Morgan hates pussy
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:00 pm by David FarrarAmelia Wade at NZ Herald reports:
Top New Zealand economist Gareth Morgan is launching a campaign to eradicate domestic cats.
Dr Morgan has set up a website calledCats to Go, where he calls the animals sadists and natural-born killers that destroy native wildlife.
SPCA chief executive Bob Kerridge called the scheme “hare-brained” and offensive.
He understood Dr Morgan wanted people to stop buying new cats and to not replace pets when they die.
“People consider cats to be a member of the family. So he’s trying to, quite frankly, take away the civil liberties we all have to choose who we want in our home.”
What a fruitcake campaign. Absolute nuts. Why not also offer a toaster to every family who has one child only, as children are also bad for nature.
You should read the site – it is hilarious. Chapters include “Your domestic cat is not innocent” and he imagines a world without cats:
Imagine a New Zealand teeming with native wildlife, penguins on the beach, Kiwis roaming about in your garden.
Yes getting rid of cats will lead to kiwis in every garden, and penguins on every beach!
This is so nutty, I’d withdraw any funds I have in his KiwiSaver scheme, if I I had any there. I also like this FAQ:
So are you suggesting that I just go out and have my cat euthanised?
Not necessarily but that is an option.
So Morgan isn’t saying you must exterminate your pussy – just that he would like you to.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Not as silly as continuing with the unregulated system of cat ownership we currently have, which allows cats to decimate our native bird populations. But why let silly facts get in the way of your personal vendetta
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:05 pm
He should stick to feeding penguins to sharks
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Fantastic and much needed site – of course I’m not biased, I hate ALL cats.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Oh lets ignore the dramatic loss of habitat, rats, mice, dogs, myna birds, weasels, stoats, etc etc
It’s all moggies fault.
We need more govt control over our pets.. more control, more control, more more bru ha ha ha
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:16 pm
David, weren’t you saying a few days ago that you hate it when people take offense on behalf of others? I think you should leave the cats to fight their own battle.
[DPF: How do you know I’m not a cat?]
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:17 pm
What an absolutely useless post Farrar.
Have you actually read what you have written? It is entirely bald empty rhetoric. You have not outlined a single reason why he might be incorrect and neither have you provided any evidence to back up your eggheaded statements. Empty.
You have become like your commenters.
pathetic
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:19 pm
@vto
“You have become like your commenters.”
Does that include you?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:23 pm
I’d withdraw any funds I have in his KiwiSaver scheme
Err why, Kiwibank bought his business about 6 months ago, his name might be on the shingle, but its now all owned by NZ Post.
Do you boycott films with Lucy lawless, or any other fruit loop Hollywood cause believers, or do you treat their personal views separate from their professional lives, why is it different for poor old Gareth…
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:32 pm
I used to quite like Morgan, but I think he has lost-it now !
It often happens to very intelligent people. He clearly has too much time & money on his hands and his brain is busy creating work for its self.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:34 pm
So which cat took out Happy Feet?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:38 pm
Don’t be an idiot Farrar – Morgan’s just playing the activist’s game as you well know.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:41 pm
An economist at large on the prowl to protect the conservation estate.
And a blogger on the prowl, let the cat lovers and others accused of threats to the conservation estate unite and vote National.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:41 pm
How high in the list would the Gweens put Morgan?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:43 pm
If this is an example of Morgan’s judgement then I have serious doubts about his effectiveness as a fund manager. It is not April fools day. There is that other story about Morgan’s involvement with a sports team. Maybe he is not well.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:43 pm
So, we should boycott a product he no longer owns…
Kinda like boycotting the Mad Butcher…
Sorry, which one is right and which one is wrong again, Im getting confused…
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Can’t say I understand the over reaction. We already have predator free areas in NZ but they are very small and very costly to run. I’ve thought it impossible to wipe out cats because of the sort of hysteria shown here but wondered about making larger areas predator free, for example, the Coromandel peninsula or Waiheke Island.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:46 pm
I’d withdraw any funds I have in his KiwiSaver scheme …
Actually I withdrew what funds were left just before he sold the lot to Kiwibank. By that time all that was left was my contributions. The Govt contributions etc had all gone. A financial genius he isn’t.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:47 pm
Wasn’t there a scientist in Lower Hutt, who, a few years ago, kept itemised records of what his cat brought home? That it was mostly rats, mice, stoats, rabbits?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:47 pm
Not so many years ago there was a study of cats and the damage they do and they do more damage to native birds (and in fact all birds) than all the other predators put together (thats rats, stoats, weasels, possums, and anything else that Ive overlooked)
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:48 pm
So the people wanting to kill, family pets, old peoples loved companions, kids pets… are NOT the hysterical ones ?
labrator thinks those opposing the killing of every single cat in NZ are in fact showing signs of “hysteria” !
