SPCA, Gareth Morgan at odds over cat ownership

12/04/2013 7:17:20 p.m.

Jamisson Vite wrote:

"Cats, they “just love killing things”." And yet greedy corporations and cartels have killed more eco systems and species than all the other species on this planet combined. I think you better forget about cats, Mr Morgan. There are much bigger fish to fry.

19/03/2013 9:34:57 p.m.

Jasmin Mac Millan wrote:

I would love to put a trap over your big mouth to stop you spreading such ridiculous statements. If there were no cats, there would be no birds either, who do you think is taking care of rats, possums and the like. My cat catches 1 or 2 birds every 3-4 months, she presents me with her prey,all of them are sparrows which are weak and would have died anyway or young ones that fell out of the nest. If you cared, you watched a healthy cat trying to catch a healthy bird, that is a myth!!!!! Birds 9 out of ten times see the cat way before it even thinks to jump at it and they usually fly away. When do you want to start exterminating people, how many got killed by people? If your partner or friend passes on, don't get another one?.... Idiot!

15/03/2013 3:29:21 p.m.

francey wrote:

It is interesting that when some people become competent in some area they think they have a right to pontificate on other matters. Stick to your knitting G Morgan.

14/03/2013 7:10:11 p.m.

Rachael wrote:

I only got my cats from the SPCA as they needed homes and for other reasons. I think more cats need to be neutered consistently. Prior to having the cats and living rural, I had a major problem with an infestation of large rats and mice living in my house over the years and getting into my pantry and on to my kitchen benches. They were eating through my kitchen walls and even eating large holes through hard native Kauri wood to get to my pantry. I initially and reluctantly used poison and traps before the cats, which didn't work and were more cruel in the long run. Was really a waste of time. I ended putting large bells on the cats which stopped them chasing and getting birds, but they are still capable of hunting and killing most creatures. I know if we got rid of the cats, we would have a major problem with the rats and mice again. We've since found out that the rodents have also caused damage with our electrical cables in the roof and inside the walls as I've got an older house. This was prior to getting the cats. So again, I'm reluctant to get rid of the cats. I'm very divided in this arguement as I agree that cats are a pest to native birds and other. All I can do is keep them inside often, feed them well and have put on large bells with their collars. Getting a clutch of young free-range chicks and rooster helped a lot, as they got to learn their boundries with me and the birds on our lifestyle block. Thankfully, it's been mainly large rats and mice on the menu over the last few years.

14/03/2013 5:39:03 a.m.

Luke wrote:

A) How the hell is letting a domestic, non-native animal into the wild "letting nature take its course". Guy is a royal idiot. B) Why not just institute a fine for letting cats roam free? I've seen plenty of healthy and happy indoor cats.

9/03/2013 3:18:50 p.m.

Mark wrote:

Our lovely cat liked hunting so we attached 2 bells to her collar.She still brought home each day a beautifull finch or waxeye. Some time more. That is a total of 365 lovely birds per year. Multiply this by 1 million cats in New Zealand and that totals 365 million birds per year.If it was just sparrows or magpies, ok but those are too cunning. Mark

4/03/2013 3:03:40 p.m.

Eli Wilson wrote:

That is a great man, screw the po po

28/02/2013 7:36:17 p.m.

Rubber ducky wrote:

Bob Kerridge is a monumental ignoramus, I am in genuine disbelief of his ridiculous logic on this issue. Here's a guy advocating for the death of certain dog breeds, who then advocates for capturing and releasing feral bloody cats!! The SPCA is a joke, it most certainly has been taken over by 'crazy cat people' that I'm guessing probably suffer the effects of toxoplasmosis from their beloved kitties. I will make Bob a promise, I will NEVER donate to the SPCA again, what a bunch of bloody nutters.

23/02/2013 4:38:10 p.m.

J Leach wrote:

On belled collars, intuitively, they are desperately inadequate... but it may be worthwhile to consider these points: That all that is needed for a program of belling cats is to increase the failure rate of the hunt. Of sufficient volume or pitch, a bell should be effective in interfering with the cat's mechanism: which is stealth. Also, animals do learn. With birds, a few percent more given the chance to detect a prowling cat earlier may result in increased awareness over time of the bird community at large. i.e. the message will get out,via those more few precious escapees, about the danger behind tinkling "bells". Any behaviouralist experts out there, please correct me if any of this is mistaken! I personally think a loud enough bell may actually cause cats to alter their behavior...

23/02/2013 3:56:54 p.m.

J Leach wrote:

Useful exercise in discerning the personal from the objective watching this presentation. Issues like this when they blow up at first are always featured by extreme points of view... In the short term, it should not be difficult to encourage cat owners to put bells on collars, around Karori and other places. Even though the method is not proven, and certainly inadequate, it will increase the failure rate of cats in the hunt---who rely on ultra- stealth, not magic or invisibility... Over time, the bell could be standardized: to be sufficiently loud. I think most cat owners in such areas would take such a measure voluntarily in the short-term, given the right information.