The Feline Resistance! For The Record

According to a March 9, 2008 article by Ryan Morgan ("Keeping Kitty on a Leash") published in the Boulder, Colorado Daily Camera:

"A member of Boulder's Open Space Board of Trustees says the city needs to tend to an out-of-control predator that's wreaking havoc on native species: the domestic house cat.

Bruce Bland said he thinks Boulder should join several other cities across the country -- including Aurora -- and require cat owners to keep their pets inside. He's been pushing the idea for the last several years he's served on the Open Space Board. And with his term expiring this month, he's hoping someone else will take on the issue.

-"The case for keeping cats indoors, in brief: Between 60 million and 90 million house cats live in the United States, and most of them are allowed to roam outdoors. Birds and small native mammals have never evolved to stay safe from the small, agile and very fast predators, which turn out to be very good at killing their prey. Experts say cats kill hundreds of millions of birds and billions of rabbits, squirrels and other small mammals every year."

According to Dr. Don Engels, professor of history and author of Classical Cats (Routledge; September 1, 2001):

"Birds and the European, Asian, and North African (Felis sylvestris libyca) wildcats have co-existed in nature for some 5 million years. This is a typical prey/predator relationship which has probably tipped in favor of the birds in recent centuries. As the wildcats are replaced in nature by their domestic brethren whose hunting skills are often rudimentary, the birds have a better chance. There is a problem with feral cats, and this must be handled humanely (spay and release). Nevertheless, the feral cats today offer no greater threat to the birds than the numerous wildcats have over past millions of years. The birds long ago learned to adapt, survive, and counter cat predation, and in fact thrive….

Cats' main diets in the wild are rodents, which represent a far greater threat to bird survival than the cats as Gary Patronek (VMD, PhD, Tufts University Center for Animals & Public Policy) points out. Rodents can climb trees; eat the eggs and the fledglings. So can raccoons, possums, crows, blue jays, hawks, etc. The cats prey on these predatory animals and bird species as well and thus help song bird populations."

The biggest problem birds and other animals face is habitat loss which is directly related to people, not cats.

- "For the past decade, the Washington, D.C.-based American Bird Conservancy has been asking people to keep their cats inside and lobbying state and local governments to require them to do so. Grant Ellis, who heads up the program, said he's hoping to reach people who might be skeptical that their furry friends are causing major problems. Ellis often hears people say they're just letting nature take its course. But that's not really the case, he said: Domestic house cats and their appetites reached North America only in the late-1800s, when they were brought in to help curtail rodent populations. 'One of the main goals of the campaign is education and outreach,' Ellis said. 'A lot of people are really impressed by the numbers when they realize how many cats there are and the impact that they're having on birds and on other wildlife'."

The American Bird Conservancy does not distinguish between free-roaming pets and homeless strays or feral cats. Nature has been "on course" since the late-1800s when settlers brought felines to North America. If cats are non-native, so are most of us. The American Bird Conservancy "educates" the public about the impact of cats with false information. Their "main goal" is to eradicate felines from the environment. The "Cats Indoors!" campaign is a death sentence for unowned outdoor cats.

"Boulder City Councilman Macon Cowles said it's been a while since he's studied the issue of cats' impact on the outdoors — but, he said, he's willing to take a look. 'I think it's time to dust off these studies, and consider a requirement that domestic cats be kept indoors,' he said. City Councilman Matt Appelbaum said he's also interested in the issue — although he notes it could be 'contentious.' 'But I think it should at least be considered,' he said.' 'I'm not sure who would get the delightful task initially — perhaps the Environmental Advisory Board — but a full public process and a close look at the experience in other jurisdictions would give us some guidance'."

Hopefully, the City Council Members will seek the truth beyond the confines of the American Bird Conservancy's web site. If they do, chances are they will find the Cats Indoors! "solution" distasteful and look for humane ways to address the problem of feline overpopulation, such as trap-neuter-return.

