Cats

It seems like a real contradiction and probably is, but I love cats but wish there were none in this country.  It seems to me we can either have our native wildlife or cats but we really cannot have both.  I for one would prefer we had what was native rather than imported.
I was thinking of cats because of something that happened here recently.
We do all we can to attract the birds.  At last count I had pictures of about 24 different types of birds that had visited our yard.  To enable that, we really need to keep cats out.  The birds will only use our yard to play and feed and yes even procreate (my instinct is to look away at that time, but it is normally pretty quick) if they feel safe.  Our aim is to provide a safe place for them.
To do this I need to chase cats away when I see them.  I have a picture in my mind of a time a cat leapt from a tree here with an outstretched paw trying to get a bird.  He did not enjoy success.  He landed unceremoniously in the broms.
We mostly see cats at their docile best.  They love cuddles and strokes and we love to give them.  Those things though have really sharp teeth and claws.  They are born hunters.  Their silence and patience means pray often does not stand a chance.
I was reminded of how sharp their teeth are when I though about a time in Townsville I really wanted to pet a wild kitten.  It was part of a litter of thirteen.  We lived on the road up Castle Hill which is the local landmark.  My clever plan turned out to be not so clever.  I grabbed the kitten and boy did it bite me.  I suddenly had no desire to hold it anymore.  We both went and did other things.
I have only seen caught caged wild cats on tv.  Man are they mean.  It is like they are saying I have teeth and claws and give me half a chance I will let you become personally acquainted with them.
Anyway, I was sitting where I do outside and I saw a cat wandering the yard.  I did not want him in our yard. So I quickly got out of where I was sitting and headed purposefully towards him.  At first he was unaware of my existence but immediately knew my intentions when I opened the door of our enclosure.  He raced across the yard and jumped straight on and over the fence to his yard.
What he did not know was there was another cat just over the fence in his yard.  I only know that because of what I immediately heard.  Boy was there a cat fight.  Both of them were making a real racket.
It was not long before I saw the cat again.  It was circumnavigating our shed at 100 miles an hour.  About two seconds later I saw the other cat doing the same chasing him.  The original cat jumped his fence again, while the chaser broke off the chase and trotted to his yard.  Reminds me of Ralph the Wolf and Sam the Sheepdog.  “Night Ralph, Night Sam” as they both clocked off for the day.
As I say I love cats and will always interact well with them when visiting.  But I will never own another.  I reckon they just don’t belong here.