WOW
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:50 pm
If my neighbors dog crapped on my lawn very night, I could get the council to have it put down. Our neighbors cat regularly craps on our lawn, and we aren’t even allowed to lay out poison to get rid of it, despite cat crap being a health risk to our toddler.
I have no problem with cats as long as people keep them inside or can manage to keep them on their own property. Dogs are nowhere near as bad, even though some feral owners seem to think its OK not to keep them on a leash in public.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Perhaps cats are to wildlife what lisps are to english. Morgan had dropped a few notches of respect over this. Surely there must be better things on which to focus his obvious talents?
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Kea, Scott Chris and labrator have noted the real issue, this is the start of a campaign to make some populated areas (such as Waiheke and the Coromandel) cat free.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:56 pm
So kill all the pets, end up with about a half billion more rats a year, and the birds still get menaced? Genius. We lived in a very built-up central area previously and were amazed how many rats the cat managed to bring home. If the true point of this is cat-free ‘zones’ so birds can flourish, they’ll need to be free of ALL predators … good luck.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:56 pm
“for example, the Coromandel peninsula or Waiheke Island.”
umm where do you live labrator? cause i think ill take a few rights away from you. for the good of the people.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:56 pm
That’s hysteria kea.
You inventing things I’ve not said. WOW.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Morgan needs to re.ember he’s in the Koch (NZ ) bro’s cross hairs.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:57 pm
I have to agree with him. We like birds in our yard and are pissed off with the neighbor’s free range cats. The worst neighbor has moved or the moggies would have ended up in a trap.
The cats not only eat birds but other nice to have like skinks and gecko and lizards as well as weta etc.
Chain you bloody cats up inside your own fence.
If you have ever seen a true wild cat they are evil looking moggies with enlarged eyes and extremely shrewed. Kill anything that moves.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Morgan should apply immediately for Green Party membership. His deranged mutterings qualify him 100%.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:00 pm
“This is so nutty, I’d withdraw any funds I have in his KiwiSaver scheme, if I I had any there.”
hardly hysteria. he’s a bit loopy. maybe he should stick to coaching soccer teams
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:00 pm
There are already restrictions on what you can own as pets. Friends of mine have owned roosters for decades on their 800m section, now the council is intervening because of the noise, the fancy neighbours aren’t into it. I wonder if they’ll be banned.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting impinging on anyones rights. If Waiheke or the Coromandel were into it, the council could do a local referendum and let them decide for themselves.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:01 pm
“The worst neighbor has moved or the moggies would have ended up in a trap.”
really? youre that much of a prick?
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Actually dime, until youve lived like it, dont be so quick to pass judgement. Our neighbours in the big smoke had 8 cats. Council did nothing. They roamed everywhere, shat everywhere. Everyones pleas were ignored. So the neighbour across from me shot 3 of them, poisoned another 3. The owner didnt frankly give a shit. I would spend ages cleaning the shit off my lawn so the kids could play out there.
By all means own a cat. Kepp it on your property. Have to with dogs, why should cats be any different?
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:06 pm
From a strictly ecological perspective Morgan is correct. Cats are a major killer of all sorts of wildlife. In fact, a single lighthouse keeper’s cat was responsible for the extinction of an NZ bird species. Read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephens_Island_Wren
If there were no cats in NZ there is no way that they would be allowed to be imported. While not as bad as stoats, they are a major killer.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:08 pm
Wasn’t Morgan the global warmong is caused by humans scamster manalo?
On another note the spaces that are capitalised for capital gain ( “the thing to do is buy a house on a corner section and subdivide”) could havde beenfenced as bird protection areas (or have a park bench).
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:08 pm
As I wrote over at WO, we have lots of native birds on our property. If the tuis are nesting they dive bomb the cat. She has caught the odd sparrow but most significantly her prey of choice is rats – some are bigger than her! I would be more interested in getting rid of the Australian pest the Rosellas. They are well known for disturbing our native bird population because they eat all their food.