On November 28, 2007 the American Bird Conservancy and National Audubon Society issued a press release:

One hundred seventy-eight species in the continental U.S. and 39 in Hawaii have the dubious distinction of landing on the newest and most scientifically sound list of America’s most imperiled birds. WatchList 2007, a joint effort of Audubon and American Bird Conservancy, reflects a comprehensive analysis of population size and trends, distribution, and threats for 700 bird species in the U.S. It reveals those in greatest need of immediate conservation help simply to survive amid a convergence of environmental challenges, including habitat loss, invasive species and global warming.

“We call this a ‘WatchList’ but it is really a call to action, because the alternative is to watch these species slip ever closer to oblivion,” said Audubon Bird Conservation Director and co-author of the new list, Greg Butcher. “Agreeing on which species are at the greatest risk is the first step in building the public policies, funding support, innovative conservation initiatives and public commitment needed to save them.”

National and international media reported on the issue highlighting different angles. For example, in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Judy Pollock, director of bird conservation for the Audubon Chicago region added her own interpretation by stating: "It's time to get serious about this or we're going to lose them”. She then remarked that keeping cats under control was important to the plan because: “They’re killers.”

In addition to alerting the media about avian species at risk, the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) recently launched a new campaign which is detailed on their web site. The “highlights” include a section on “Eliminating Threats” which specifically targets free-roaming cats. Felines are described as “invasive”, “alien” and are listed as one of the “worst threats” to bird populations in the U.S. along with the Black Rat, Indian Mongoose and Brown Tree Snake.

ABC has pledged to save birds from these “exotic” predators with the assistance of “corporate partners”, which include Mitsubishi International and ConocoPhillips. With a cash infusion of $40 million, the five year campaign will include promoting legislation like H.R. 767, a bill that “will direct federal resources to help eradicate invasive species from National Wildlife Refuges” and adjacent private property if birds are considered “at risk”.

H.R.767, which was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives in October, was championed by Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) and according to the American Bird Conservancy, “much of the bill’s language was developed by ABC’s Executive Director of Conservation Advocacy, Darin Schroeder, during his previous tenure on Representative Kind’s staff.”

The web site statement continues: “ABC has since supported the passage of the bill through the House, and will continue to do so as the bill goes before the Senate for approval.”

Whether H. R. 767 is ultimately passed by the Senate or not, the message is clear:

The American Bird Conservancy wants all outdoor cats eliminated and they now have a new public relations strategy with substantial funding to accomplish their objectives.

According to a recent report issued by Animal People: "HR 767, possibly the most sweeping feral animal extermination mandate ever put before Congress, unanimously cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on October 23, 2007, completely eluding any visible notice from national humane organizations."

The report continued, "No national humane organization issued a legislative alert about HR 767. No national humane organization even mentioned it in online lists of animal-related bills under consideration-- not even Alley Cat Allies, whose concerns are most directly targeted."

"Introduced by Representative Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin), HR 767 is officially titled the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act, or REPAIR Act. Informally, it is called the Kind Act, but the closest approach to kind language in it is a passage requiring that funded extermination programs must minimize 'adverse impacts to the structure and function of national wildlife refuge ecosystems and adverse effects on nontarget species'. No restrictions are placed on the species that may be targeted or the methods that may be used to kill them." Source: www.animalpeoplenews.org

Cat advocates may be interested to know that Congressman Kind represents the district of La Crosse, Wisconsin, home of Mark Smith, a sportsman who organized the unsuccessful 2005 campaign that would have allowed hunters to shoot outdoor cats. According to the Congressman's web site: " Recognized for his leadership in promoting sportsmen and conservation issues, Rep. Kind serves in the 109th Congress as the Vice Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus (CSC). CSC works to protect the interests of hunters, anglers and trappers throughout the country by ensuring that our outdoor traditions remain an important part of our nation's heritage."

HR 767 "Directs the Secretary to establish a Cooperative Volunteer Invasives Monitoring and Control Program to document and combat invasive species in national wildlife refuges, "according to the Congressional Research Service.

This means the U.S. federal government could enlist bird enthusiasts to report on non-native animals and then recruit hunters to kill them.

