Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/107894
THIS WEEK WITH MARGARET Little Known Facts About Cats by MARGARET DICKSON It has always seemed to me that the world can be divided into two kinds of people — "shockingly high." Says Marra, "When we ran the model, we didn't know what to those who love and keep animals as pets and those who would never in a bazillion years expect. We were absolutely stunned by the results." Me, too, although the scientists acknowledge that the study results have lots of wiggle room. have an animal of any sort in their homes. Certain spouses, children and other relatives Fluffy and his fellow pet cats are not the main problem, however. The real problem can be considered exceptions to that rule, of course. The first group, the animal folks, can be further subdivided into three categories: dog is "unowned" cats, both stray and feral, whose numbers are growing at the same time certain bird species are shrinking. This is not believed to be a coincidence. These stray and lovers, cat lovers and everything else lovers. feral cats, sometimes called super-predators, account for most of the I, myself, fall into the first group, the dog lovers. I have been without carnage. The study suggests the Fluffies of this world account for less a dog for a few, limited periods of my life, but far more often, I have than 30 percent of the bird deaths and 11 percent of the small mammals. had at least one, sometimes two, occasionally more. My current pet Unowned cats account for the rest. housemate is the lovely Lilly the Lab, a sweet and precious girl who What to do about them is a sticky question which pits environmental does not shop in the petite department. interests who see unowned cats as invasive predators against animal My sister, on the other hand, is a cat lover, and it is she who first rights advocates who hate the idea of large-scale roundups and mass called this problem — and little known fact — to my attention. euthanasia. A mid-ground for some is the idea of trap-neuter-release Cats, it seems, are highly efficient and lethal killers, as every cat programs in which unowned cats are caught, vaccinated and neutered owner who has ever been presented with a little "gift" from outdoors and subsequently returned to the outdoors minus the capability to can attest. Even that adorable Fluffy who loves to nap in the sunbeam reproduce. Potential negatives of such programs include the possibility on your living room floor has it in him or her to dispatch other critters Fluffy that some people will abandon their cats on the assumption that they in the blink of an eye. This, of course, is not Fluffy or any other will get such treatment and be fed by kindhearted volunteers and, of course, the hurdle feline's fault. It is what they have been built and bred to do, and when they do it, they all such programs face — who is going to pay for it. are just doing what comes naturally. Complicating the situation is that many people think of cats, even feral ones, as cute No need to take my word on any of this. furry things, not lethal predators. Says George Fenwick, President of the American Bird The New York Times reported last week on a new study that not only confirms Conservancy, about cats, "They are not like coyotes, having to make their way in the kitties' killer prowess but also finds that they are actually far more lethal than we ever world," a reality that allows their numbers to keep rising. thought. Killing machines, you might say. I know cat lovers feel the same way about their furry friends as I feel about lovely The study, which involved scientists from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Lilly, and I know cat lovers do not know — and may not want to know — what Fluffy Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, estimates that domestic cats in our is doing when he goes outdoors. country, what most of us call our pets, who spend at least part of their time outdoors It might ease cat lovers' minds —and many others — if they put a and strays and feral cats kill literally billions — yes, with a "b" — of animals every bell around Fluffy's pretty neck so that the year. The actual estimates are 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals, such as MARGARET DICKSON, Conbirds and other critters can at least know shrews and chipmunks. Now, those are impressive numbers! tributing Writer, COMMENTS? when he is out and about. Peter Marra of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute found the numbers Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. Serving Fayetteville & Surrounding Areas for Over 25 years... For your valentine The Antique Bakery & Cafe is offering specials Feb. 8th - Feb. 17th a or Two ourse Me.0l0F 4C $50 Salad Appetizer • • Entree • Dessert a or Two ourse Me.0l0F 4C $65 All the above plus wine .00 $80 late bouquet plus a choco e above ! All th ation Only By Reserv Closed Monday Tues., Wed., Thurs. 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Fri., Sat., 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner specials 253 Westwood Shopping Center (next to the cinema behind the tree) 8 910.920.4231 UCW FEBRUARY 6-12, 2013 has 2 announcements for 2013 NEW PHYSICIAN Duy Lam, O.D. Now a c new pa cepting tien all age ts of s. Doctor of Optometry Degree from Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University Special Interests: Comprehensive eye exam for all ages, contact lens fitting, pre/postop LASIK & cataract surgery, Treatment & Management of Diabetic Retinopathy, Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma & Dry Eye Syndrome. New office in Eastover Eastover Professional Plaza 3551 Dunn Rd., Suite 103 (behind Eastover Drug) Your one-stop family eye care specialists from pediatrics, to LASIK, to cataracts. 1726 Metro Medical Dr., Fayetteville, NC 1629 Owen Dr., Fayetteville, NC 1816 Doctors Drive, Sanford, NC 1902 N. Sandhills Blvd., Aberdeen, NC 910.484.2284 1.800.829.2284 • 910.484.2284 ZZZ&DSH)HDU(\HFRP Experience You Can Trust Experience You Can Trust WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM