shouldn't cat owners have to buy a hunting license for their cats? pay fines when they take game out of season ,

[6phunter]

shouldn't cat owners have to buy a hunting license for their cats? pay fines when they take game out of season , pay restitution for song birds taken ? WHERE house cats native to this continent before colombus? or are they an invasive species like the snakes in florida ?

[JM]

You can't blame the cat for killing birds, etc(it's what they do). Should the owner be to blame/responsible if the cat kills another animal? Sure, but they wont get in any trouble. Not really fair since the owner could get you in a ton of trouble if you ever hurt the cat. I do believe house cats would be considered an invasive species.

[huntfishtrap]

As a disclaimer, my family has outdoor cats (we have a farm), and they run freely. I know studies have shown that they do kill a lot of songbirds and small game, but speaking from my own experience, we've had free-ranging cats for many years, and we still have plenty of songbirds and small game around our place. So while they might kill some, I have a hard time believing they make a significant impact in the overall population. And our cats are invaluable for keeping down the vermin around our buildings and garden.
As for your cat hunting-license idea, it's ridiculous, as I'm sure you know. Your idea of the owners paying restitution for songbirds killed is also absurd. How would anyone know if their cats had killed songbirds, and if they had, how many? I can't remember the last time one of our cats brought a songbird back, it had to have been months ago at least.

[Josey]

Every American should buy a hunting license. 11% tax is imposed on ammo and guns. That 11% goes to a trust fund to finance state wildlife management in perpetuity. The states receive their share of that 11% based on the number of hunting licenses and permits sold. More licenses means more for wildlife.


Yes, cat populations need a balancing like everything else. Live trapping 70% of the feral cats in your area and taking them to the humane shelter for neutering and adoption or euthanization is reasonable.

[PigHunter]

6P, what is it with you and feral cats? Why is it such an issue for you???

[PigHunter]

6P, what is it with you and feral cats? Why is it such an issue for you???

Sounds personal to me.

[PigHunter]

Every American should buy a hunting license. 11% tax is imposed on ammo and guns. That 11% goes to a trust fund to finance state wildlife management in perpetuity. The states receive their share of that 11% based on the number of hunting licenses and permits sold. More licenses means more for wildlife.


Yes, cat populations need a balancing like everything else. Live trapping 70% of the feral cats in your area and taking them to the humane shelter for neutering and adoption or euthanization is reasonable.

That's a good solution.

[PigHunter]

You can't blame the cat for killing birds, etc(it's what they do). Should the owner be to blame/responsible if the cat kills another animal? Sure, but they wont get in any trouble. Not really fair since the owner could get you in a ton of trouble if you ever hurt the cat. I do believe house cats would be considered an invasive species.

Yep