The press release promoting the bill cites invasive species such as purple loosestrife, black locust, and zebra mussels. No mention is made of feral cats; however, the American Bird Conservancy and National Audubon Society are extremely supportive; each releasing public statements celebrating Kind's success in "championing the bill". Both organizations are on record as being strongly opposed to trap-neuter-return and free-roaming cats. In fact, the American Bird Conservancy's anti-feral Cats Indoors! Campaign was the catalyst for the battle between animal advocates and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission's attempt to outlaw TNR on both public and private land in the state back in 2003.

According to Steve Holmer, Director of Public Relations for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC): "One of the things this bill is going to allow is treatment to take place on adjacent private or state lands. Refuge managers had the ability to do the work on the refuges themselves. Generally, they've not had enough money to solve the problems, and they've been doing their best with limited resources. But if they are not able to treat the adjacent lands, it's very difficult."

If approved by the U.S. Senate and the Administration, HR 767 would provide matching grants to federal land and water managers and other non-federal agencies to help battle invasive animals and plants. The bill would authorize the federal government to pay 75 percent of the cost of invasive species control projects for non-federal land and 100 percent of the costs on federal refuges.

The REPAIR Act now moves to the Senate, where according to Holmer, "ABC hopes to see quick passage."

Prepared by The Feline Resistance! staff November 16, 2007

Giant Burmese pythons and voracious Nile monitor lizards are in the swamps, forests and rivers. Increasingly, these and other invasive species are appearing in the backyards of residents. Some of these “exotic” creatures have few, if any, natural enemies and there is currently no viable plan to remove them from the environment.

Back in 2004, National Geographic News reported: “Many experts say the United States has been too slow to act and is now paying the price. ‘Once these invasive species are established, they are virtually impossible to eradicate,’ said Ken Burton, a spokesman at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ‘In most cases we can only hope to control them.’

Dean Wilkinson, the invasive-species coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington, D.C., says a new approach is long overdue. ‘In the past we treated this as individual pest problems,’ he said. ‘It's only recently that we've recognized this as a major environmental and economic problem. If we had had the foresight to spend money at the front end, we would not have had to spend millions to deal with the problem at the back end.’” 1

In South Florida, the wildlife officials’ “problem” became a crisis fifteen years ago after Hurricane Andrew unleashed an array of exotic pets into the environment. Since that time, there have been numerous discussions, conferences, studies and reports; yet little progress has been made.

“According to the director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, invasive species pose the number one environmental threat to the United States. While a number of different activities are potentially to blame, the pet-trade industry plays a significant role in the introduction of non-native invasive species into the United States…

Congress has not effectively dealt with the problem of the importation and ownership of exotic animals. While certain federal regulations may solve specific environmental issues, most fall substantially short of properly regulating the exotic pet trade industry.” 2

For years, the Humane Society of the United States and other animal welfare groups called for restrictions on the trade of pythons and reptiles. They have pressed the government to require exotic pet owners to obtain a permit or license before owning these species, but encountered resistance by well funded special interest groups.

In 2006, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sponsored the first “Exotic Pet Amnesty Day” in an effort to persuade pet owners in Orlando to surrender their unwanted reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish without penalty rather than turning them loose in the wild. Only six people showed up. “'Part of the problem", explained the wildlife commission’s Scott Hardin: ‘Unbeknownst to us there was a large reptile expo going on virtually next door.’

That same year a bill proposed to “regulate the purchase and sale of large snakes, sparked a rebellion among reptile collectors. They circulated a petition that said snakes aren’t as big a problem as feral cats and therefore, ‘We do not need more laws.’” 3

“The illegal trade in wildlife is second only to that of drugs in the United States, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). A former FWS chief of law enforcement said, ‘There is no stigma attached to being an animal smuggler. If you get caught illegally transporting animals on a first offense, it’s possible you won't even do jail time. You can’t say the same for running drugs.’” 4

“Powerful pet-trade industry groups do not want the government to force stringent requirements and controls onto the industry…groups such as the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association, the Pet Industry Distributors Association, and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) wield enormous lobbying power. The PIJAC is ‘the industry’s advocate with respect to governmental legislation and regulations that affect the survival of the pet industry,’ screening more than ten thousand federal, state, and local initiatives per year. Thus, the pet-trade industry is able to impose significant opposition to any type of regulation that would interfere with its ability to freely trade exotic pets.” 5

