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I have noticed quite a lot of 'missing cat' posters around the place recently. This happens every summer when cats get bored and wander off for a bit but I am curious as to why so many of them state the cat has no collar.
Surely a collar with a tag giving contact details is a must, no?
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If you acquire a cat as an adult and it is not used to being collared it is almost impossible to get them to wear it. Also collars are not terribly safe for cats as they are climbers and can get their collars caught and strangle themselves. Most vets and animal charities advise against them.
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Collars are dangerous (they can cause asphyxiation, torn ligaments and all sorts if they get caught on something). It's better for the cat, if more hassle for the owners, to have to make the odd batch of missing posters.
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my cat doesn't have a collar for the reasons above. He is micro chipped and if he gets lost that's his own silly fault but I do hope that never happens.
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@Timmymc
I live on Wray Crescent too I think I've seen your cat around. There's another white one that is scruffier but yours is smaller.
If yours is the one i'm thinking of I saw it having a ruck with a completely black cat about a week ago, your cat legged it as its only small.
I'll keep an eye out. -
@nick_m
I know many a cat owner who have put collars with bells on their cats yet they still get brought home presents.
Cats can be very stealthy. -
In Jonathan Franzen’s wonderful ‘Freedom’ one of the main protagonists is an enormous bird lover. He claims that bells just teach cats to be more stealthy, and recommends a kind of bib instead.
Must raise a smile at those who get upset at the discomfort that a bell causes their domesticated murderer, but show no interest in the slain birds who actually belong to the ecosystem.
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You don't get much farming in SG, but you do get good, varied birdlife, supported by the green corridor of the Parkland Walk and various parks. It's one of the real attractions of the area. To allow large populations of domestic cats to roam free killing wild birds for pleasure, without any attempt by their owners to prevent it from happening, is just irresponsible.
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We've bought several collars for our cat, but they are the quick-release safety type that open as soon as our moggie gets caught on something.
Nevertheless, after spending £30+ on collars, including name tags, we just haven't bothered since ours lost his last one. He's chipped, so that should suffice.
As for bells - they apparently make cats even stealthier hunters.
In terms of bird life - well, it's unfortunate, but honestly, how many birds are slain by cats over the course of a year? My cat is nearly 2 and has only caught one bird. The rest of the time he's catching flies or licking his bollocks. -
Most cats hate being collared and the only safe variety are the quick release ones as @tableturn mentions above. Unfortunately my cat can quick release herself out of it with her paw or turn herself inside out and wriggle out of it.
@nick_m "large populations of domestic cats roaming free killing wild birds for pleasure" is a bit of an over-exaggeration, surely? My cat is mostly an indoors cat and all she ever catches is the odd fly or moth. Your average moggie might be lucky enough to get a mouse once in a blue moon but the majority of kitties just can't be bothered as their bellies are usually full of Whiskers...
@Timmymc hope your cat turns up soon. -
Over-exaggerating? 27 million birds killed by cats in the Britain: http://www.mammal.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=256&Itemid=289
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@Timmymc Sorry to hear about your cat, I will keep an eye out.
@Four Eyes I tried putting a collar on your Kitty once, she just laid down and went all floppy. She didn't seem to like it at all.
I've noticed there are loads more cats in the area in the last year or so. I like taking photos of them. My favourite's are a big dark-brown (almost black) one I usually see at the top of Florence Rd by SHR, a long haired ginger one that I think lives on Turlewray close and a black and white one from Tollington Park that has yellow eyes and a flat face and a nametag with 'Penny' on it.
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Cats kill 55 million birds a year: http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/unwantedvisitors/cats/birddeclines.aspx
Though it does say most of them would have died anyway.
Arky
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The same RSPB website also says in the next paragraph:
"Despite the large numbers of birds killed, there is no scientific evidence that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations UK-wide. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease, or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds" -
As always in matter such as this, the science is never 100% certain either way. But I still believe it's a huge abnegation of responsibility for cat owners not to do anything about their cats killing wild birds.
Surely most cat owners also have a soft spot for the wild birds that flit in and out of their gardens and would like to do their best to protect them?
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In this Discussion
- Arkady June 2011
- barebackreader June 2011
- djmattyoung June 2011
- Emma June 2011
- Four Eyes June 2011
- Ian June 2011
- londonian June 2011
- Marquis June 2011
- Misscara June 2011
- nick_m June 2011
- rainbow_carnage June 2011
- sincers June 2011
- Siolae June 2011
- tableturn June 2011
- tosscat June 2011
