Here's Scout's reaction on discovering that this lunar new year will be the year of the rat. Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
ST (6-2-08)
Nice letter in the Straits Time online forum today about how killing cats is not a solution. The only thing I disagree with is that education is the key. Especially after reading Nathan Winograd's book, I feel more strongly than ever that we have the keys to save more cats right now and that education doesn't do very much (as Winograd said, millions has been spent on education over many years and nothing has shown that it is working).
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Unverifiable tips
I got another SMS today from several people - and I believe it's from the same unnamed source who apparently works in pest control. The thing is that in none of the blocks so far have there been any caregivers that I or anyone else seems to know of - so to the best of my knowledge, no one has been able to verify if any of the information is true. This is the third of fourth tip that has been given, but due to lack of caregivers in any of these areas, I have no idea if these tips are reliable.
What it does do is panic the caregivers in other areas who think that there may be 'nationwide' trapping. Here's the thing - yes, trapping DOES happen. It goes on in areas especially where there are no caregivers. While it's definitely good to try and find out if there are caregivers and spread the information to them so that they can go down and try to do something for their cats, it would be even better to encourage feeders who are not actively working with their TCs to do so. This would definitely be better than rushing down to the TC after the trapping has started and where the feeder has never had any relationship with the TC.
Obviously, if you do find out that your TC has trapped despite telling you that they have agreed to do so, then you can and should do something - but you start out in a much stronger position than if there had been no prior contact with the TC. To date as well, I am not aware of any of these 'tips' as I mentioned, relating to any areas with caregivers working with their TCs at all.
What it does do is panic the caregivers in other areas who think that there may be 'nationwide' trapping. Here's the thing - yes, trapping DOES happen. It goes on in areas especially where there are no caregivers. While it's definitely good to try and find out if there are caregivers and spread the information to them so that they can go down and try to do something for their cats, it would be even better to encourage feeders who are not actively working with their TCs to do so. This would definitely be better than rushing down to the TC after the trapping has started and where the feeder has never had any relationship with the TC.
Obviously, if you do find out that your TC has trapped despite telling you that they have agreed to do so, then you can and should do something - but you start out in a much stronger position than if there had been no prior contact with the TC. To date as well, I am not aware of any of these 'tips' as I mentioned, relating to any areas with caregivers working with their TCs at all.
Injured cat put down
Some of you may have read about the cat that was found yesterday with injuries that made the owner suspect abuse (thanks E_Cat for the heads up too). The poor cat was put down - the SPCA vet has said that they are unable to ascertain if it is abuse, or if the cat got into an accident or fell from a height.
It is always safer to keep your cat in and safe in your flat. Outdoors, especially if it is wandering around within the block, it is subject to possible abuse and accidents. I would venture to guess that pet cats let out to roam are probably MOST at risk - community cats that live in the open downstairs have a better chance of running and hiding, but it would be more difficult for a cat caught on a high floor of a HDB block to get away because it is more enclosed.
It is always safer to keep your cat in and safe in your flat. Outdoors, especially if it is wandering around within the block, it is subject to possible abuse and accidents. I would venture to guess that pet cats let out to roam are probably MOST at risk - community cats that live in the open downstairs have a better chance of running and hiding, but it would be more difficult for a cat caught on a high floor of a HDB block to get away because it is more enclosed.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Who constitutes the general public?
I just responded to an email from someone who is running an area (not a TC) that a caregiver started a programme in. Unfortunately this officer does not seem to want to continue the programme and wants the cats removed. He went on to say that he would just have the AVA hae the cats removed repeatedly as long as he was there.
Firstly, the officer seems to be seriously misguided on several matters (including the fact that feeding the cats will prolong their life span to 12 to 16 years and even what a 'stray' cat is). The caregiver kept asking him what he was doing with regards to abandonment which they are rightly concerned about right now - and he kept saying they are not dealing with abandonment but with the end result of abandonment. What that means exactly I'm not sure - of course the cats are there because of abandonment - so what are they doing about abandonment in the first place? Removing and killing the cats clearly does not do that.