Reacting to ongoing press coverage and citizen concerns about the invasion of pythons, anacondas and monitor lizards; the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued the following statement in February of 2007:

“ Reptiles of Concern (ROCs) are non-native reptile species that have the potential to become established in Florida and can threaten native wildlife, cause economic damage or pose a threat to human safety. Rules for Reptiles of Concern go into effect on January 1, 2008. ROCs require a no-cost annual permit for personal possession, and any ROC that is 2 inches or greater in diameter must be permanently identified by a microchip.” 6

“Worried about nonnative reptiles that are establishing their own colonies in Florida's welcoming hot climate; state lawmakers are about to establish a $100-a-year license that would be required for anyone owning a ‘reptile of concern’ that could hurt the state's environment or humans if it gets loose.

While the state already licenses venomous snakes; a proposal set for Senate approval today and likely House approval next week establishes a system to monitor non-native, non-poisonous constrictor snakes and carnivorous lizards that have been singled out by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.” 7

According to State Senator Bill Posey, who introduced the bill: “ last year, 95 pythons were captured in the Everglades, and experts estimate that for every creature caught, 100 to 1,000 are slithering around feasting on birds, turtles and even alligators. They will eventually kill every other living thing edible in the Everglades.” 8

The recently approved Senate Bill 2766 was signed by Governor Crist and became law on June 29.

At the top of Florida’s Most Unwanted list are two particularly destructive beasts that have made themselves at home in the “Sunshine State”:

Seven feet long Nile monitor lizards are “dagger clawed, blue-tongued, voracious and have multiplied quickly in the maze of man-made canals around Cape Coral, a fast-growing city on the southwest coast.

According to Kenneth Krysko, a University of Florida herpetologist: ‘There's no question they are expanding their range. ‘They are scaring the heck out of residents.’ He said the lizards end up abandoned because many pet dealers do not warn buyers how big and difficult they get. ‘Any child can go to a pet store and buy a hatchling for $10,’ Dr. Krysko said. ‘It's really sad…no one realizes the ability this animal has to tear off your cat's head with one twist.’” 9

“Of particular concern are Burrowing owls and gopher tortoises; two legally protected species inhabiting the Cape Coral area of Florida. Anecdotal evidence indicates a high rate of disappearance of domestic pets and feral cats in Cape Coral. Moreover, exotic parasites harbored by Nile monitors could potentially impact indigenous vertebrates and humans.” 10

According to government sources, the establishment of monitor lizards in at least one county in Florida, makes it the largest, most dangerous non-indigenous lizard in the United States.

“It's possible that many thousands of Burmese pythons, which can grow up to seven meters (approximately 22 feet) long, are currently writhing through Florida's native undergrowth. In the suburbs of Miami they gobble turkeys and cats; in the Everglades they engage in battle with alligators.” 11

“Scientists in Everglades National Park are using a beagle, nicknamed "Python Pete" to sniff out the unwanted intruders. The researchers have also implanted tracking devices in seven captured snakes. They are hoping that during the January to March mating season the implanted snakes will lead them to others.” 12

In April, Florida Keys wildlife officials discovered a Burmese python in a Key Largo state park that “had swallowed two of an estimated 500 remaining and endangered Key Largo wood rats, one outfitted with a radio tracking collar.” 13

These are the same wood rats that the FWC continues to accuse free-roaming cats of decimating despite their admitted lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, “Burmese pythons could eat their way right across Florida. They're much bigger than the 45 species of snake native to the state, and they have a larger appetite. With lightning speed they curl around their prey, choke the animal to death and devour it whole, swallowing skin, hair and feathers. Pythons hunt on the ground, in the water and in the branches of swamp cypresses, which makes them a new threat to Florida's unique fauna.

Even visitors and residents of Florida aren't safe from the giant snakes. ‘Humans don't belong to their natural prey,’ Skip Snow, a biologist in the Everglades National Park says. ‘But Burmese pythons are perfectly capable of killing a human.’ A few owners have even been suffocated by their own pet snakes. Still, anyone can buy a constrictor without having to provide identification. No one can know what the owner intends to do with the snake.” 14

Meanwhile, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission allied with federal officials decided to once again target free-roaming cats in the Florida Keys.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, unable to handle feral cats, called for reinforcements back in 2003. US Fish and Wildlife Service and the United States Department of Agriculture spent taxpayer dollars to trap and kill the felines in targeted parks and reserves. This effort reaped disappointing results for government officials and caused a firestorm of controversy, but did little to deter the government agents from continuing the same course of action.

