Deb Foskey - Cat Hater

Last comment on this string from me.

Thread, even, Roland.

Last comment on this string from me.

I’m quite happy that Cwth funding is helping to remove invasive plants. I do think that’s a victory. The point was that we may not need currawong containment legislation as well.

I, we, have never argued that feral cats are OK and should be left alone. Clearly they are a problem and need to be removed. [Desexing domestic cats would assist.]

Suburbs right next to valuable ecological systems do bring more (domestic) cats with them. and so some control is better than none.

thanks for all the fish. or is that legless lizards?

Roland, the greenies I know and respect generally wear brown pants and brown shirts, or similar colours. I was referring to those greenies who wear clothing that can only at best be described as ‘flowing’. They are the greenies that worry me. They get on their high horse, and rant for all to hear, but woe betide if it’s a problem outside their view from their cul-de-sac.

My point regarding wild cats was more aimed at them being just yet another introduced species when you rule out their domestic nature.

You are misled if you believe that a suburb will be cat-free by virtue of there being a cat containment area or cat-free zone, they will still be there, they just won’t be the type of cats that come in at night. They are an offspring of suburban development, and wherever there are cats, there will be feral cats on the streets. Last time I checked, cats still hadn’t developed the skill to read, so they won’t differentiate between one side of a street to another.

As I stated earlier, I hope that the greens aren’t trying to protect the weakest members of the herd to spite the lions, cause that’s going against the very nature you are trying to conserve.

I din’t bother putting in all the details of policy – ie what to do about feral cats (make slippers out of them?), the fact that invasive plants are no longer sold by nurseries, and urban parkcare groups are actually removing them fro our nature parks etc etc.

I did mention that cat groups would like all people to control their cats at all times. Not just in suburbs near endangered ecosystems.

But let’s not let logic get in the way of a good rant.

Of course none of those arguments justify an attack on the Greens for their dress sense. Strangely, Greens tend to be diverse, as do most political and cultural groups. It’s worth remembering – in this day and age – that racism and bigotry flow from a similar simplification of people who do not share your world view or experience.

The endangered ecological system, a fraction of which is at mulligan’s flat, warrants protection from rural and urban land use.

How we do that, or how much we do that, is of course a question of degree.

By the way, it’s nice that ranters credit us with all the power in the world, but the cat containment idea was the government’s solution (they also talk to conservationists etc) – the Greens were advocates for those two new suburbs being cat free.

“Only thing different about them is their wanky dress sense, and all that incence…”
-I am incenced by all of the above (not to mention incensed).

Roland, Thumper and I discussed this topic on Friday at the discussion centre, and given that the both of us are heavily involved within the environmental fields that the federal government are doing, we still came to the conclusion that Johnboys initial comment is the most correct.

After we’ve bulldozed the trees, built roads, fences, houses, laid concrete all around and planted whatever we think looks pretty why exactly are we getting bent out of shape about what tiddles gets up to?

I for one am getting bloody sick and tired of urban greenies who whinge and carry on like ripe tomatoes about the latest problem to infect their back yard.

Yes a green, sustainable policy is good. However, let me run a hypothesy by you; If a wild cat in the wild kills birds etc to live, how is that different to a tame cat in the wild killing birds etc ?

Albeit domestic cats are (generally) fed by their owners, most of what is going on is nature taking it’s course.

I’d hate for the greens to start advocating a policy of protecting the weakest member of the herd, and therefore culling lions.

If these species are so highly protected, then development should not have been allowed to take place in the first place – I’m not about to argue that point, as there are further factors involved.

Are we so worried about the problem that we’re nationally protecting the habitat, not just from within suburbia, but within rural areas as well ?

Again, SUV based greenies are a waste of time and cloud otherwise good greens policy with their own individual ‘make-them-feel-good-about-themselves’ crap.

It’s just suburban wannabe hippies playing at being greenies, when in reality their garbage bin is as full as their neighbours on rubbish day, and their Subaru Forrester looks just like everybody elses in the carpark. Only thing different about them is their wanky dress sense, and all that incence…

greenism is a religion, not a system of logic. it features unassailable truths, and you are either for them or against them. if you are against them, you are just evil.

haveing said that, im happy for any measure that eliminates these feral bastards from anywhere.

cats, not the greens that is.

Roland’s explanation is of some use, but also demonstrates the wooly thinking that the Greens seem to have infected the Government with. By his own logic, the landscape for many kilometres around these reserves will have to be kept free of cotoneaster and every other potential berry tree (privet anyone?), otherwise the small native birds will be just as effectively predated on by currawongs. (And they are effective- the only species I haven’t seen them scoffing as nestlings are Indian Mynahs).

But I haven’t heard anything about the ACT Government identifying any resources to clear the whole of Gunghalin of the exotic berry trees that enable currawongs to remain in an area the whole year. Can’t you just see the ‘cotoneaster police’ checking every backyard?? Sure to be a budget priority for Ted Quinlan …

As the annual report “the State of Australia’s Birds” (available on the DEH website) makes clear, the greatest threat to Australia’s birds is habitat clearance. If the ACT Government and the Greens were serious about the protection of these bird species in these reserves, they wouldn’t be developing suburbs so close to them. The measures to exclude cats from these suburbs are cosmetic, feel-good stuff . They shouldn’t be conflated with broader management issues based on de-sexing and microchipping.

God, I wish I’d paid more attention in French at school!

Anyway, from what I understand, the cat rule is only applying to two suburbs in Ngunnawal, and this is because they are in such close proximity to nature reserves. Also, after reading Big Al’s comment it would probably be a good thing for all cat owners to keep their cats inside anyway!

And as for Steve Pratt; no one really takes any notice of him anyway, because he’s an idiot! I know why the Serbs let him go: they most probably got sick of his droning on all bloody day long.

I like to put a bowl of milk out for the cats that my idiot neighbours allow to roam at night – a couple of aspirin dissolved in the milk makes sure that the visit is a one off. Occasionally I have the inconvenience of having to track down the smell of a dead cat when the mangey shitty little beast has curled up and died on my property but in general they seem to at least get home before their hearts heamorage. Simple, cheap, quick, effective – who could ask for more.