Cats Killing Birds, Timidity, TNR, Microchips: Crashing Bird Populations

  A scientist from one well funded conservation oriented nonprofit organization wrote about the harm that cats inflict upon birds. The foundation he is employed by made sure to disassociate themselves from the scientist's findings and opinions. Too timid to take a stand, and not wanting to alienate cat loving donors, the foundation made clear their priorities: money, no boat rocking -  not birds and conservation.

   In the recent edition of a popular magazine, a man described as a bird watcher, writer and photography talked about cats and birds. If cats are microchipped, he suggests, abandoned cats can be traced back to those that dumped them. How will that help anything? Return a cat to the person that dumped it? A family dumped their kitten, who had grown too large in their opinion. They had their 12 year old son put the kitten in a plastic bag, and leave it in an empty lot, still in the bag, about a half mile from where they live. What decent person would return that kitten back to that family?
 
   Microchipping cats and dogs has its benefits, especially if a dog or cat is lost, but it does nothing for the cats kill birds problem.

    Is trap, neuter and release (tnr) the answer? Cats, even if they are fed, still kill birds and other wildlife.

     The hard choice has to be made, whether someone likes it or not. Doing nothing is also a choice, because ignoring the cats living or allowed outside means the certain death of birds and other wildlife.

     Cats living or allowed outside are in harms way from vehicles, sadistic people, and more. Cats outside certainly put birds in harms way.

      There is no feel good answer, no matter how many people want to pretend or believe that there is.
Leaving millions, even billions of birds to be slaughtered out of sight, out of mind, is the cowardly way out.