At the moment because it is so dry there is very little food around so I make a sugar solution and leave it one of the trees. I suspect my having done this over the last few years is one of the reasons why the tui population is growing. The great thing is if there is abundant food they don’t take the sugar solution.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:09 pm
cause cats can climb?
personally i think setting traps to kill cats is a shit head thing to do. im talking non feral, suburban cats.
if worse comes to worse, catch em, chuck em in the boot, drive 20kms and let em go heh
if a dude murdered my cat, id take the diversion and knock him out. im not a violent dime but that would push me over the edge.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:10 pm
From the very moment when Morgan picked up that $40 million windfall from his son’s Trade Me selloff he started wondering off the reservation. It is common for very wealthy people to take up causes such as this, one can see it with Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and various Hollywood types, they engage in these causes so they are still seen as noble, compassionate and caring people, even though they’re loaded to the eyeballs.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Like all activists, Morgan corners his hobby horse in a hermtically sealed box and ignores the wider story.
I’m a cat owner and a dog owner. I also have 4 hectares of native forest vested with the QEII Heritage Trust in an open space covenant – so I’ve actually “invested” a sizeable chunk of my own money in conservation (in terms of production forgone and capital value of our land). We have tui, fantail, morepork, kereruru, pukeko and native bush falcon all happily surviving.
The cats are hunters of some repute, as is the gun dog. But they go for rats, mice, rabbits and the dog has nabbed a couple of possum. In the last year we’ve had one dead Pukeko chick – and that was the dog finishing something one of the falcon had started.
So here’s the thing: The rats and possums on the farm are far more harmful to the native trees and native birds than any of the domestic animals. I would have thought an economist would give marginal cost and marginal benefit a bit more considered thought.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:12 pm
The 8 cats I referred to were domestic cats. The owners were feral, thats the difference. And my family suffered as a result.
And next time Id happily help my neighbour. Keep your moggy off my property – or can I come and shit on your front lawn?
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:16 pm
i feed charlie roast chickens every other day. human size turds i tells ya.
his heart should give out any day though
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:16 pm
So far nobody has proved Morgan wrong. All I see is entitled people whining because they don’t want to give up their feral animals.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:20 pm
I thought it is rats and ferrets that are fucking up our native birds? Cats are probably a rat’s main/only predators in NZ, surely we need MORE cats not fewer?
My two backyard chickens stared down a pretty big cat yesterday evening. You should have seen it slink off with its tail between its legs. As someone who likes cats, it was quite pathetic to watch..
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:20 pm
i remember gettingthe personal opinion of a top environmental consultant. He was keen on ridding society of cats also
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:22 pm
“entitled people”
ah i see. well, cars are bad for the environment. so tom, you can longer drive. oh, youd whine about that? what a sense of entitlement!
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Tom, when all the dog owners in New Zealand keep their dogs under control and stop them worrying and attacking stock, killing sheep and goats, barking and yapping and whining at night and disturbing me, roaming around the neighbourhood, crapping on my property, chasing me on my bike, ripping open rubbish bags, ripping open people’s arms and faces and hospitalising them …
… then I’ll consider restricting my cats on my property. Maybe.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Tom Jackson:
Has Morgan proved himself right? I haven’t seen everything he has said but there appear to be serious flaws, not the least of which are naive impracticalities and obvious unintended consequences.
Also impractical but far more sensible would be targeting rodents, stoats, weasels, ferrets and possums. I don’t think feral cats are anywhere near as widespread or numerous.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:31 pm
You want Morgan proved wrong? Okay.
Morgan claims “The average cat brings home 13 pieces of prey each year. But this is only one in five of their kills. Cats eat a third of what they kill, and leave half of them to rot.”
13 pieces of prey each year? Hell, my cats bring that much home each week. And they eat around 95% of what they bring home.
“If they are not bringing home native birds it’s because there are none around left to kill.”
Bollocks. We’ve got several tui living around here, and have had for years.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:32 pm
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
Let the Greens & Labour adopt this as policy and make it an election issue 🙂
I think we should all write to our Green/Labour representatives DEMANDING they campaign on this and take action to save the birdies.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Cats hunt the rodents which happen to be a potential reservoir and source of zoonotic infections and that makes cats and their shit an ideal vector for toxoplasmosis gondii. Charming.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:35 pm
graham, reduces it all down to cats vs dogs – well sort of.
Cats make noise at night, they roam, they crap and they rip open rubbish bags. Thanks for reminding us of what they do apart from kill other animals.
