A note to cats:

[shereads]

Dear cats,

If you are going to kill, disembowel and partially snack on a large-ish rodent, please don't leave what remains on my walkway. I have people coming by to look at the house. They might slip and fall.

Sincerely,

A Homeowner

 

[glynndah]

Dear cats,

If you are going to kill, disembowel and partially snack on a large-ish rodent, please don't leave what remains on my walkway. I have people coming by to look at the house. They might slip and fall.

Sincerely,

A Homeowner

Dear Homeowner,

We're just trying to help. How are you ever going to interest cats (the only creatures who really count, you know) into looking at your house without the proper curb appeal? It's a selling point.

Sincerely,

The cats

PS. Oh, and that little welcoming gift in the dining room ...
You can thank us later.

 

[Guest]

Dear cats,

If you are going to kill, disembowel and partially snack on a large-ish rodent, please don't leave what remains on my walkway. I have people coming by to look at the house. They might slip and fall.

Sincerely,

A Homeowner

You're denouncing the gift?

Then again, a partially eaten kill could mean one of two things.

One: I caught and killed this for you and me to share. I love you.

Two: I caught and killed this for you and me to share, and if you piss me off I can do the same to you.

Meow.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

My cat, Louise, brings me the hearts of animals and leaves them on my doorstep frequently. I've always thought it was her way of telling me she loves me.

 

[Liar]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e394/mi_liar/sadcat.jpg

 

[The_Fractal_King]

Dear cats,

If you are going to kill, disembowel and partially snack on a large-ish rodent, please don't leave what remains on my walkway. I have people coming by to look at the house. They might slip and fall.

Sincerely,

A Homeowner

Have you ever considered that some buyers might be interested in what "non-traditional food sources" are available in the area?

 

[rgraham666]

Two: I caught and killed this for you and me to share, and if you piss me off I can do the same to you.

Meow.

I believe that is more likely to be their message. The cute, furry little psychopaths.

 

[shereads]

My cat, Louise, brings me the hearts of animals and leaves them on my doorstep frequently. I've always thought it was her way of telling me she loves me.

I think it's Louise's way of telling you, "I don't like this part. You eat it."

 

[shereads]

How are you ever going to interest cats (the only creatures who really count, you know) into looking at your house without the proper curb appeal? It's a selling point.

If cats had sufficient credit to buy my house, I'd add a "FREE RODENTS" sign to the one out front.

 

[jomar]

Dear cats,

If you are going to kill, disembowel and partially snack on a large-ish rodent, please don't leave what remains on my walkway. I have people coming by to look at the house. They might slip and fall.

Sincerely,

A Homeowner

Ah yes, the joys of selling a house.

We were selling our house and I was out of town. I got a call from my wife letting me know our fluffy little dog had cornered and killed a rabbit under a shed in the back yard. He then dragged it up a few steps and onto the screened in back porch, with all the mess that involved, minutes before the real estate agent brought the prospective buyers by to look at the house. Even so, I am still more of a dog person.

 

[curiositykitten]

I must agree with others that your kitty is claiming her undying love and devotion for you. And the only good rodent is a dead one - but who in their right mind wants to eat it? We can be a bit finicky for good reason. Have you considered that the cat is trying to help select the new residents?

I once had a loyal, wonderful indoor/outdoor cat that found a hole in the window screen and brought me a gift of a sweet little bunny rabbit - in various sections and entrails, of course. He was one of my best!
CK

PS - I also like the "don't piss him off" advice!

 

[Edward Teach]

My cat, Louise, brings me the hearts of animals and leaves them on my doorstep frequently. I've always thought it was her way of telling me she loves me.

My neighbor's cat brings me livers with fava beans. I don't know what she's telling me.

 

[wheelieguy]

I'm sooooooooooooo happy my cat's an indoor cat, and thus can't bring me sacrifices/gifts/threats/whatever, any larger than a moth or spider. And speaking of spiders, this arachnophobe is VERY glad to have the lil' psychopath around.

At any rate, the occasional hairball more than makes up for the lack of larger prey items for her...

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

PS. to cats: BTW, Thanks for taking out a rodent, rather than a little birdie. It always makes me feel sad and a little sick when I imagine some brave, exhausted song bird, taking a brief break on the epic 5,000 flight she makes twice a year from the tropics to the subartic, alighting on a safe-looking patch of lawn all gasping and weak, when WHAM! - Some fat-and-sassy tabby out for a little blood-sport, a creature who's never gone of day of her life without a can of liver and tuna, commits wanton, gratuituous murder.

