Hear Hear Heavy Horse! Richard is the best blogger on this site. I don't think any of the others teach us as much as he does. If you can't say anything nice, don't ay it at all! Dot
I have had cats and fed birds all my life without this slaughter everyone is getting so het up about. The birds come down to ground feed whilst my cat is in the garden, but if a another cat is hanging round the garden they do not come down. Not daft my birds. I believe those people getting enraged are people who dislike cats so this is a great band wagon to get on. What ever happened to loving all Gods creatures? P.S. yesterday saw a car kill a passing small bird and passed three road kills.
What a lot of hatred there is among you bloggers! Cats are nocturnal, birds are in bed at night time. Buzzards are very common in Scotland, welcome any time.
I cannot agree with you Margaret - if cats are nocturnal what are they doing in my garden during the day? However, this blog has got completely out of hand with some people bordering on insulting. So if I have offended anyone with my opinions then I apologise but I think we should all agree to disagree and leave it there!!!!
Crikey. I've stirred up a hornets' nest, except I know that hornets are actually rather docile. With hindsight, I'm not surprised that the mention of cats has got everyone agitated, they do tend to divide people into lovers and haters. I'm tolerant of a lot of things, including felines and their natural instincts, but on the other hand, I am not a dog-lover. In the UK, cats were not, historically, part of the natural order, so I can understand why their depredations on songbirds stick in the throats of some would-be nature lovers. But, our gardens are, by definition, not natural, they are man-made, and in their own turn they exact their influence on the environment in a multitude of ways. Positive environmental gains are in garden ponds, fantastic diversity of plant architecture and species, and huge increase in shelter provided by hedges and fences. But, gardens can also have negative effects: increased soil richness decreases the diversity of native plants and animals; horticultural introductions can be invasive and stifling; close-mown lawns are ecological deserts, and domestic pets can make a nuisance of themselves. Thank you for all the comments, supportive and critical. I’m torn between the happy knowledge that this particular blog entry has been read and elicited so many responses, and the peaceful calm of earlier blogs on obscure insects.
Oh Richard you mentioned the cat word again!! Of course you are tolerant of felines and their "natural instincts", you have them as pets, but I wonder if you would be so tolerant if a neighbours dog consistently invaded your garden killing wild life and leaving behind it's excrement in your flower beds?
some people just cant seen to let go regarding this topic,hope some other blog is put up soon....some people do moan,glad your not my neighbour..if its not cats its dogs now..'move on'.
Oh Richard you mentioned the cat word again!! Why do you not take yourself and your cat lovers and have them drooling over you in 'Cat World' and stop being a two faced Wild Life lover. Leave us Gardeners World lovers in peace eh. We pray for a Cat Pooo free society...the birds pray for their demise as well.
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In the UK, cats were not, historically, part of the natural order, so I can understand why their depredations on songbirds stick in the throats of some would-be nature lovers. But, our gardens are, by definition, not natural, they are man-made, and in their own turn they exact their influence on the environment in a multitude of ways. Positive environmental gains are in garden ponds, fantastic diversity of plant architecture and species, and huge increase in shelter provided by hedges and fences. But, gardens can also have negative effects: increased soil richness decreases the diversity of native plants and animals; horticultural introductions can be invasive and stifling; close-mown lawns are ecological deserts, and domestic pets can make a nuisance of themselves.
Thank you for all the comments, supportive and critical. I’m torn between the happy knowledge that this particular blog entry has been read and elicited so many responses, and the peaceful calm of earlier blogs on obscure insects.
Why do you not take yourself and your cat lovers and have them drooling over you in 'Cat World' and stop being a two faced Wild Life lover.
Leave us Gardeners World lovers in peace eh.
We pray for a Cat Pooo free society...the birds pray for their demise as well.