Dogs do not usually roam without their owner and thus most of those that are near stock pose no problem.
graham, how would you restrict a cat to your property?
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:36 pm
My cat kills far more native bird competition and predators (numerous) than they do native birds (hardly any).
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Save the rats
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:36 pm
(Ran out of time to edit).
If Morgan suggests that the average cat brings home 13 pieces of prey each year, and yet mine are bringing that much home each week, this alone suggests his data is flawed.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:37 pm
Kea is right…
Please let it be.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:40 pm
SPC –
“reduces it all down to cats vs dogs”
That’s because not many people complain about killer budgeriegars or noisy goldfish.
So you think dogs don’t worry stock, or kill sheep? What’s life like in your world, Pollyanna?
And don’t worry – when dog owners face up to their issues, I’ll start worrying about how to restrict my cats to my property. But I think I’ve probably got a while.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Do the Greens support Morgan – it is a much better idea than their plan to euthanise (aka Murder) 1/3 of our cow population.
In theory it is a good idea but the unintended consequence of increased rats etc probably mean there is no net gain to our bird population.
Being an island, I recommend a trial take place on Waiheki (all Gulf islands in fact but I think that is the only one with a significant population) to see the actual outcome.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:45 pm
I believe some councils in Australia have by-laws that you must keep your cats in at night. I have no issue with that. Mine stays in at night they are easily toilet trained.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:46 pm
This explains all the facts:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:47 pm
graham, that is so NIMBY and point the finger elsewhere.
Given dogs are supposed to be secured, dogs worrying stock can be “policed now”.
Why not require cats to be secured at night?
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Lance, I have also turned on the AGW issue. I want the Greens/Labour to PROMISE to raise taxes 27% to combat AGW and save the planet.
Urgent action must be taken, NOW, to save our precious eco systems !
We need to encourage them 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:50 pm
SPC, maybe in THEORY dogs worrying stock can be policed now.
The reality is that when you come home and find your sheep mangled and ripped apart, or your kids find it, and you have to clear up the mess, try getting anyone to own up to it.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:51 pm
SPC, I agree ! That is a brilliant idea. Please write to your Green/Labour MP today 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:51 pm
CJ Photo, you are right about trialling anything in this area.
I suspect the field research would show domestic cats are useful in controlling other predators in some environments and in those areas do no net harm. But in others there might be net harm.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Dumb comment of the day from the fake lefty. Jesus think it through ffs. It’s like saying that if you have a room full of dogs and rabbits you may as well throw in a few tigers in the hope that they may eat the dogs.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Good on Gareth Morgan for raising an issue. Here is another perspective on cats:
http://blog.forestandbird.org.nz/the-conversation-about-cats/\
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Kea, just a NIMBY response post, so no need to hyper-ventilate.
A more serious proposal would be to require domestic cats to be kept in at night in areas where it was assessed there was a threat to native birds. But this would be at the local level.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:02 pm
“While not as bad as stoats, they are a major killer.”
My understanding is that cats keep the stoats and other mustelids away, which, together with more nearby forest reserves, accounts for the recent rise in native bird numbers in built-up areas. If we were to first get rid of the mustelids, Morgan might have a point.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:02 pm
Are you sure that Morgan isn’t actually alluding to The Phoenix? They’re playing like a bunch of pussies.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:04 pm
This just proves you don’t understand the meaning of “average”.
And for the car idiot. When my car comes and crams on your lawn, or drives itself onto your property, you might have a case.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Good point noskire
The Phoenix have probably pushed him over the edge and his anti-cat brain-fart is a desperate cry for help from a shattered man.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:08 pm
SPC, have you ever owned a cat ? How do you propose to round them up at night.
Herd them maybe ? 🙂
Cats are not that easy to control. They are freemarket Libetarians, not socialist collectivists.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Keep them on your property? Easy. Collars as those for dogs that administer an electric shock if they step outside the boundary. With an added bonus if they try three times the collar explodes.
Do that for ankle bracelets for home based prisoners too 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Libertarians respect property rights. You go crap on a libertarian’s lawn, and see what he says.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Morgan could fund a Jurassic-Park style genetic engineering operation to re-introduce Haast’s Eagles into NZ. They would eat the cats, dogs etc.. it would be a beautiful thing. The circle of life.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Kea, you herd a pet by/when providing food kea, you herd a pet by/when providing food kea.