Recently, free-roaming cats residing in National Key Deer Refuge were accused of stalking Playboy bunnies, resulting in a dwindling population of the rabbits named after Hugh Hefner.

Government officials contracted with trappers to capture the cats in the area. Ironically, the feline hunt had to be temporarily scrapped due to the invasion of another “prohibited non-native animal”:

“ Deep in the heart of the Florida Keys, wildlife officials are laying bait laced with poison to try to wipe out a colony of enormous African rats that could eventually make their way onto the Florida mainland where they could quickly destroy fragile ecosystems threaten crops and other animals.

U.S. federal and state officials are beginning the final phase of a two-year project to eradicate the Gambian pouched rats, which can grow to the size of a cat and began reproducing in the remote area about eight years ago. ‘This is the only place in the United States where this is occurring,’ said Gary Witmer, a biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colorado. ‘They don't belong here and they need to be controlled.’

The African rats can weigh 6 to 9 pounds, with body shades ranging from brown to gray. They have large ears, black, beady eyes, hamster-like pouched facial cheeks, sharp teeth and distinctive long, stringy and white-marked tails.

‘They're a big rodent. They're not particularly attractive. I don't understand why anyone would want them as a pet,’ Witmer said. ‘They're very messy animals.’ The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta and the Food and Drug Administration have banned importation of Gambian rats since 2003. That was after an outbreak of monkey-pox, similar to but milder to humans than smallpox, was linked to Gambian rat contact with prairie dogs in the U.S. Midwest. The CDC hopes to study the carcasses and fecal samples of Gambian rats from the Grassy Keys to learn about internal parasites, but they have shown no signs of monkey-pox. ‘We're lucky that's the case,’ Witmer said. ‘They sure can bite.’" 15

Despite the fact that diseased rats, gigantic snakes and rapacious lizards are expanding their territory and breeding exponentially, state and federal officials decided recently to launch another free-roaming cat hunt.

“The federal government approved a $50,000, one-year ‘showing success and preventing extinction’ grant for trapping feral cats in the Keys.

Cindy Schulz of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the money also is going for trapping cats on federal and state parks in Key Largo to protect the endangered Key Largo wood rat and cotton mouse.” 16

Although felines arrived in North America in the 1600’s (to control rats and protect food), some continue to regard these animals as “non-native” and insist they have no place in the ecosystem. Recently, in the Upper Keys, Marie Johnson and Suki McDermott were accused of feeding and sterilizing abandoned cats at their own expense. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission official repeatedly “followed” the women around, ultimately issuing $295 citations for causing “a public nuisance”.

Johnson and McDermott plan to contest the fees. Part of their defense: Marie Johnson recently won a humanitarian award from Stand Up for Animals and Suki McDermott is a practicing Buddhist who feels morally obliged to help stray animals.

1 Stefan Loygren, “Huge, freed pet pythons invade Florida Everglades” National GeographicNews June 3, 2004.

2 Robert Brown, Exotic pets invade United States ecosystems: “Legislative failure and a proposed solution” Indiana Law Journal April 2006.

3 Craig Pittman, “A Florida crackdown targets exotic reptiles” St. Petersburg Times December 26, 2006

4 “The dirty side of the exotic animal pet trade” { Published 06/15/03} Animal Issues , Volume 34 Number 2, Summer 2003

5 Robert Brown, “Exotic pets invade United States ecosystems: Legislative failure and a proposed solution” Indiana Law Journal April 2006.

