This cat won't hunt

"I'm betting the cats win in the end," writes Ann Althouse, despite yesterday's vote to declare open season on the feral felines of Wisconsin. The Governor will have the last word and already knows where that litter-box smell is coming from:

"I don't think Wisconsin should become known as a state where we shoot cats," said Doyle, a Democrat who neither hunts nor owns a cat.

He told reporters his office had received calls from around the country denouncing a proposal adopted Monday at meetings of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, a public advisory group, that would classify wild, free-roaming cats as an unprotected species that kills song birds and other wildlife.

Adds Ann: "There's still a legislative step . . . The birds are just going to have to deal with their sorry lot in life. You're prey! Get used to it!"  We couldn't have said it better ourselves. Even so, the whole affair has left a "fowl" taste in our mouth.  We give the last word to the Father of All Catbloggers, Laurence Simon:

Just as I still refuse to shop at Wal-Mart because one store manager told his employees to go shoot a stray, I'm still not eating Wisconsin cheese because they're just evil there.

If you have any questions, just "Ask the Cats."

Update:  Ann comments in her own comments section re "You're prey! Get used to it!" that we got it all wrong:

I was being sarcastic, but if you want to take the whole prey thing seriously, we ought to get to shoot the cats, who are our prey. The cats are going to have to deal with it.

We should have known.  That didn't sound at all like her. 'Guess we were just hearing what we wanted to hear.

Comments

[Walter E. Wallis]

Make them eat what they shoot.

[Scott]

I wonder if those who support hunting (feral) cats also support hunting (feral) dogs. I have a feeling that would at least separate the measure's principled supporters with concerns about bird predation and cat spray from the knee-jerk cat haters.

Personally I'd rather see stiffer fines imposed on people who encourage the growth of feral cat populations by feeding them "because they're so cute" - if it's so cute then catch it in a have-a-heart trap and take it to a shelter. Even if they can't find a home for the cat at least euthanasia is painless and administered by vets not some Joe Blow with a 12 gauge and nothing better to do with his time.

I could just see all kinds of sick cretins sneaking around and shooting people's cats that happen to venture outside under cover of this stupid law, if it gets passed ("hyuk, hyuk - sorry, didn't see the collar. Hyuk, hyuk").

[Tuck]

Oops, Ms. Althouse is playing a little fast and free with her feline facts: domestic felines have never been human prey -- admittedly, with some exceptions. For the most part, they have been beasts sought for services provided.

[Sissy Willis]

Eek! A mouse.