Just a quick note because I'm bugged up, but as this was brought up on another forum, in discussion with Noushka, the introduction of cats to England, apparently predates the introduction of one of the main prey species for foxes, the rabbit.

For whatever reason, one is seen as native, the other isn't. I can only put this down to human selfishness, cats were originally brought here to control vermin, mice and rats; in some cases that is still their role. But it's our selfish desire to keep animals as pets, that's led to any problem; cats are versatile, adaptable creatures, and have thrived in our wildlife rich countryside. Some view this as a problem, and it very much is in certain areas, particularly where feral domestic cats have interbred with the Scottish Wild Cat.

I'll go, before I spread germs, but just thought the point worth making on here too.

Indeed it does, some people choose to omit some points though.

I do think feral colonies should be culled though.

I agree, though it's unfortunate, it would be crueller in some instances to try and humanise cats that are truly feral.

Right, really am off with my fuzzy head, before I type more nonsense than usual!

I know you can never "tame" a true Scottish Wildcat.

or a true 'feral' cat

Not sure about those Layla, I know somebody with a small holding which has a small neutered colony, the Cats protection neutered them, they were already there when they moved in, they agreed to keep them. A few are truly truly evil, but a couple are coming round and will allow her to stroke them. Not sure how "wild" they were originally though.

what have LAWS got to do with anything

at the end of the day it dosent take Einstein to work out that a predator so prolific and efficient a hunter as the domestic cat is not going to have a detrimental impact on wildlife ....and not only on prey species either!!.....

they can outnumber and compete with native predators. Domestic cats eat many of the same animals that native predators do. When present in large numbers, cats can reduce the availability of prey for native predators, such as hawks and weasels.





lol well i knew you wouldnt have an issue with the damage cats do! i picked up a while ago how you view our wildlife


i think you'll find i havent omitted anything lol, no one on here mentoined rabbits! ... when Tarimoor brought up the comparison between rabbits and cats elsewhere i did indeed answer

so here goes again ....rabbits are not considered Native they are considered naturalised as i said before they have lived wild for so long that they have helped shape our landscape, and are infact extremely beneficial to some of our rarest habitats and the species that thrive on them......

the rabbit has been part of our countyside for the best part of a millenia and not only are they an important food source for our 'Native' foxes but also for other native predators such as buzzards, polecats and stoats etc ,Rabbits are also vital ecosystem engineers whose grazing maintains calcareous grassland,dune and heathland habitats, and the often rare species that depend on them.

http://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org....low-eyes!.aspx



and i dont deny the rabbit causes lots of damage to crops either but at least we have plenty of 'Native' predators (i suppose we can include man here) who feed on them and keep their numbers in check, so inspite of the damage they can do to crops they do benefit land management as grazers.

so it really dosent matter when the cat arrived they dont belong in the wild 'Anywhere' because they are domesticated! so they dont fit in to 'any' ecosystems and never will.



so if youre honest with yourself you'll agree that unlike the rabbit the cat benefits no habitats/wildlife ANYWHERE!....does it??

I honestly cannot be bothered to read all that, suffice to say, do your research on what REALLY kills song birds if you have issue with it, post a thread about it, and you may get a response, and for the record, the thread isnt about Cats either, its Foxes, which IMO should be shot in the town at every opportunity.

sorry but imo theres no excuse for human selfishness anymore, cats are efficient killers of our wildlife...nuff said!

they are not what i would call true ferals..i have worked with true ferals..not an easy thing to do... foxes are much easier lol