6 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission press release February 7, 2007

7 Linda Kleindienst, “Nonnative lizards and snakes a worry for the state of Florida” South FloridaSun-Sentinel, April 26, 2007

8 Dara Kim, “Senate takes aim at pythons, other reptiles” Palm Beach Post, April 27, 2007

9 Abby Goodnough, “Forget the gators: Exotic pets run wild in Florida” New York Times, February 29, 2004

10 Louis A. Somma “ Varanus niloticus” Non indigenous Aquatic Database United States Geological Survey, April 24, 2006

11 Jorg Blech, “Burmese pythons invade Florida”, Der Spiegel International, December 22, 2006

12 Warren Richey, “Gators beware: Pythons moving into Everglades” The Christian ScienceMonitor December 19, 2006

13 Laura Myers, “Florida tries to wipe out cat-sized African rats” Boston Globe, May 24, 2007

14 Jorg Blech, “Burmese pythons invade Florida” Der Spiegel International, December 22, 2006

15 Laura Myers, “Florida tries to wipe out cat-sized African rats” Boston Globe, May 24, 2007

16 Cammy Clark, “Cat roundup aims to save endangered bunny” Miami Herald May 20, 2007

“The American Bird Conservancy sets the bird conservation agenda by using the best science available to determine the highest priorities and the best solutions, and then communicates these priorities to the conservation community and the public through alliances and networks .”

Before he went to work for the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), George Wallace was developing the “best science available” for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as their State Bird Conservation Coordinator. Wallace was assisted by Joni Ellis, a conservation education specialist with a background in avian advocacy.

Their 2001 report titled “Issue Assessment: Impacts of Feral and Free-Ranging Domestic Cats on Wildlife in Florida” blamed outdoor cats for the decimation of a variety of endangered species. Extrapolated statistics from the discredited Temple/Coleman “study” were quoted as one primary source.

Although the “Issue Assessment” was portrayed as an unbiased scientific research effort, there is evidence to the contrary:

In an article published in the November 2000 American Bird Conservancy’s newsletter titled “Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Cats Indoors Campaign”, Joni Ellis stated:

“One of the most important aspects of this campaign is to make clear to the counties that it is a violation of state law to release any animal species not indigenous to Florida without a permit from the Commission. We are encouraging counties to find other solutions to their free-roaming cat overpopulation problems, such as passing mandatory spay/neuter and cat leash laws.”

The newsletter article continues: “The Commission’s education campaign is a substantial boost for ABC’s campaign in Florida. We encourage other state wildlife agencies, especially in California and Hawaii, where endangered species and domestic cat conflicts are also high, to do the same.”

In 2002, George Wallace left the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to become Vice President and Chief Conservation Officer for the American Bird Conservancy. His wife also became an employee and is currently listed as Administrative and Program Assistant.

In March 2003, the FWC’s Feral Cat Issue Team published its revised 33 page report based on the original findings published in the 2001 Wallace/Ellis “Issue Assessment: Impacts of Feral and Free-Ranging Domestic Cats on Wildlife in Florida”.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission used the report to attempt to establish a “policy” outlawing outdoor cats on both pubic and private land and abolishing all trap/neuter/return programs in Florida.

Cat advocates learned about this proposed “policy” and were outraged. When the FWC went forward with a public hearing to finalize the decision Dr. Julie Levy DVM, PhD. and associate professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida was allowed to testify:

“As the report acknowledges, there are many questions that remain unanswered by scientific study, but a number of well-constructed studies have been reported in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. It is unfortunate that the Feral Cat Issue Team overlooked these excellent reports and selected a majority of their references from less rigorous material collected from the Internet, personal communications, and brochures. It remains unclear whether the information favorable to non-lethal cat control was intentionally omitted or simply missed in an incomplete review of the literature.”

Dr. Levy went on to present a science-based case that discredited much of the information presented in the FWC’s report.

“As written, the proposal is overly broad, imposes a substantial unfunded mandate on local government, and impinges on property rights. More importantly, the proposed solution of eradication is completely untested and is likely to fail. Such proposals beg for rigorous scientific study, detailed environmental impact statements, and the support of Florida citizens before they are considered. Please choose in favor of science and do not establish a new policy today in absence of it.”

The FWC commissioners rejected Dr. Levy’s case; ignored statements by citizens and immediately voted to implement their “policy”.

In 2004, the FWC became the first state agency to officially endorse and fund the American Bird Conservancy’s Cats Indoors Campaign.