 

[Guest]

PS. to cats: BTW, Thanks for taking out a rodent, rather than a little birdie. It always makes me feel sad and a little sick when I imagine some brave, exhausted song bird, taking a brief break on the epic 5,000 flight she makes twice a year from the tropics to the subartic, alighting on a safe-looking patch of lawn all gasping and weak, when WHAM! - Some fat-and-sassy tabby out for a little blood-sport, a creature who's never gone of day of her life without a can of liver and tuna, commits wanton, gratuituous murder.

As opposed to a fat-and-sassy pigeon, gluttonously eating from the birdfeeders we put out for the songbirds?

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

As opposed to a fat-and-sassy pigeon, gluttonously eating from the birdfeeders we put out for the songbirds?

PS. to cats: I would say the gluttonous pigeons are fair game, except that not only can you not read, you can't even understand English, so I have no way to convey the distinction, and I know you'll just take out whatever target-of-opportunity presents itself. So best you not be given the opportunity in the first place - sorry.

PPS. I'd pay you to take out some of the rabbits that like to nibble on my petunias, but the same limitation prevents it. I'd stake you out there at night, except that's an "unnatural act" to tie up a cat, and dangerous for you too.

 

[Guest]

PS. to cats: I would say the gluttonous pigeons are fair game, except that not only can you not read, you can't even understand English, so I have no way to convey the distinction, and I know you'll just take out whatever target-of-opportunity presents itself. So best you not be given the opportunity in the first place - sorry.

PPS. I'd pay you to take out some of the rabbits that like to nibble on my petunias, but the same limitation prevents it. I'd stake you out there at night, except that's an "unnatural act" to tie up a cat, and dangerous for you too.

You can take comfort, Rox, that most fat-and-sassy tabbies are too fat to nab a bird. The only ones they manage to catch are the sick and weak, or perhaps the exhausted ones of which you speak.

Same with bunnies. Those little things go fast.

 

[JagFarlane]

You can take comfort, Rox, that most fat-and-sassy tabbies are too fat to nab a bird. The only ones they manage to catch are the sick and weak, or perhaps the exhausted ones of which you speak.

Same with bunnies. Those little things go fast.

-glances over at Pumpkin, the lean, 14lb tomcat- Erm right...too fat to nab a bird. LOL durned cat had his own killing grounds for birds last year, mostly pigeons. Though this year, its lately been mice because he enjoys playing with em.

 

[Guest]

-glances over at Pumpkin, the lean, 14lb tomcat- Erm right...too fat to nab a bird. LOL durned cat had his own killing grounds for birds last year, mostly pigeons. Though this year, its lately been mice because he enjoys playing with em.

And my Jonesey can take down black birds in flight.

But he's a retired farm kitty. It's pretty hard to tame instinctive behavior.

No matter how much tuna he eats.

 

[JagFarlane]

And my Jonesey can take down black birds in flight.

But he's a retired farm kitty. It's pretty hard to tame instinctive behavior.

No matter how much tuna he eats.

Yup yup Pumpkin was a stray that was adopted so he was already well versed in hunting for himself. He's also a poultry fiend, loving it whenever I roast off a chicken LOL [he usually gets a thigh for himself]

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Dear Cat Owners (especially ones whose Lit-names start with S): Sorry to get all preachy and stuff. I'm not condemning anyone, just trying to raise consciousness a bit. RA

USFWS Migratory Bird Mangement Office pamphlet

Cat Predation
Americans keep an estimated 60 million cats as pets. Let's say each cat kills only one bird a year. That would mean that cats kill over 60 million birds (minimum) each year - more wildlife than any oil spill.

Scientific studies actually show that each year, cats kill hundreds of millions of migratory songbirds. In 1990, researchers estimated that "outdoor" house cats and feral cats were responsible for killing nearly 78 million small mammals and birds annually in the United Kingdom.

University of Wisconsin ornithologist, Dr. Santley Temple estimates that 20-150 million songbirds are killed each year by rural cats in Wisconsin alone.

Feline predation is not "natural." Cats were domesticated by the ancient Egyptians and taken throughout the world by the Romans. Cats were brought to North America in the 1800's to control rats. The "tabby" that sits curled up on your couch is not a natural predator and has never been in the natural food chain in the Western Hemisphere.

Cats are a serious threat to fledglings, birds roosting at night and birds on a nest. Research shows that de-clawing cats and bell collars do not prevent them from killing birds and other small animals. For healthy cats and wild birds, cats should not be allowed to roam free.

