[Spliff]

Wisconsin Considers Legalizing Cat Hunting

Wis. Considers Legalizing Cat Hunting
Tue Apr 12, 8:06 AM ET
By The Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. - Feline lovers holding pictures of cats, clutching stuffed animals and wearing whiskers faced-off against hundreds of hunters at meetings around Wisconsin to voice their opinion on whether to legalize cat hunting.

Residents in 72 counties were asked whether free-roaming cats — including any domestic cat that isn't under the owner's direct control or any cat without a collar — should be listed as an unprotected species. If listed as so, the cats could be hunted.

The proposal was one of several dozen included in a spring vote on hunting and fishing issues held by the Wisconsin Conservation Congress. The results, only advisory, get forwarded to the state Natural Resources Board.

Statewide results were expected Tuesday.

La Crosse firefighter Mark Smith, 48, helped spearhead the cat-hunting proposal. He wants Wisconsin to declare free-roaming wild cats an unprotected species, just like skunks or gophers. Anyone with a small-game license could shoot the cats at will.

At least two other upper Midwestern states, South Dakota and Minnesota, allow wild cats to be shot — and have for decades. Minnesota defines a wild, or feral, cat as one with no collar that does not show friendly behavior, said Kevin Kyle with that state's Department of Natural Resources.

Every year in Wisconsin alone, an estimated 2 million wild cats kill 47 million to 139 million songbirds, according to state officials. Despite the astounding numbers, Smith's plan has been met with fierce opposition from cat lovers.

Critics of Smith's idea organized Wisconsin Cat-Action Team and developed a Web site — dontshootthecat.com. Some argue it is better to trap wild cats, spay or neuter them, before releasing them.

In Madison, about 1,200 people attended the Monday evening meeting at the Alliant Center — more than the 250 or so in a typical year, but less than the 3,000 or so who took part in a debate in 2000 over whether to allow hunters to shoot mourning doves.

One of the attendees was Katy Francis, who wore cat ears, whiskers, a cat nose and a sign that read, "Too Cute to Kill." For Francis, "The cat hunting thing brought me out because it was very extreme."
___

On the Net:

Conservation Congress: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/congress/

Wisconsin Cat-Action Team: http://www.dontshootthecat.com

[BoomStick]

A nutered feral cat will still kill songbirds.

[Spliff]

I'm shocked that there are an estimated 2 million feral cats in Wisconsin. Is that number average for every state or do people in Wisconsin just not spay and neuter their pets? Two million seems high to me.

[Captain Obvious]

One of the attendees was Katy Francis, who wore cat ears, whiskers, a cat nose and a sign that read, "Too Cute to Kill."

I suspect that this will be the thought in most of your heads as you ponder this legislation whether you admit it or not. I for one am damned glad to hear it. The cost for keeping and destroying these things in local towns and cities is an unwelcome expense. They are not a vital or desired part of the ecosystem and their numbers are out of control as it is.
I am sure the laws governing the discharging of firearms and hunting will be adequate to oversee where and when they can be shot within larger more populated areas so let’s not have wildly illogical arguments full of hyperbole about this concern.

Kill the things, it is not as if they are going to be extinct anytime soon. I would have loved to have been there at the meeting just to mock all the tree hugging morons that populate Madison.

[BoomStick]

Considering that cats are disposable pets, I'm not surprised.

If they cost $1500 to $15,000 like a parrot, owners would be less careless with them.

[Goldfinger]

Originally posted by BoomStick:
Considering that cats are disposable pets, I'm not surprised.

If they cost $1500 to $15,000 like a parrot, owners would be less careless with them.

My cat isn't ****ing disposable.

[effgee]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
... The cost for keeping and destroying these things in local towns and cities is an unwelcome expense. They are not a vital or desired part of the ecosystem and their numbers are out of control as it is. ...

My thoughts exactly.



Funniest thing though - "cats" wasn't the first thing that popped into my head when I read those two sentences. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait for the appropriate legislation to be enacted which will then take care of that particular "problem".

I promise - I'll volunteer for the executive part.

[nredman]

Originally posted by Goldfinger:
My cat isn't ****ing disposable.

either is my cat - got him as a stray when he was a kitty - good thing he didnt grow up and get his ass shot

[Eriamjh]

Kittens have been known to be given away. Sounds disposable to me...

[BoomStick]

Be a responsible pet owner and get them spayed or neutered.

Otherwise you are a part of the problem.


Oh, and keep them inside too, I'm tired of them all over my car.

[Goldfinger]

Originally posted by BoomStick:
Be a responsible pet owner and get them spayed or neutered.

Otherwise you are a part of the problem.


Oh, and keep them inside too, I'm tired of them all over my car.

I agree that they have to get neutered. But, only retards keep their cats inside. These animals need to be able to get outside.

[OptimusG4]

Originally posted by Goldfinger:
I agree that they have to get neutered. But, only retards keep their cats inside. These animals need to be able to get outside.

It's the idiots that let their cat's roam free at night or without any supervision. My cats go outside but only if I am. Not to mention, they're both fixed and always kept indoors unless its nice out.

[BoomStick]

Cats needlessly destroy songbirds.

They are an unnatural predator that in vast need of control.

If a stray cat is caught on my porch jumping at my songbird nest, into the garbage can it's carcass goes.

[sideus]

I say if it is on your property, it is fair game.

[G-Force]

Originally posted by BoomStick:
Cats needlessly destroy songbirds.

They are an unnatural predator that in vast need of control.

If a stray cat is caught on my porch jumping at my songbird nest, into the garbage can it's carcass goes.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[KeriVit]

Here we go again... the cat argument...

Cat Killing

[Webscreamer]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
I would have loved to have been there at the meeting just to mock all the tree hugging morons that populate Madison.

HAHA!

There sure are a lot of them up there!

[wdlove]

This proposal just doesn't make sense, it seems surreal. We have some cats in our neighborhood that wonder, but they have a owner. Would never even cross my mind.