In an effort to placate the public, FWC officials offered cat advocates an opportunity to work with the government to seek scientific solutions together through a series of forums. Ultimately, the three forums accomplished nothing and were discontinued in 2005.

In 2006, George Wallace and Linda Winter, director of the Cats Indoors Campaign, published another report. In an effort to extend their sphere of influence beyond Florida and Hawaii, the only states in the US that endorse the Cats Indoors Campaign, the American Bird Conservancy issued a press release that stated the following:

“American Bird Conservancy (ABC) has published a new report which, for the first time, analyzes the impact of domestic cats on some of America’s most at-risk bird species at cat predation hotspots. The report, entitled Impacts of Feral and Free-ranging Cats on Bird Species of Conservation Concern: A Five-State Review of New York, New Jersey, Florida, California, and Hawaii, is available for download from ABC’s Website.

Invasive species, including cats, are widely recognized as one of the most serious threats to birds worldwide. The domestic cat may be the most widespread alien predator in the world - with devastating consequences. Domestic cats are considered primarily responsible for the extinction of 33 bird species since the 1600s. In New Zealand alone, cats were primarily responsible for the extinction of eight bird species and the eradication of 41 others from islands. Introduced into the United States by European settlers, there are now at least 90 million pet cats in the country, and perhaps an equal number of stray and feral cats. Scientists estimate that our nation’s free-roaming cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians each year, including endangered species.

The new ABC study illuminates troubling threats to endangered species such as the Piping Plover, California Clapper Rail, and Hawaiian Petrel from cat predation, highlights the problems associated with the growing trend of ‘managed’ cat colonies, and reviews various wildlife protection laws that can protect birds and other wildlife from cats. The authors also provide recommendations on how cat overpopulation problems can be better managed. The report was made possible through a generous grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.”

Once again, the American Bird Conservancy’s “best science” is not accurate. (Details are available in the Battlefields section of The Feline Resistance! web site.)

Project PredatorWatch is the American Bird Conservancy’s most recent effort to vilify felines under the guise of “research”.

“Project PredatorWatch is a citizen science project to determine the extent of predation on birds at bird feeders and in people’s backyards…

Your help is critical in determining how many and what types of birds are killed by cats, dogs, and other predators at bird feeders.

This information will be useful to scientists and conservationists, and may be compiled and reported in scientific journals and other publications.

Results of this project may be reported in the media and ABC newsletter articles, and may help further identify future wildlife conservation projects .”

“There’s bad news for city dwellers. Rats are on the move. They’re swimming through the sewers and climbing into your ceilings.”

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, reports that the land down under has over 50 species of native rodents and the non-native Black and Norwegian rats are spreading disease in suburban areas like Melbourne:

“The diseases we’re talking about are a full range from parasites, the round worm that occur in lungs, for example that transfer to humans through to the viruses.”

*The Norwegian is considered by many to be the greatest mammal pest of all time. It has caused more deaths than all the wars in history. It harbors lice and fleas and has been the source of bubonic plague; typhus; trichina; infectious jaundice and many other serious diseases.

*Rats are usually a contributing factor of first importance in the spread of pandemics.

Felines have a well documented history of effectively controlling vermin populations. And yet, the Australian government continues its mission to eradicate all cats.

In a recent article, it was reported that the extermination of felines on Macquarie, a remote Australian island, resulted in “an alarming ecological domino effect”.

“…nearly 2,500 cats were marauding the island, killing an estimated 60,000 seabirds a year. Specially trained dogs were used to hunt down the predators, with the last feral feline humanely destroyed in June 2000…

But in a chain of events which demonstrates the complexity of restoring nature’s balance, the removal of the cats had an unforeseen consequence- an explosion in the number of rats and rabbits on the island.”

(Source: Squires Nick. “Cull upsets island’s ecological balance.” UK Telegraph 01/22/07.)

The rats are decimating delicate bird eggs and rabbits are destroying fragile nesting areas and habitat.

In fact, rodents have been involved with extinction of bird species throughout the world.

