There was shocking news coming out of New Zealand this week: economist, businessperson and all-around nutcase Gareth Morgan wants to start a movement to get rid of the whole feline population of New Zealand! Yes, the very same country where some of our most popular blogging pals live, including Rumbles and Hammy and Poppy Q! But then, what do you expect, coming from a feline hater who freely admits that he prefers skinks, lizards and geckos to cats?
Morgan claims that New Zealand’s cats, both feral and domesticated, are destroying many of his country’s native species, specifically rare bird populations. Of course, this completely ignores the fact that cats prefer ground prey such as mice and voles to birds, and that there are other predators that are at least as dangerous to New Zealand’s birds… the main one being man himself. Humans have done more to invade and destroy delicate ecosystems than we cats could ever imagine doing! Maybe Morgan should convince humans to leave New Zealand along with cats.
The shaky science on which Morgan tries to manipulate to his advantage notwithstanding, it would be pretty hard to convince New Zealanders to remove cats from their lives. According to the New Zealand Pet Food Manufacturers Association, 48% of households there have one or more cats — the largest percentage of cat-owned homes in the world! Apparently, to be a New Zealander means to be a cat lover — at least for about half this nation.
In spite of all this, Morgan persists, and he even has devoted part of his website to encourage New Zealanders to make their current cats their last one. And even though he is not promoting putting cats down outright, he also considers it “an option.” Live in New Zealand? Please take the poll on his website to let him know that you will continue to support us cats and will always have at least one in your home!
Image courtesy of AJ Hunter
This is one of the things that makes me go GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
His species has done more damage to the environment than all the animals put together. He should go work on where the real problem is, and its right in his own backyard. What a hypocrite. He can’t really be serious, can he? Of course feral cats might eat some wildlife, but he should work with TNR programs and finding homes for the kitties that can be adopted.
Maybe if Rumbles and some locals got together, the cats COULD get his tongue! Ha ha ha. Well, he’s had 14.5 of his 15 minutes now, I think.
I suspect this delusional person’s false data is what is promoting so much anit-feral spam around the paw blogosphere…just IMHFO…Savannah…I voted NO, and of course, made a comment…bwaaahhhahahahahahaa
Some humans….they have too much time on their hands to think of such nonsense. I bet he was mean to a kitty when he was little and the kitty hissed at him–so now he hates us all…ugh! Idiot should be his name.
Noir
Hey stupid man, what stopped the Bubonic plague????????
What, what was the word…………CATS!!!!!!!! nuff said=^Y^=
Yeah, mum saw this on FB this morning. He is a nutso guy and we voted accordingly.
My furrend Dash Kitten and his human Whskr also live in New Zealand. What a nut! If this guy lived in the U.S. I’m sure he’d be Tea Pawty. HAH! BTW, I notice your human and mine are the only 2 to have never watched the Brady Bunch.
I’m starting a movement to rid ALL countries of STUPID HUMANS.
That ought to take care of that and a whole lot of other swill.
There is so much misunderstanding in the world.
I just don’t know what to do.
We should all poop on Garth kitties.
What a tosser!!!
Destroy one species to save another one..I might be little but I’m smarter than that!! Of course he is just looking for attention..which he is getting a lot of..This is trick used by many un-talented human beans who can not get the attention they seek by using their own intelligence..If they have any that is..He knows that what he is proposing could never actually be done..
Well he’s clearly nuts.
And apparently has way too much time on his hands.
grate post sparkle; N we wuz just tellin another blogger pal ther bee a study conducted bout this whole “burd kill” rant…. N it wuz found more burds die frum their own disease; habitat loss; windows, airplanes, high rise buildings, the predators such az de hawk N de owl, than cats…period….we bee sneekin round at werk N canna look for de link…ore type what we wood reely like two bout this ass….pick sure two rocks … N pricilla iz rite..hiz web sites gettin hits…him iz prob ablee gettin paid per….
What a sad man.
We need to get a posse together and go put the bitey on his hiney!
That cat in that first picture…. sorta….scares us.
Have a great day.
hugs, Max, Bugsy and Knuckles
What a horrible person! We suggest he leaves New Zealand, but he won’t be accepted by other countries, either!
This is terrible and we don’t like this bad, crazy man!…Really, what is the world coming to?…We hope you all are happy and well, sweet friends…xoxo…Calle, Halle, Sukki
I saw this on the news last night and it made me sick! I tweeted your post and I voted NO!
Yes, because a cat living in a house indoor only is such a danger to birds. Hello? Bird Brain anyone?
He IS getting a lot of traffic to his website now though isn’t he?
morons abound….. we hate that people forget that THEY are more responsible for damages to the ecosystem that us cats….. heck, around here, we don’t even get outside to destroy anything 🙂
Oh Sparkle these photos are fabulous…..wish I could say the guy is too but I can’t…..the word “IDIOT” doesn’t even begin to cover all the bases!!
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
What a horrible, horrible man!
The photoshop image was brilliant, the guy it depicts – NOT. Stupid human…
Wow. What a ….. there really is no word strong enough for him.
Litter box content, that’s what this guy is producing.
PS – Actually? Any hoomans that WOULD agree with this SHOULD leave New Zealand! Maybe THAT would help!
Still hissing,
Selina
What at JERK! What a horrid man! We meowed in the poll, Sparkle, and it’s 76% to 24% “NO” in the answers right now. That’s telling him!
JERK JERK JERK!
Angry hisses,
Selina
What a stupid horrible man!
What a strange person – was he dropped on his head as a baby!
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
Nutcase is too kind of a word for this guy.
That is just awful. Why do there have to be people like that in the world. Someone needs to throw him out.
I saw that yesterday and sent it out on twitter as an Idiot Alert.
What a horrible, evil human!
I think that economists should wear collars with bells on them and warn us to get out of their way.