The last people to admit that household cats are relentless bird killers are likely cat owners, and many internet users feel that one Wisconsin owner is also part of the problem. Reddit user Knellotron shared a photo on r/SignsWithAStory, featuring a sign allegedly on the Glacial Drumlin State Trail in Wisconsin. The reason for its placement is to discourage people using the bike trail from taking a nearby resident’s cats away, as they would rather their pets freely roam the woods and farmland.
Opinions in the comment section were quite contentious, with even Knellotron opposing anyone who’d attempt to take away the pet cats out on the trail. “I think kidnapping a stranger’s pets because you think you know better seems like a [expletive] thing to do,” they wrote. Though they contrarily made a point in the post’s description that it’s possible people encountering a random housecat out in the woods could mistake it for being lost.
The Post Had Comments Both Defending and Condemning the Wisconsin Cat Owner’s Decision
One highly upvoted person in the comments was confident that these cats were “working cats,” a type of pet that helps keep rodents and pests under control for barns and crops. As to why the cats in the bike trail sign don’t have collars, “Having collars on working cats can be a risk if it gets caught on a nail/branch/etc and could choke the cat,” they explained.
On the flip side, plenty of Redditors were completely against the idea, claiming these pets are a risk to the wildlife. “Stop leaving cats outside. They are decimating the bird populations,” demanded a commenter. “Yeah, leave the little murder machines alone, they are only screwing over the natural fauna,” sarcastically agreed another.
Such opinions do hold merit, as an official study per Loss et al. 2013, Nature Communications explains how billions of birds have been purged by household cats. Over the years, this study has been incredibly contentious, with people siding with Team Cat or Team Bird. Regardless of whether people actually believe the research, as in politics, emotions will often trump facts.
For people still claiming domestic cats are the answer to getting rid of outdoor rat infestations, one Reddit user suggests another alternative: “If you want rats taken care of, get a rat terrier; they’re much better at it and aren’t a small-scale ecological disaster.”