“Now, environmentalists are demanding urgent action to exterminate the arts and rabbits. A plan costing $16.5 million has been formulated but has yet to be implemented because federal and state governments are arguing about who should pay…

Dr. Jenny Scott, from the University of Tasmania’s school of geography and environmental studies, described the situation as ‘an international disgrace’."

(Source: Marks, Kathy.“Macquarie’s feral cats: a delicate ecological balance” The Independent. 02/21/07.)

The relentless war against felines by the Australian government is a tragedy for cats and birds alike.

In the future, it could also be a disaster for the citizens of Australia who may face catastrophic plagues and pandemics.

*To read more about Australia’s ongoing extermination program for felines, see our complete investigative report, “Slaughter Down Under” in the International section of our web site.

It was the year 2003 when renegade felines in Key Largo were accused of killing endangered rodents and birds. It was reported that the upscale and otherwise law abiding Ocean Reef Club was allegedly harboring a number of the furry criminals. Denials that the well-fed cats were wandering miles down the road to devour wildlife were dismissed by government officials.

Although admitting there was “no absolute evidence” that the cats were the culprits, representatives from the USDA set traps for them anyway. The number of killers captured was never revealed to the public and remains classified information.

Today, approximately fifty felines residing at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West are flaunting the law by roaming around the premises without a proper license. According to the USDA, the home is an “exhibitor” of cats and should be registered with the government. The Hemingway house would then join the ranks of Florida businesses that showcase animals including Gatorama, Bat World and Cock-A-Doodle-Doo Petting Zoo.

The cats’ attorney, Cara Higgins, disputes the government’s claim, stating: "What they’re comparing the Hemingway house to is a circus or a zoo because there are cats on the premises. This is not a traveling circus. These cats have been on the premises forever."

Not quite “forever” - after all it was 1935 when Ernest Hemingway received his first six-toed cat from which the current animals are descended and the museum itself has only been open for 42 years.

In October 2003, a USDA veterinarian arrived for a random visit and advised museum officials that they needed an exhibitor license. For the next three years the museum tried to meet the USDA's changing demands, despite CEO Mike Morawski’s objection that “The cats are not on exhibit there. They live there."

Without the license, the USDA contends the museum is violating the Animal Welfare Act and is subject to a daily fine of $200 per cat - nearly $10,000 a day. But unless it contains the animals, the museum can't get a license. It is now the USDA’s contention that the felines should be caged, guarded or removed.

Coincidentally, 2003 was also the year that the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, influenced by the American Bird Conservancy, attempted to eliminate trap-neuter-return throughout the state. If successful, this “policy change” would have resulted in countless free-roaming and feral cats being picked up, incarcerated and eventually euthanized.

It was also around October of 2003 that a USDA/APHIS official was sent to Key Largo to set traps in Crocodile Lake National Refuge and along the fence line separating Ocean Reef Club and the Refuge.

While the USDA eventually lost interest in the Key Largo cats, the situation in Key West heated up. Last month, Hemingway house officials asked a federal judge to decide whether the animal welfare law applies to the museum and, if so, to rule that the six-foot brick wall Hemingway erected in 1937 meets the "containment" requirements for exhibition animals.

"It's beyond insane," said Cara Higgins, the museum's lawyer. “This is the same agency that quit researching mad-cow disease because of money, yet they have no problem investigating the activities of the Hemingway cats."

One feline in particular caught the interest of government officials. Ivan Hemingway, an unneutered tom, has been caught roaming outside the facility on numerous occasions, according to a USDA report. Ivan, the museum’s only non-neutered resident, is currently under house arrest. It is believed the cat was “ratted out” by someone at the Key West Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who objects to the fact that Ivan has not been sterilized.

Caretakers at the museum support spaying and neutering, however, it is their policy to keep two cats of each gender intact to perpetuate the Hemingway line. All felines are sterilized after they have produced a litter.

According to museum neighbors, two government agents with video equipment staked out the Hemingway property. It is not known whether the tape will be introduced as evidence in court or if Ivan the cat was implicated. No accomplices have been named, but mug shots of all Hemingway house cats are available at www.hemingwayhome.com

Individuals having incriminating information about any of these felines are urged to contact USDA spokesman Jim Rogers at 202-690-4755.