "success" of their trip as, e.g. "four out of five!".
Even if I see "nothing", I look at birds, trees, flowers, insects, lizards etc etc. One nice scene, eg a dung beetle rolling its children's pantry along, or a huge bufalo weaver nest with its multiple occupants, is enough to make my day.
But back to the cats. What annoys me - but shouldn't, I know! - is that some people actually feed the feral cats. In and around our office park is a small nature reserve, and the cats have played havoc with the bird life.
I guess the answer is - to each his own. I know that some ornithologists actually advise NOT putting out feeders, as it upsets the "balance of nature".
But I will join the "cats vs birds" fight on the latter's side!