Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

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plwk
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Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by plwk »

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A campaign to eradicate New Zealand’s cats as a way of protecting native wildlife has raised the hackles of pet lovers, with critics leaping to the defence of their feline friends. Gareth Morgan, a businessman turned philanthropist, has called for New Zealanders to give puss the boot, citing research showing the average cat kills at least 13 native birds or animals each year. More here
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Sam Vara
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by Sam Vara »

Don't worry - I'll take them all.
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by m0rl0ck »

Unless they can prove that humans are less damaging to native wildlife, i say ban the humans.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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mikenz66
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by mikenz66 »

It's certainly true that the Maori and European immigrants were rather effective at burning and cutting down most of the forests...

Unfortunately, the Europeans went even further, introducing possums (from Australia), deer, cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, stoats (the latter two to try to deal with the rabbits, I believe). Not to mention sheep, cows, thar, various small birds. Oh, and bees for pollination of crops...

Did I miss anything?

:anjali:
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Cittasanto
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by Cittasanto »

Sam Vara wrote:Don't worry - I'll take them all.
well unless you are this person

you may have a fight on your hands!

their is a music version in the sidebar by schmoyoho.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

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But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
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Ben
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by Ben »

mikenz66 wrote:It's certainly true that the Maori and European immigrants were rather effective at burning and cutting down most of the forests...

Unfortunately, the Europeans went even further, introducing possums (from Australia), deer, cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, stoats (the latter two to try to deal with the rabbits, I believe). Not to mention sheep, cows, thar, various small birds. Oh, and bees for pollination of crops...

Did I miss anything?

:anjali:
Mike
I believe you did, Mike. Magpies from Australia.
When I attended a 20-day retreat in New Zealand five years ago, I couldn't believe my eyes when I witnessed Australian possums, as bold as brass, chillin' at the meditation centre. I understand that NZ is over-run by possums and they have done enormous damage to the remaining native forest.
And you didn't include rats and mice which are incredibly destructive.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
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Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by tiltbillings »

  • The emergence of intelligence, I am convinced, tends to unbalance the ecology. In other words, intelligence is the great polluter. It is not until a creature begins to manage its environment that nature is thrown into disorder. Until that occurs, there is a system of checks and balances operating in a logical and understandable manner. Intelligence destroys and modifies the checks and balances even as it tries very diligently to leave them as they were. There is no such thing as an intelligence living harmony with the biosphere. It may think and boast it is doing so, but its mentality gives it an advantage and the compulsion is always there to employ this advantage to its selfish benefit. Thus, while intelligence may be an outstanding survival factor, the factor is short-term, and intelligence turns out to be the great destroyer. -- written by a crazy character in SHAKESPEARE'S PLANET, a sci-fi novel by Clifford Simak, 1976.
Free-roaming house cats kill an estimated 4 billion wild animals across the U.S. every year, including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians
.

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>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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manas
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by manas »

Ben wrote: And you didn't include rats and mice which are incredibly destructive.
kind regards,

Ben
If that's the case, then my fine feline friend is doing her bit for the environment; she hunts down and kills rats and mice quite often.

_/I\_
To the Buddha-refuge i go; to the Dhamma-refuge i go; to the Sangha-refuge i go.
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Ben
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by Ben »

manas wrote:
Ben wrote: And you didn't include rats and mice which are incredibly destructive.
kind regards,

Ben
If that's the case, then my fine feline friend is doing her bit for the environment; she hunts down and kills rats and mice quite often.

_/I\_
If that is all she is killing, then I would agree with you.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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yawares
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by yawares »

Dear All,

Never in a million years!! Get rid of them cute cats???...NO NO NO CAN DO :jumping:

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I love cats :heart: ..even they all ran away from me when they were older...they stayed only when they were young :tongue: ...didn't know why they ran away????
yawares :heart:
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tiltbillings
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by tiltbillings »

http://news.yahoo.com/staggering-stats- ... 39117.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cats being cute:

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Best never to let them outside

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>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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GraemeR
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Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by GraemeR »

tiltbillings wrote: Cats being cute:
We have adopted two cats. The cute kitten has almost eradicated our house of cockroaches! My kids don't want to kiss her after they saw one jump out of her mouth :)

Graham
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tiltbillings
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by tiltbillings »

GraemeR wrote:
tiltbillings wrote: Cats being cute:
We have adopted two cats. The cute kitten has almost eradicated our house of cockroaches! My kids don't want to kiss her after they saw one jump out of her mouth :)

Graham
The only problem with kitties eating cockroaches is the possibility of worms. Because feral domestic cats eat insects and such they are often highly infested with parasites, and as a result they lead short, miserable lives. As for your cockroach eating kitty, you might want to get some deworming pills for it.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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yawares
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by yawares »

Dear Tiltbillings,

Thanks for the pictures...now I know why my cats ran away..they didn't like my foods! They preferred flying/running foods!!

MAY BE THEY PREFERRED " FREEDOM/TRAVEL "...all my cats loved to go walking on the roof/climbed the trees or walking along the fence.

Dear Graham,

You should apply insecticides in and around your home .

Nothing run in my house/in my closets,
yawares
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tiltbillings
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Re: Fur flies over call to rid New Zealand of cats

Post by tiltbillings »

yawares wrote:Dear Tiltbillings,

Thanks for the pictures...now I know why my cats ran away..they didn't like my foods! They preferred flying/running foods!!

MAY BE THEY PREFERRED " FREEDOM/TRAVEL "...all my cats loved to go walking on the roof/climbed the trees or walking along the fence.

Dear Graham,

You should apply insecticides in and around your home .

Nothing run in my house/in my closets,
yawares
You let your cats outside, you are then responsible for what they kill.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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