cat tries but comes up short

[Demovictory9]

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[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. This is why I think that the claims that cats

cause the deaths of millions or maybe even billions of birds is simply bullshit.

[rampartc]

2. some cats are very skillful pigeon hunters

some, not so much.

when they bring me a wren or a blue jay I wonder if they took it down or scavenged it. i'm sure that some cats successfully hunt songbirds.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. A while back I had three cats.

One of them once brought home a dead bird. Another one twice entrapped baby rabbits, but did not actually kill them.

The cat I had before those three did take her job as exterminator quite seriously, and when we moved across the country, about three days after we were in the new house, I got home from running some errands and there was a dead rabbit right next to where I parked my car. I'm sure she was saying, "See? I'm doing my part here."

That cat was allowed to be outside far more than any of my subsequent ones, and if I ever have another cat it will live it's life inside. Not that I really give a flying fuck about the supposed holocaust of birds, but I am very aware of higher level predators that will go after my cat.

[rampartc]

5. some cats are great mousers, some couldn't care less

I've got 4 cats that sleep indoors but i feed a little pride of feral felions as well. nearly any of them will take down a mouse or very small rat. they hunt grown rats and squirrels in teams, and they are efficient. I will occasionally intervene on behalf of a squirrel, but rats are dispatched and laid at my feet.

I get an occasional bat, and a few birds, mostly pigeons.

the possums are a different matter. they do not bother a possum and will share a bowl of cat food with a possum of any size. momma possum walks casually to the bowl, even if cats are eating from it. it seems like at least a dozen, maybe more, little joeys will appear from momma's fuzz and crawl around cats and bowl with no fear.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

6. True, not all cats are great mousers.

I did find that the presence of a cat in the house tended to keep mice away.

[rampartc]

7. the deterrant value of an indoor cat is considerable.

"my" rodents tend to be outside the house or in the attic.

[Auggie]

4. Cats natural prey are small rodents, lizards and bugs ...

much easier to catch, though this feline's leap is rather inspired. Close but no cigar.