Secondly, the officer said that he did not want people from a Society to handle complaints arising from the general public. This officer kept asking the caregiver if she was from any society - and she had told him repeatedly that she was not. He also said that a society is set up without recognition or support from the government and does not represent the goals of a country.
Now that just annoys me. Clearly a society IS set up with recognition from the government - otherwise, it wouldn't be registered BY the authorities otherwise. Also, the point is that societies are made up of people - a segment of the so-called 'general public' though of course they may have common interests of beliefs. More irritating to me, how can an officer brush someone off by claiming that they do NOT hold the same common beliefs as the 'general public'. So basically the general public believes in wasting tax payers' money to repeatedly remove and kill cats? They believe that again tax payers' money should be spent when there are other members of the general public who are willing to spend their time and effort and money FREE to take care of the problem?
Plus how does this officer know what the common belief of the general public is? Has he gone out and done a survey? Spoken to everyone who uses the facilities and quizzed them on this? Or is he basically one person trying to impose what he thinks is best and then claiming this is what the majority wants? It wouldn't even be so worrying if it seemed that this person knew what he was talking about and was thus able to make an educated guess - which from his emails, he clearly does not.
I just wrote back to say that as a member of the general public, I am very disappointed to see that this is how the organisation is intending to waste tax payer's money. They are not doing anything to curb abandonment - they are just intending to get AVA to trap and remove the cats (which I have checked with AVA - and which they will not do) which costs money. Even if they do not hire pest control, this will involve manpower and hours - which could have been better spent doing something which IS within the organisation's ambit - and is a waste of money and effort.
So who constitutes the general public? Anyone who complains? Anyone except the person who is writing to them at the moment?
Firstly, the officer seems to be seriously misguided on several matters (including the fact that feeding the cats will prolong their life span to 12 to 16 years and even what a 'stray' cat is). The caregiver kept asking him what he was doing with regards to abandonment which they are rightly concerned about right now - and he kept saying they are not dealing with abandonment but with the end result of abandonment. What that means exactly I'm not sure - of course the cats are there because of abandonment - so what are they doing about abandonment in the first place? Removing and killing the cats clearly does not do that.
Secondly, the officer said that he did not want people from a Society to handle complaints arising from the general public. This officer kept asking the caregiver if she was from any society - and she had told him repeatedly that she was not. He also said that a society is set up without recognition or support from the government and does not represent the goals of a country.
Now that just annoys me. Clearly a society IS set up with recognition from the government - otherwise, it wouldn't be registered BY the authorities otherwise. Also, the point is that societies are made up of people - a segment of the so-called 'general public' though of course they may have common interests of beliefs. More irritating to me, how can an officer brush someone off by claiming that they do NOT hold the same common beliefs as the 'general public'. So basically the general public believes in wasting tax payers' money to repeatedly remove and kill cats? They believe that again tax payers' money should be spent when there are other members of the general public who are willing to spend their time and effort and money FREE to take care of the problem?
Plus how does this officer know what the common belief of the general public is? Has he gone out and done a survey? Spoken to everyone who uses the facilities and quizzed them on this? Or is he basically one person trying to impose what he thinks is best and then claiming this is what the majority wants? It wouldn't even be so worrying if it seemed that this person knew what he was talking about and was thus able to make an educated guess - which from his emails, he clearly does not.
I just wrote back to say that as a member of the general public, I am very disappointed to see that this is how the organisation is intending to waste tax payer's money. They are not doing anything to curb abandonment - they are just intending to get AVA to trap and remove the cats (which I have checked with AVA - and which they will not do) which costs money. Even if they do not hire pest control, this will involve manpower and hours - which could have been better spent doing something which IS within the organisation's ambit - and is a waste of money and effort.
So who constitutes the general public? Anyone who complains? Anyone except the person who is writing to them at the moment?
Cat and Bird
Here's another cute photo care of Simian - and it's not as unusual as you think. My parents used to have a cat that regularly ate with (yes, WITH) their birds many years ago. In fact, they had a photo submitted in a magazine of the two so-called natural enemies happily eating next to each other - must go dig that up!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Cat among the pigeons
Here's a photo to cheer up your Friday care of Simian - the weekend is coming :) I love how cats think they've invisible :)
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