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Feral cats _Evolution_ by Stephen Baxter
In article ,
"Bill Reich" wrote: Well, cats are already pretty effective predators. Baxter has them all die off because they're "too dependent on humanity". Given how readily cats go feral, I'm skeptical. (And note that they tolerate a wide range of conditions, from jungle to desert to subarctic forest.) Cats also have a wide range of genetic variance: they would probably have a large capacity for speciation if given the chance. And they are naturally _predators_ upon rodents -- if the rodent population swelled, any surviving cats would feast. Sincerely Yours, Jordan Unfortunately for feral cats, the bobcat isn't anywhere CLOSE to extinct and considers his domestic cousin a good meal. In areas where humans live, urban or rural, feral cats thrive because the other predators have been discouraged. Feral dogs kill them but feral dog packs often get the attention of the authorities and get discouraged too. The bobcats have become exceptionally bold around Tucson -- rarely does a week go by when I don't see one in our suburb. Last year, one grabbed our cat off the windowsill. Fortunately, I was there and kicked the bobcat until it turned loose. $1600 in vet bills, and Precious is almost as good as new. She doesn't go outside anymore. In fact, I see about as many bobcats as domestic cats in our neighborhood, now. Could be worse. When my parents lived in Kenya, they had friends whose dog slept at the foot of their bed. Until the night when a leopard came through the (unscreened) bedroom window, grabbed the dog, jumped back out. While the couple were in bed, watching in horror. Cheers -- Pete Tillman |
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