Tweety's Revenge

More than one blogger got a wicked glint in his eye when he first heard reports of plans to legalize the hunting of feral cats in Wisconsin, and as can be expected, many cat lovers are in an uproar over the proposal. Despite the outrage, the proposal making cats an unprotected species does not come without scientific merit, nor is it an unknown practice; the hunting of cats is legal in at least two other states, and is quietly practiced by hunters in other states worried about the depredation of game species.

In Wisconsin alone, feral cats kill an estimated minimum of 47 million songbirds; estimates run as high as 139 million dead songbirds each year in the state, and the carnage doesn't stop there. They also kill millions of other small animals like rodents, amphibians and reptiles that are prey species for other creatures, such as owls and hawks, martens, weasels, and other small native predatory species.

The simple fact of the matter is that Fluffy is wired to be a hunter, and when you put her out at night she is looking to kill, no matter how well fed she is. They do not kill for food, they kill becuase that is what they are designed to do. The broken necks of baby ducks and punctured skulls of baby bunnies tend to show a darker side of domesticated cats that cat owners are determined not to see.

Personally, I'm not morally opposed to the proposed law, but would hope it goes hand-in-hand with feline leash laws. The millions of truly feral cats may only be practically controlled via hunting, but enforced leash laws would significantly cut down on feral birth rates and bring the population down to a point where cats aren't a threat to native species.

As a matter of pure ballistic interest to the gun geek in me, what would be the best cartridge for cats? I'm thinking the new .19 Calhoon would be almost perfect... hypothetically, of course.

Now, should I submit this post to the Carnival of Cordite, or the Carnival of the Cats?

Update: Simon Bond must be loving this...

Update 2: Wisconsin citizens have voted 6,830-5,201 in favor of allowing the hunting of feral and untagged free-running domestic cats. The Dept. of Natural Resources now must gather support in the Wisconsin Legislature, which would then need to pass a bill and have Gov. Jim Doyle sign it.I give this proposal a very slight chance of becoming law anytime soon.

Animal rights groups such as the Humane Society of the United States are sure to oppose this legislation, and cat people will almost certainly seek to drown out biologists, environmentalists and others who support this reasonable legislation, which is the most economical, practical and effective way of controlling feral cat populations.

I am all for people having domestic cats as pets, but not at the expense of native and endangered species.

Sorry, Sylvester.