Adorable Killers: The Shocking Truth about Cats [View all]

[marmar]

from Der Spiegel:




The house cat -- that cute, furry feline beloved the world over -- is also one of the world's most destructive predators, killing for kicks and hunting rare species into extinction. Cats thrive because people protect them -- but should they?

What happened to the kaka bird? What about the weka, the kokako or the kiwi? They are all in danger of extinction, like so many of New Zealand's unique animal species. Too often, they end up in the jaws of what is probably the most murderous predator on the planet.

This carnivore doesn't look nearly as deadly as the white shark, as brawny as the grizzly bear or as menacing as the Tyrannosaurus rex. But it shouldn't be underestimated. Felis catus -- the Latin name for the domestic cat -- is a stone-cold killer, and it numbers in the hundreds of millions.

Thanks to its charm, the cat has managed to slink into the hearts of human beings and subjugate them. The Homo sapiens attends to its every need, be it nutritional, medical or political. In the home, the cat plays the role of the capricious but cuddly pet. But once outside the door, it reverts to its true nature, becoming nothing but a killer prowling through the undergrowth, utterly without conscience, mercy or understanding. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/killer-cats-threaten-the-world-s-endangered-species-a-881978.html