Cats are present in 99.9% of all land in Australia and kill about two billion other animals a year. That makes them Australia's most invasive species.
  • @KecessaEnglish
    2•10 months ago

    You realise your barn swallow example is the most widespread swallow in the world and has a conservation status of “least concerning”?

    Cats killing wild animals isn’t a “symptom”, it’s a “disease”, just like some of the other “diseases” you point out. Right now you’re telling us we shouldn’t try to treat the “disease” that’s the easiest to take care of because there are other “diseases” that are harder to take care of that exist.

    They’re not suddenly more effective at killing, we just suddenly realize how much of an issue they are.

    House cats are very effective predators that aren’t native to the vast majority of the world and we are the ones who introduced them everywhere and decided to let them roam free. Time to face our responsibilities.

    It also lowers their lifespan and makes them catch diseases that they then transmit to humans.

    https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms2380

    https://onehealth.uoguelph.ca/2022/02/28/outdoor-cats-a-threat-to-more-than-just-birds/

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_predation_on_wildlife

    • Kbin_space_program
      1•10 months ago

      https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/barn-swallow/

      Nature Canada, lists three suspected main causes for the 75% drop in barn swallow numbers.

      1. The precipitous drop in insect numbers. Which is pesticides.
      2. They don’t build nests in “modern” barn structures. Notably, newer barns means newer pesticides and herbicides as well.
      3. Climate change screwing up their migrations.

      Funny how two of the three involve pesticides.

      • @KecessaEnglish
        1•10 months ago

        That’s one type of bird that is globally in the “least concerned” category and that lives in an environment where the concentration of cats per km is very low.

        Is the barn swallow and the impact of cats in rural locations really the way you want to go about arguing against scientific studies on the impact of cat populations on wildlife in general? That’s the hill you want to die on?

        I know it’s hard to admit we’re wrong but you can also just stop replying so you stop digging your hole.

        • Kbin_space_program
          1•10 months ago

          Barn swallows are listed as at risk in Canada due to a 75% drop in numbers in the last 25 years.

          Tree Swallows meanwhile are at least concern.

          If you’re going to try and admonish me about something, at least try to be remotely right about it please.

          • @KecessaEnglish
            1•10 months ago

            http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/barn-swallow-hirundo-rustica/

            Tell me again how I’m not remotely right about it, please!

            We’re talking about a global issue and you’re trying to move the discussion to talk about one species of birds in one country and that, again, doesn’t live where cats are found in high density.

            You’re wrong, cats are an issue, get over it.