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dodgy_bagel@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
Cats are bad, generally.
They’re killing machines that have a big impact on local wildlife.
A vegan that keeps cats isn’t exactly approaching the situation from a purely vegan-based mentality.
A vegan that
keeps catsallows cats outside isn’t exactly approaching the situation from a purely vegan-based mentality.
There, FTFY.
Absolutely nothing wrong with cats that are 100% indoors, not only do they have no effect on the wildlife, but their lifespans are something like ⅓ to ½ longer due to the lack of accidents or conflicts.
their lifespans are something like ⅓ to ½ longer
Outdoor cats have a life expectancy of 2-5 years. Indoor cats routinely hit teenager status and can push past 20 with quality care and a bit of genetic good fortune. Its crazy what a steady diet, low stress, protection from the elements/predators, and even middling modern veterinary health care can accomplish.
Now, imagine what this change in condition can do for homeless people.
They’re killing machines that have a big impact on local wildlife.
Saying this to my friends as I drive in my 2 ton steel box full of liquid dinosaurs through the cemented remains of an old growth forest on the way to my job at the bitcoin mill.
www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380
! We estimate that free-ranging domestic cats kill 1.3–4.0 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals annually. Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality. Our findings suggest that free-ranging cats cause substantially greater wildlife mortality than previously thought and are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for US birds and mammals. !<
Unless, of course, you’re saying that we shouldn’t stop one bad thing because we do other bad things.
We should rethink our attachments to miniature tigers.
Or just keep them indoors
Un-owned cats, as opposed to owned pets, cause the majority of this mortality
I’m not sure what the solution is here.
Please be serious. I read the source that I posted; you’re not being clever. Cats don’t magically show up from nowhere. Our culture around cats enables and feeds the feral population. If we didn’t keep cats as pets, and animal control treated them the same way they treat raccoons, then this problem would be dramatically reduced. Probably eliminated, but they might turn into an intractable urban pest.
But you need a job, you don’t need a pet. (Not counting service animals)
You can have both. In fact, you can hire a pet-sitter, which creates two jobs for the price of one.
That is, of course, only a problem with outdoor cats and feral populations. Indoor cats are fine. Personally I keep my cat indoors for a bunch of reasons, but I also think that reasonable human beings can feel otherwise. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of people online who have decided that not only is keeping an outdoor cat bad, it’s a form of animal abuse. And therefore they not only berate people who allow their cat outside, they also encourage people who stumble upon outdoor cats to take possession of them since they’re being abused. This is a pretty extremist position that probably doesn’t reflect the views of most cat owners, but it tends to get magnified in cat communities that rely on upvotes, since upvotes encourage echo chambers.
There’s a metaphor here.
Allowing cats outside is bird and mice abuse for sure
But cat
Sarmyth@lemmy.world 2 months ago
As a person with 3 cats, I get what you’re saying. You’re getting down voted, but we all know cats can devistate local wild life populations.
Rescuing them and making them indoor cats is the responsible thing to do, but I don’t think any vegans would argue with that.
I think its after those establishing facts that the discussion is taking place.
I personally am not a fan of any breeding programs when there are so many cats and dogs available to rescue, but that’s just me.
dodgy_bagel@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 months ago
True, ethical adoption is an option.
But then I always ran into the issue with how to feed the cute little monsters, which is what this drama is about.
Honestly, it’s easier to not have a cat. Plus I’m allergic, so…
Rooki@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Yeah, the pandemic just gave us the best example why many people shouldnt get pets that require a lot of effort and time.
At the start of the pandemic many people got cats / dogs ( of course bought them not adopted them ;( ) because they were home and had time during lockdown. But after it was over they didnt had any time and gave it up for adoption.
Everyone needs to check if they have not just now time but in the future too.
UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Hey now. I periodically volunteer at the local SPCA and they got absolutely cleaned out when COVID hit. 2020 was the best year for rescue animals, possibly in all of human history.