Work with your local humane society, veterinarians and state wildlife agency to enact and enforce free-roaming cat regulations. For more information:

Free Roaming Cats. American Backyard Bird Society, PO Box 10046, Rockville, MD 20849.

Cats: A Heavy Toll on Songbirds. by Rich Stallcup. Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Hwy., Stinson Beach, CA 94924.

Is there a Killer in Your House? by George Harrison, National Wildlife Magazine (October/November 1992).

Beware of Well-Fed Felines. by Peter Churcher and John Lawton, Natural History Magazine (July 1989).

HUMAN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR REGARDING CATS
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/materials/attitude.pdf

 

[Guest]

Dear Cat Owners (especially ones whose Lit-names start with S): Sorry to get all preachy and stuff. I'm not condemning anyone, just trying to raise consciousness a bit. RA

USFWS Migratory Bird Mangement Office pamphlet

Cat Predation
Americans keep an estimated 60 million cats as pets. Let's say each cat kills only one bird a year. That would mean that cats kill over 60 million birds (minimum) each year - more wildlife than any oil spill.

Scientific studies actually show that each year, cats kill hundreds of millions of migratory songbirds. In 1990, researchers estimated that "outdoor" house cats and feral cats were responsible for killing nearly 78 million small mammals and birds annually in the United Kingdom.

University of Wisconsin ornithologist, Dr. Santley Temple estimates that 20-150 million songbirds are killed each year by rural cats in Wisconsin alone.

Feline predation is not "natural." Cats were domesticated by the ancient Egyptians and taken throughout the world by the Romans. Cats were brought to North America in the 1800's to control rats. The "tabby" that sits curled up on your couch is not a natural predator and has never been in the natural food chain in the Western Hemisphere.

Cats are a serious threat to fledglings, birds roosting at night and birds on a nest. Research shows that de-clawing cats and bell collars do not prevent them from killing birds and other small animals. For healthy cats and wild birds, cats should not be allowed to roam free.

Work with your local humane society, veterinarians and state wildlife agency to enact and enforce free-roaming cat regulations. For more information:

Free Roaming Cats. American Backyard Bird Society, PO Box 10046, Rockville, MD 20849.

Cats: A Heavy Toll on Songbirds. by Rich Stallcup. Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Hwy., Stinson Beach, CA 94924.

Is there a Killer in Your House? by George Harrison, National Wildlife Magazine (October/November 1992).

Beware of Well-Fed Felines. by Peter Churcher and John Lawton, Natural History Magazine (July 1989).

HUMAN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR REGARDING CATS
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/materials/attitude.pdf

Yeah, I've seen that before.

I think on this very forum. And all from bird lover magazines. Hmmm.

Feline predation is not natural?

Feline instinct is. Just as dogs tend to roam in packs, hunt like wolves, give chase when smaller animals (or humans) run.

Just because cats and dogs are domesticated does not mean their instincts are dead.

But actually, I agree with you that cats should be kept indoors. For their health and safety.

I don't have a current quote on figures, but many cats are killed each year by vehicles or in fights with other animals.

It's just how you spin the numbers, I guess.

(Edited to add - check out the dates on those articles. I wonder if they have anything a bit more recent?)

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Dear Raccoon:

That was awesome the way you carefully climbed 40 feet high in that big old maple in my back yard to raid the grackle's nest. I watched as you reached into that hollow and plucked out the fledglings one-by-one, carried each around to a safe branch, and then munching away - I could all-but hear their little bones cracking under your jaws. Of course I had mixed feelings - it was sad - poor mama grackle (and the babies weren't too thrilled either I'm sure) - but I also hate that obnoxiously noisy species, and dreaded a "dynasty" of them being launched in that tree. And gosh, it was like watching a "nature in the raw" documentary right in my backyard!

BTW, did you deliberately wait until just before they would have been big enough to fly away, so as to let mama fatten them up a few extra weeks for you? You clever bastard, you!

 

[impressive]

I'm sooooooooooooo happy my cat's an indoor cat, and thus can't bring me sacrifices/gifts/threats/whatever, any larger than a moth or spider. And speaking of spiders, this arachnophobe is VERY glad to have the lil' psychopath around.

At any rate, the occasional hairball more than makes up for the lack of larger prey items for her...

Word.

Although I wish the cats would stay out of the pepperoni rolls.

 

[wheelieguy]

Word.

Although I wish the cats would stay out of the pepperoni rolls.

I agree! Though I actually WAS trying to share some of my food with the lil' stinker last night (I dropped a few crumbs of my dinner on the floor), and Ms. Picky sniffed at it and walked away. *sigh*