The other options include compulsion to prevent cats breeding in some areas, compulsory registration of cats and no new cat ownership in those areas.
Those “areas” would probably need some alternative management regime for other predators.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Tom Jackson, Please write to your Green MP demanding all NZ’s cats are “herded” into a mob and slaughtered. Every single last one ! Do it now before you forget 😉
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Yes yes yes ! Keep it up 🙂 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:20 pm
My wife is unlikely to let a communist near her pussy.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Tom, I understand the concept of averages quite well, thank you. Morgan would like to claim that the average cat brings home 13 pieces of prey each year. Okay, fine. so taking that as an average, some cats will bring home a little less, and some cats will bring home a little more. Or maybe quite a bit more. But my cats are bringing home 50 or 60 times more than Morgan claims. That’s a pretty damn large SD and just a little hard to believe.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:26 pm
I don’t think Morgan is wrong, but I think this is a ridiculous idea.
Person A likes cats. Person B likes birds. Cats and birds don’t co-exist well. It seems pretty arbitrary to say that Person A can no longer have what they enjoy, so Person B can have what they enjoy.
I also wonder what other parallels we can draw. We know the greenhouse gases are bad – if we could have less methane being injected into the atmosphere, the environment would be better for it. So, by Morgan’s logic, surely we should eradicate all NZ’s cattle? And I guess other livestock and pets as well.
Actually, does anyone know if birds produce greenhouse gases? Perhaps when you look at the bigger picture cats are doing us a favour.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:27 pm
Moran vs Cats
Omama vs Guns
Nil all.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Dang sticky keys (hot in Chch). Doesn’t help I’ve worn all the letters off my keys
MORGAN vs CATS
OBAMA vs GUNS. Nil all.
Just get all domestic cats to wear lil bells. Screws their hunting prowess.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:39 pm
“Morgan claims “The average cat brings home 13 pieces of prey each year. But this is only one in five of their kills. Cats eat a third of what they kill, and leave half of them to rot.””
Our cat hasn’t caught that in its whole life. I’ve seen it catch one bird, and that was only because it flew into a window first.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Kea, to further your education now you know how cats can be kept secure at night.
Other means to limit and wind down cat numbers in areas where activity has become a risk.
Require registration of existing cats.
No new registration – and so fixing the cat so it cannot breed.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Shit, when i saw this post “Morgan hates pussy” I thought dime will be into this !
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:57 pm
In case you haven’t followed up the link I posted in General Debate… here’s a link to John Flux’s paper on the predations of his pussy cat over a 17 yr period.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03014220709510087
Consider the damage uncontrolled rats, weasels and stoats would have on native wildlife if cats disappeared from the suburbs. The hardier native bird species (tui, kereru, silver eyes, grey warbler) are doing well in Wellington following possum and rat control.
Getting rid of cats alone will be of liitle benefit to the zombie species like kakapo, takahe, short-tailed bat. They’re probably more imperiled by zoologists fiddling around with their chicks and introducing diseases into their habitats.
maggy wassilieff
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Maggy is clearly a denialist and is probably paid by some shadowy undefined BIG BUSINESS.
I encourage you all to reject her heresy and demand that the Greens/Labour make this an election issue. Cats should be herded up and told not to have sex, just like SPC said !
Gaia is crying 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Peter: clearly your cat is a pussy. 🙂 Send it my way, my two will soon teach it how to stalk and catch. They’ll start it off on mice, move up to birds, then get out the big guns for the rats.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:10 pm
I don’t accept the basic premise. Domestic cats provide companionship that is far more valuable than an occasional tweet from a native bird. So the arguments about what kills what are missing the point. Hell, even having to clean up the cat’s box if you don’t let it outside is a greater cost than the loss from not having native birds around.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Alas Kea, I am not being paid by BIG BUSINESS. However, I’m open to offers….. especially if it means I can write sci-fiction policy papers on Gaia and “herds” of cats.
maggy wassilieff
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:20 pm
Graham, I think it’s more a question of laziness. My cat does specialise in snails, however 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:21 pm
“This is so nutty, I’d withdraw any funds I have in his KiwiSaver scheme, if I I had any there.”
I found that I had a much better reason – miserable financial returns under the stewardship of the publicity magnet Morgan – and did actually move my funds.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:29 pm
maggy, I earn a good living by posting AGW denialist comments on KB. Its BIG MONEY.
Gosh I miss Griff. He could probably link cats in with the carbon industry and AGW. 😉
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:42 pm
magsta, in what suburbs are there weasels and stoats?
