General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: What's going on around here? Every day another anti cat thread. [View all]NickB79
(19,233 posts)I don't recall reading about how North America was a sea of swarming mice and rats when Columbus landed, with the Native Americans begging for a few housecats for rodent control.
The native small predators on this continent (snakes, weasels, ermines, fishers, bobcats, hawks, owls, etc) did just fine maintaining a balance for millions of years without the help of domesticated housecats. Their decline in recent years is in large part due to the predation done by cats on their once numerous prey.
Remove the cats, and native species would flourish, including the predators that would stop varmint overpopulation. And I for one would love to see a more diverse, species-rich environment in my backyard rather than Mr. Whiskers pissing in my flower beds.