GC.SUL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Sullivan) (05/12/89)
I posted this to rec.pets regarding a women who said her cat was always bringing birds and small animals in the house. Thought other bird lovers might also want to send a response to rec.pets regarding belling cats to protect native birds. For those of you who have outside cats who like to hunt (and it IS their nature to do this) PLEASE put bells on your cats. Cats should probably have a name and number tag also. Order several tags, bells and collars, and buy breakaway collars.. You will lose collars, but your cats will not get hung up anywhere. Our native songbird populations are drastically shrinking, not only to loss to habitat, but to peoples cats. As a cat lover, I am increasingly more and more aware of the value of attracting birds to the yard and providing habitat and seed. Come on, folks, why should our native wildlife species suffer at the "paws"of our domesticated pets? Maybe the bell does bother the cat a little-well, if it saves hummingbirds and other birds I figure it is worth it. And, cats sleep about half the day anyway, right? Other people I know why love their cats AND birds keep their cats inside and let them out supervised. Karen Sullivan HUMMINGBIRD GARDENS nursery (flowering plants for hummingbirds)