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Graham 1.25…………….ok Graham, my dog does none of those things……. your move
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:47 pm
I don’t think he’s nutty in expecting more wildlife should cats be removed. He’s right, if we didn’t have cats we’d have more birds of all stripes.
It’s just hard to imagine people ever getting onside with his ambition.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Some Australian communities seem quite keen on negating the harm cats cause and I’d imagine similar controls would be welcome here.
http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter/nsf/WebPages/HBAW-7HE28G?open
http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/regulations-and-forms/animal-management/?a=5342
http://www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au/pets-plants-and-animals/pets-and-animals/confine-your-pet
http://comment.inmycommunity.com.au/News/news-and-views/local-news/Support-for-cat-free-zones/7576562//
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Relax people. Morgan targets only the weird schrodinger’s cats and not your pets.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:43 pm
According to a good friend of mine, the three cats that are buried in his garden would like it known that a 1200 fps air rifle is an effective and humane solution to the problem of wandering cats.
I personally think that cats should either be kept inside, or not be kept.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:50 pm
SPC… suburbs bordering open pasture lands, forest reserves and the coast. In recent times I’ve sighted weasels crossing the coast road at Island Bay and on the road behind Johnsonville.
Here’s a video clip of a stoat in Karori – Nz’s largest suburb
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stoat_visiting_KWS_fence.ogg
maggy wassilieff
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:52 pm
I don’t think Morgan thought through how this could backlash.
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:10 pm
http://sciblogs.co.nz/the-atavism/2013/01/22/cats-arent-evil-but-they-are-a-problem/
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:11 pm
iMP (1,002) Says:
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Just get all domestic cats to wear lil bells. Screws their hunting prowess.
I agree. Bells about the size of Big Ben should suffice.
Otherwise a bowl of anti-freeze “accidentally” left out on the lawn and a good air-rifle does wonders.
Of course there is a third option – bloody cat owners could keep their vermin on their own property.
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:14 pm
@cha
Yes Aussies seem keen on reducing cat numbers, they must be smart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOwinLWrEIw
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Cat control is an argument (I happen to disagree with) but Tinmans repeated suggestion that they should be poisoned, to die in agony shows us Tinman is a sick twisted fuck.
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Lance (1,662) Says:
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Cat control is an argument (I happen to disagree with) but Tinmans repeated suggestion that they should be poisoned, to die in agony shows us Tinman is a sick twisted fuck.
You’ll get no argument from me on that Lance (correct twice in one day – a major record no doubt – put a mark on the wall), I quite happily plead guilty but that does not change the fact that the vermin (and their disgusting, irresponsible owners) should be controlled, if necessary by extreme force – exactly the same way the vermin torture and kill their (almost always innocent) victims (for pleasure).
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:46 pm
You do know what dramatisation means, don’t you?.
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:49 pm
Ominous sign: I arrived home this evening to find the neighbours cat stone dead on our driveway. The gospel according to Gareth must have found some local converts 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Shit, when I saw this post “Morgan hates pussy” I thought dime will be into this !!
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:55 pm
You guys are hilarious. Who here thinks a cat’s notion of property ‘ownership’ bears even the slightest resemblance to the title deeds of the person who provides the feeds? Anyone?
January 22nd, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Nonsensical question kk – it doesn’t matter. Cats should be kept on the owners property, end of story. Give me your address so I can come round and large a huge steaming turd on your front lawn. Ill curry up to make the experience especially memorable 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 6:45 pm
hmmokrightitis – Keep a record of the birds that crap on your private property. I’ll pop round next week and have a chat with them, see if I can talk some sense into the light blighters. Their disrespect is disgraceful. Now, if you want to keep cats off your property, get a maine coon.
January 22nd, 2013 at 6:55 pm
We could … require that every home with an active predator cat (cat with form) in areas where the net threat to birdlife is higher than any net good from their activity must
a. be kept inside at night
and if it breaches the conditions of the house detention it must be placed on doggie patrol supervision
b. have neighbouring houses on all sides where there are dog owners – who keep their dog out at night off a leash on fenced sections.
January 22nd, 2013 at 6:59 pm
hmmokrightitis, I used to lease a big paddock for horses. Next to the paddock lived a grumpy old man, who would chase birds off his property.
