OPINION:
New research from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln has arrived at the exact same conclusion that conservationists have known for decades: The way to control the feral cat population is to kill the cats.
Not surprisingly, the American Bird Conservancy and the Audubon Society agree with the university’s research.
Let us hope the University of Nebraska didn’t spend more than 10 bucks on this research. All its researchers would have had to do would have been to call any true conservation organization or me, and we could have choked the research department with all the data, facts and supporting information it would have needed to arrive at the inescapable, pragmatic, common-sense, scientifically based conclusion to kill feral cats.
There are no true conservationists who do not agree with whacking or blasting destructive, dangerous feral felines. There are fuzzy-headed fantasizers who claim to be conservationists but in reality are nothing more than denial-ridden cat lovers. They live comfortably in denial, where fantasy supplants common sense and facts.
The reality of the situation is that the feral cat population has exploded across the United States (except on my property) and in other countries as well, in large part because of irresponsible cat owners who dump their unwanted pets out in the country when Precious wears out his welcome in short order by killing every songbird and assorted wildlife by the millions. Estimates of the number of feral cats in the United States are well over 100 million. Strange, but not one of these destructive fur balls lives on my ranch.
The destruction feral cats have wrought on songbirds, other mammals and critters is catastrophic, no pun intended. Feral cats prey not only on songbirds but also on game birds, rabbits, squirrels, gophers, mice, shrews, voles and other critters that are food sources for wild predators such as foxes, birds of prey, coyotes and bobcats.
And what is the response from denial-land denizens? Trap, spay and neuter the feral cats (at who knows what expense) and then release them into the wild, where they can continue to wreak havoc on wildlife. These people truly must be suffering from a terminal case of cat-scratch fever.
America should adopt the approach of the people of Ascension Island. For six years, they battled the feral cat population, which, along with rats, had caused two species of birds to become extinct and another to be listed as globally threatened. Their battle paid off. On Nov. 26, 2006, they declared their island free of feral cats. Amazingly, they did this without my direct support and superior stealth.
What we have here is some empty-headed people who don’t want to do what is necessary, but rather turn a blind eye to the problem or reach for the wrong solution because it makes them “feel good.” Doing good makes me feel good, which is why I and hundreds of thousands of conservationists kill feral cats on sight or advocate killing them.
The answer is so simple it is stupid: Kill the feral cats on sight. Because of their breeding, we need to wipe out as many of these vermin as possible. No closed season on feral cats is the solution. Always has been, always will be on the Nugent farm, where I have instructed my family, friends, hunting buddies and casual passers-by to blast every feral cat they see.
We don’t have a feral cat problem - feral cats have a Nugent problem.
Do songbirds a favor: Kill feral cats.
Ted Nugent is an American rock ’n’ roll, sporting and political activist icon. He is the author of “Ted, White and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto” and “God, Guns & Rock ’N’ Roll” (Regnery Publishing).
Please read our comment policy before commenting.