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rd May 2017 25ththJan Apr - 13ST 27 Feb 2014
FIRST ON THE STREET
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No No 434 597
LAKES WEEKLY BULLETIN
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It’s time we incarcerated all the cats. To stave off some of the hatred of the cat-loving internet community, let it first be known that I do like cats. They’re cute, generally companionable and fun to have around. But they’re also killers. In New Zealand, we have a whole host of quite special endemic species – almost all birds. Many of them need our protection, because we humans have been destroying their habitat and introducing pests, but most have a chance at survival if we put in an effort. Unfortunately, New Zealanders choose to own – and abandon cats at one of the highest rates in the world. An estimated 48% of households own a cat; there’s about 1.4 million domestic cats wandering around New Zealand. If we are really serious about bringing back our native birds to the suburbs of the Wakatipu, it’s time we started keeping a closer eye on our pet cats. Not only by microchipping and neutering or spaying, but by keeping them indoors too. Though cats were originally kept to help kill other pests, they are indiscriminate killers. Bunnies or kiwi, rats or kakapo, cats do not care. It’s all a game to them and contrary to the popular ‘my-puddy-cat-doesn’t-hunt’ belief, cats bring home only one quarter of their kill, according to National Geographic and University of Georgia studies. Domestic cats are directly responsible for the extinction of six endemic bird species and at least 70 localised subspecies in New Zealand. In the Lakes region, we have beautiful native birds like the tui, fantails, bush robins, kea and morepork. Many naturally don’t have the ‘flight’ instinct when danger lurks so they’re sitting ducks (or sitting bush robins).
The winner of the Lakes Weekly Bulletin School Holiday Colouring Competition, Jessica Robbie collecting her swag of prizes last Thursday in the Lakes Weekly Bulletin office.
(Photo: Jodi Walters)
Many years ago, pet dogs could wander around freely. These days in Queenstown, we keep them on leads, we pick up their poo, they must be registered and they’re kept indoors or on the owner’s property at night. Yet cats are given carte blanche to walk, kill and defecate wherever they please. Queenstown Cat Rescue does a good job of trapping and de-sexing stray cats and they impress upon people the responsibility of owning one (cats can live for up to 20 years). But a real difference can be made in the proper care of pet moggies and the way we think about them. Animal behaviourists say cats are a lot easier to keep at home all night than dogs are; they’re not pack animals, so don’t mind long periods of solitude. Yes, they love to wander far and wide, but experts say this is more driven by the urge to kill than mere neighbourhood sight-seeing.
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With enough toys and attention, cats are happy indoor pets. Pet owners in Australia are catching onto the idea; cats face curfews and in some areas, and must be kept on their owner’s property 24 hours a day. If cats are kept indoors at night, they’re less likely to be hit by a car or be injured a cat fight. This also gives our native creatures the opportunity to wander freely in their native environment. Cats aren’t the biggest threat to our native wildlife, but it’s a threat we can easily control by spaying or neutering, adopting rather than buying and keeping them in the home environment.
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TUES
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Fine. Morning Cloud
Mainly Fine. Increasing Cloud
THUR
JOHN RAVENS WEATHER Last week John was 100% correct
FRI
Mostly Cloudy. Occasional Rain. Some Rain Strong Northerlies
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Rain with Light Winds
Rain with Little Wind
Rain. Little Wind