That was many years ago, so I am surprised to learn you are still with us and posting on KB. You must be getting on a bit. 😉
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:05 pm
When I was a kid we were encouraged to go birdnesting to destroy as many eggs as possible – orchard country. When my father was a kid they were paid an egg bounty.
No native birds though, it was thrush, black birds, starlings and sparrows.
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:06 pm
SPC, your plan sounds like North Korea for pussy.
To be serious (briefly)… I think the focus should be on wild cats living well away from peoples homes. Not the comparatively small amount of bush around urban environments. I have spent more time in the bush and mountains than most people. Some areas have surprising numbers of wild cats, including the high country. The thing is with cats is that they are very elusive, so if you see one, you probably have a big problem. This born out with the numbers found in drives, with dogs, in areas where cats are never seen.
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:14 pm
Kea, modelling crime and punishment for cats on the system designed for voting citizens is not North Korean (seriously).
And whether the cats are domestic (in some areas) or feral, the question to identify is whether they on balance they do more harm than good or not. Different eco systems (at different stages) may have different results.
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:16 pm
banning cats is very unlikely to happen. It would be like asking half the population to give up a child. I cant see why he would even bother to suggest something so obviously destined to fail.
But as to the academic question – I think cats add more value to our lives than the sum of native birds. If push comes to shove the birds can all go to island sanctuaries and captured breading programs.
I like animals and support animal rights in general – but I think to value some native animals as infinitely more valuable than non natives and in addition more valuable than all the value that cats add to our lives (those of us that are cat owners) is to loose perspective.
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:24 pm
SPC, I doubt domestic cats are the big problem. Most of NZ’s bush is well away from people. There is plenty of room for the birds, but its full of wild cats, rodents and Mustelidae.
Most Greenies are weak, frail, impotent, homosexual vegetarians, who lack the vigor to access true wilderness areas. So they focus on margin country close to town, which is a very small part of our bush.
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:37 pm
Morgan will take my cats from my cold dead hands…..after they strangle his weedy lispy nutter ass…
Fuck Native birds…..lived most of my life not hearing or seeing any…..use value to me… zero. Cat Uber alles!
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:40 pm
Good idea 🙂 but they can be a bit of a handful those Maori girls !
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:57 pm
Morgan has slowly become sociopathic, and thinks his wealth gives him credit as an Economist, and Environmentalist,
and the new tax agent in New Zealand
Go here to read the truth about Gareth crazy taxes and how he will change the world.
The acolytes on his web sites are all young, stupid and Green
http://paulscottcapitalgainstaxnz.blogspot.co.nz/
http://paulscottpolitics.blogspot.co.nz/
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Environmentalists who don’t travel by sail, bike, foot or solar energised vehicle are not much of an environmentalist.
Hollow words from hollow people.
Methinks that leaves about….. nobody who actually practices what they preach.
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:07 pm
people have to realise that Morgan has become an extremist , he wants you to pay massive environment taxes, and he is so mad he is gearing up his entire portfolio.
People investors are actually leaving him in droves, but it doesn’t matter to him
Sam paid him handsome,
The acolytes on his web sites are all young, stupid and Green
http://paulscottcapitalgainstaxnz.blogspot.co.nz/
http://paulscottpolitics.blogspot.co.nz/
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:17 pm
One person’s dangerous vermin is another’s treasured pet. What Morgan has done is set out an extreme position in the hope of getting attention. What happens down the track, possibly, is that less New Zealanders see cat ownership as desirable or at least take measure to reduce their cats’ depredations of the local wildlife.
If your cat kills native animals, at least make a start by putting a bell on it. When you cat dies, think about whether you want a new cat, or more native animals nearby.
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:42 pm
mikenmild,
the same strategy can be used to destroy your own position and your credibility. I wonder if that is all he has achieved here.
I suspect deep down the answer to your final question is “a new cat” for most people, which could lead to dispelling an illusion about the value of native animals that has been so carefully built up.
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:53 pm
Crikey, and to think I was going to invest with him!! The guy has gone one flew over the cuckoo.
January 22nd, 2013 at 8:57 pm
Kiwi running in your backyard if we eradicate cats. Meanwhile, 60 Kiwi killed by pet dogs in Northland (complete with photo of all the kiwi killed by dogs):
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10785657
January 22nd, 2013 at 9:15 pm
if Morgan extolled the virtues of running a rooster in with your free range hens would the headline be…
Morgan loves cock?
