Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

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Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by NTSOG » 17 Mar 2022, 7:33 am

G'day,

I found this presentation today:

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australi ... vi-AAV7w4M

There is a graphic [at 2:00] that compares the two species of predators that I found interesting. It's clear that cats are far more harmful than foxes, though the distribution of both species where they co-exist is about one animal to 4 km squared. [This suggests to me that I am not seeing cats that are in areas in which I hunt because the blighters are smarter and more covert than foxes, but are still there.] Overall there are many more feral cats [to which number must be added so-called domestic cats] than foxes.

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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by on_one_wheel » 17 Mar 2022, 7:55 am

NTSOG wrote:G'day,

I found this presentation today:

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australi ... vi-AAV7w4M

There is a graphic [at 2:00] that compares the two species of predators that I found interesting. It's clear that cats are far more harmful than foxes, though the distribution of both species where they co-exist is about one animal to 4 km squared. [This suggests to me that I am not seeing cats that are in areas in which I hunt because the blighters are smarter and more covert than foxes, but are still there.] Overall there are many more feral cats [to which number must be added so-called domestic cats] than foxes.

Jim


Interesting, I'm shooting more cats than foxes, but I hear more foxes than cats :thumbsup:
I definitely target cats over foxes because the foxes are smashing rabbits...apart from pelts that's where their benefits end.

I read another article that showed cays had now evolved to survive in areas where water is not available.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by NTSOG » 17 Mar 2022, 7:57 am

on_one_wheel: "I read another article that showed [cats] had now evolved to survive in areas where water is not available."

I saw that article too. Apparently cats can get enough moisture from the blood and guts of animals they kill, whereas foxes need water as well.

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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by on_one_wheel » 17 Mar 2022, 9:33 am

NTSOG wrote:on_one_wheel: "I read another article that showed [cats] had now evolved to survive in areas where water is not available."

I saw that article too. Apparently cats can get enough moisture from the blood and guts of animals they kill, whereas foxes need water as well.

Jim


If I remember correctly, the adaptation was a change in kidney size or efficiency?
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by animalpest » 17 Mar 2022, 10:19 am

Cats are a desert animal whereas foxes came from the UK. It's like comparing camels to cattle.

It can be a bit misleading to compare the numbers of animals killed from foxes vs feral cats. Cats primary prey is animals smaller than foxes.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by on_one_wheel » 17 Mar 2022, 11:55 am

animalpest wrote:Cats are a desert animal whereas foxes came from the UK. It's like comparing camels to cattle.

It can be a bit misleading to compare the numbers of animals killed from foxes vs feral cats. Cats primary prey is animals smaller than foxes.


All true...

Typically I find cats much easier to hunt than foxes, they're more likely to sit even if they get a whiff of your scent. Iv even come across cats so involved in their own business that they totally ignored my presence.
Foxes on the other hand... one wrong move, wrong noise or one bad smell and they're gone in a flash, perhaps they've learned from experience.
Once in a while, I've come across the odd fox that has no reason to fear man... they'll come in close broad daylight and sit.
Foxes are most definitely WAY smarter than cats
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by NTSOG » 17 Mar 2022, 12:06 pm

on_one_wheel: "I read another article that showed cays had now evolved to survive in areas where water is not available."

Don't tell the animal lib people that. They'll start claiming that cats have now evolved into a 'natural' Australian species and should be protected at all costs.

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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by animalpest » 17 Mar 2022, 3:28 pm

Dont confuse the statement that "cats have evolved without water" to mean they have done this since being released in Australia.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by NTSOG » 17 Mar 2022, 6:37 pm

animalpest: "Dont confuse the statement that "cats have evolved without water" to mean they have done this since being released in Australia."

No I'm not, but I did hear some animal liberation types claim a little while back that cats and other introduced pests should be allowed to live as they have been here so long that they should be considered a 'natural' part of Australian animal life.

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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by animalpest » 17 Mar 2022, 7:05 pm

Yeah, some introduced species become naturalized. That can sometimes mean they even become protected like native animals.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by Blr243 » 17 Mar 2022, 7:35 pm

I think it’s “natural “ to line up a cat with my reticle
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by 6mm Remington » 17 Mar 2022, 7:43 pm

A bit of cat and fox trivia for y'all.
One day whilst walking along a track on a property west of Goondiwindi
My mate stopped in front of me and let off a shot out of his Beretta 686
He them turned to the right and let off another shot from the other barrel.
As I walked over towards him he held up a fox in one hand and a cat in the other.
They were out on a date he reckoned.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by Die Judicii » 17 Mar 2022, 9:38 pm

Just recently I shot this mongrel thing in the house paddock.
It was big framed, but must've been riddled with worms and was as poor as,, and had been getting in to the bin and ripping garbage bags open
in a quest for food.

On close inspection it never ever had a tail,,,,

So I wonder if the greenies would classify it as being rare,,,,,, and therefore needing protection.

Uh Ohhhh,,,,,,,,,, too late.

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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by on_one_wheel » 17 Mar 2022, 11:20 pm

Die Judicii wrote:Just recently I shot this mongrel thing in the house paddock.
It was big framed, but must've been riddled with worms and was as poor as,, and had been getting in to the bin and ripping garbage bags open
in a quest for food.

On close inspection it never ever had a tail,,,,

So I wonder if the greenies would classify it as being rare,,,,,, and therefore needing protection.

Uh Ohhhh,,,,,,,,,, too late.

100_6018.JPG
100_6019.JPG


No trace of a tail whatsoever? That's interesting... you should add that one to the "cat page"
There are a few cat breeds that have mutations which shorten the tails to the point they appear to have little to no tail... I'd be out with the pocket knife for a closer look.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by Die Judicii » 18 Mar 2022, 10:24 am

on_one_wheel wrote:
No trace of a tail whatsoever? That's interesting... you should add that one to the "cat page"
There are a few cat breeds that have mutations which shorten the tails to the point they appear to have little to no tail... I'd be out with the pocket knife for a closer look.


No Mate, there wasn't. I had a good look, (using a stick) there was no way I was gonna put my fingers any where near that things hole.
And yeah,,,, it has been on the "Cat Pages" for a while now.
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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Re: Cats and foxes: results of recent survey

Post by Oldbloke » 18 Mar 2022, 11:51 am

The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
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