Another place, different creature, similar worrying problem; here in India this particular issue is far, far more with dogs than any other animal. I've seen feral dogs attack deer, Nilgai, foxes, Indian Gray Wolves... Then at the heart and root of this whole tragedy is us.
That's a sobering insight, Ram. Thank you. I've read about dogs in Ladakh, but didn't know how widespread the problem was. They're a much more powerful predator, as you indicate. I wonder what that means about predation on birds. Is there an effort to reduce the dog population? And, out of curiosity, are there parts of India with big feral cat populations too? I suppose the dogs would keep the cats in check.
And yes, these issues are really about us, not about the cats and dogs.
Thanks, Mike. Feral cats are one of many blights that we're responsible for, certainly. And part of what makes this one so complex is that these cats run the gamut from cute to terrifying. From my reading, cats in these colonies can, if in steady contact with folks who provide food and TNR services, display a range of personalities from friendly to always hostile. Life for a feral can be pretty horrible, full of disease, injury, and cruel people. But, to your point, from the perspective of other animals, they are killers. And a billion furry little killers are enough to alter the natural world.
Gosh, yes, this is such a horrible matter to have to consider. Thank you for bringing it to the attention of your readers. It is eloquently written (such that I didn’t notice the length you warned about) and an important reminder of the responsibilities we humans (to generalise) have to engage as ethically as we can with the problems that we have created. Thank you for this post.
Thank you, Suzanne. It was a hard one to write. There's so much more to say, and so much to consider about both the cats and their impacts, and none of it is easy. I'm glad the writing flowed for you.
Fascinating. I’ve never considered this. There are feral cats by a Starbucks near us and they are straight terrifying. Literally look like demons. Also, your writing about the natural world is beautiful.
Thank you, Kirsten. I'm always trying to balance writing that celebrates the world with writing that tries to reduce our harms to it. As for those furry demons, life for ferals can be terrible, so it's no wonder they show up with ferocity. My understanding is that few can be domesticated, so the options are limited for either improving their lives or reducing their impacts.
Another place, different creature, similar worrying problem; here in India this particular issue is far, far more with dogs than any other animal. I've seen feral dogs attack deer, Nilgai, foxes, Indian Gray Wolves... Then at the heart and root of this whole tragedy is us.
That's a sobering insight, Ram. Thank you. I've read about dogs in Ladakh, but didn't know how widespread the problem was. They're a much more powerful predator, as you indicate. I wonder what that means about predation on birds. Is there an effort to reduce the dog population? And, out of curiosity, are there parts of India with big feral cat populations too? I suppose the dogs would keep the cats in check.
And yes, these issues are really about us, not about the cats and dogs.
Excellent - a blight on our natural world that too many want to ignore. These are not cute kitties - they are killers.
Thanks, Mike. Feral cats are one of many blights that we're responsible for, certainly. And part of what makes this one so complex is that these cats run the gamut from cute to terrifying. From my reading, cats in these colonies can, if in steady contact with folks who provide food and TNR services, display a range of personalities from friendly to always hostile. Life for a feral can be pretty horrible, full of disease, injury, and cruel people. But, to your point, from the perspective of other animals, they are killers. And a billion furry little killers are enough to alter the natural world.
Gosh, yes, this is such a horrible matter to have to consider. Thank you for bringing it to the attention of your readers. It is eloquently written (such that I didn’t notice the length you warned about) and an important reminder of the responsibilities we humans (to generalise) have to engage as ethically as we can with the problems that we have created. Thank you for this post.
Thank you, Suzanne. It was a hard one to write. There's so much more to say, and so much to consider about both the cats and their impacts, and none of it is easy. I'm glad the writing flowed for you.
Fascinating. I’ve never considered this. There are feral cats by a Starbucks near us and they are straight terrifying. Literally look like demons. Also, your writing about the natural world is beautiful.
Thank you, Kirsten. I'm always trying to balance writing that celebrates the world with writing that tries to reduce our harms to it. As for those furry demons, life for ferals can be terrible, so it's no wonder they show up with ferocity. My understanding is that few can be domesticated, so the options are limited for either improving their lives or reducing their impacts.