January 22nd, 2013 at 9:19 pm
Pollywog, I think you are onto it. Morgan is pushing for birds and Cocks are birds. As previously noted, all Greenies are weak, frail, homosexual vegetarians.
January 22nd, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Cat ownership is not absolutely incompatible with wildlife conservation, but we already accept some sensible restrictions. For example, you are not able to bring your pet cat with you when visiting a wildlife reserve.
Just as in the not too distant past many owners felt no compunction about leaving their dog’s shit behind in public spaces, so too attitudes towards cats’ predatory habits will change.
January 22nd, 2013 at 9:44 pm
I must visit his site! Sounds like a massive pisstake! If it’s not, then he should watch out for men in white coats…
In the meantime, I would advise all & sundry to leave poisoned sausages around their properties, an exceedingly effective way to kill both dogs & cats. Bloody vermin.
Which reminds me; What did Freddy Mercury die of? One too many poisoned sausages….lol.
January 22nd, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Just saying;
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill
January 22nd, 2013 at 10:50 pm
There are a lot of health benefits in pet ownership. It’s not really quantifiable but the companionship that cats offer little old ladies and people like Dime would save the country considerably I imagine.
January 22nd, 2013 at 10:54 pm
@freedom101:
“From a strictly ecological perspective Morgan is correct. Cats are a major killer of all sorts of wildlife. In fact, a single lighthouse keeper’s cat was responsible for the extinction of an NZ bird species. Read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephens_Island_Wren”
Haha, what a load of pathetic crap. Did you not read the bit on the wiki article where it said that prior to the Maori settling in NZ it was widespread across the whole country. Are you claiming that the Maori bought cats that were responsible for eradicating the whole species from mainland NZ also?
January 23rd, 2013 at 4:45 am
two disturbing discussion themes i noted in this thread.
1. The lunatics who gloat about killing other peoples pets with air rifles and bowels of poison
2. The gareth morgan apostles
wtf?
January 23rd, 2013 at 7:10 am
More disturbing is that the right asked for a “greenie” who understood business, and then when they think they have come across one they do not like it. No they don’t.
And as for the petulant, if we don’t like his activism we won’t do business with him protest. If they were following local business in real life they would have known “his” Kiwi Saver fund is now owned by Kiwi Bank.
Is Morgan a greenie? Well he has certainly taken a few conservationist stands – but he has made strong attacks on the Green party and other environment activists.
January 23rd, 2013 at 9:38 am
“…. exactly the same way the vermin torture and kill their (almost always innocent) victims (for pleasure).”
you’re anthropomorphising, Tinman
January 23rd, 2013 at 10:13 am
Cat #1 has just brought in his first bird this morning, now happily munching it up. It’s very rare he’ll leave anything to “just rot”. Normally only a couple of feathers left when he’s finished.
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:28 am
I suspect a hardened contingent of attack kittens is on its way to Gareth Morgan’s place to be relentlessly Cute and Photogenic in front of television cameras.
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:29 am
After all, there is a Cat Mafia. It seems to zero in on me with unerring accuracy.
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:44 am
Chardonnay, do you hate pussy too? 🙂
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:19 pm
I have two better methods of control.
Put electronic collars around their neck, zap the psychopathic murders before they get a chance to brutalise an innocent wee Tui.
If your cat has been proven to kill, torture, brutalise, or even slightly harm one of NZ’s beautiful native creatures, then DOC should be allowed to lop off one of your fingers.
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:18 pm
No, I’ve been enslaved by a cat twice, Manolo 🙂
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Paul, that was a very courageous admission. It seems fashionable for some to shower praise on those of the homosexual pursuasion who come out of the closet but nowadays, the far greater embarassment is to admit to investing in Morgan’s former fund or to even just having contemplated it.
It’s a bit counter-intuitive to invest in a fund managed by an economist and expect any half decent return. As “they” say, economists have predicted about 100 of the last couple of depressions or thereabouts. It seems even more counter-intuitive if that economist just happens to be the cat killer.
January 23rd, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Things to come in our socialist paradise:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8214273/Scientists-back-Morgans-cat-call
Welcome to Green NZ folks…
January 23rd, 2013 at 10:15 pm
Our cats keep the rats down. They also get the occasional weasel. They are a necessary part of our home life, especially in autumn when the weather is turning and the rats are looking for warmer quarters. I guess Mr Morgan lives in more salubrious environs.
January 23rd, 2013 at 11:00 pm
Gareth Morgan
http://paulscottpolitics.blogspot.co.nz/