Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-28
THE CAT PROBLEM.
They Are Helping tile Insects to
Destroy Farm Crops.


Destroy Farm Crops.
From the standpoint of bird con-
servatiOn and consequent insect de-
struction, this problem was recently
discussed by DR.. H. F.. Twitchell, of
Portland, before the Cumberland
County Audubon society and guests,
at dinner given at the Falmouth
hotel on January 26. The doctors
conclusions are the result of careful,
tainstaking study, and hence merit
the closest attention of all persons
having at heart the interest of both
cats and birds in their relations to
insect life. He said:
There is direct relation between
the increase of cats and the increase
of insects. Let us see what the ex-
perts tell US about the insect pests,
the relation of birds to these pests,
and where the cat comes in. Insects
cost Massachusetts, from three to
nine million dollars year; 1t must
cost Maine one-thfrd as much. They
cost the United States one billion dol
lars; ten dollars for every man,
woman and child in the country
This Is the tribute we are paying to
the insect pest.
How can we most successfully
fight this pest? Nature shows u.s.
If left alone, she would establish a
balance, but man comes on the stage
with sublime indifference to ma
ture's laws, not only thoughtlessly
destroying birds himself, but leaving
to unrestricted breeding, and cease
less marauding, the most ruthless Of
all bird enemies-the cat.
1.-THE number of insects the birds
destroy Is we'll nigh increditable. In
Massachusetts they destroy $1,000
bushels daily through the summer
months. A Nebraskan estimates that
they destroy ITO carloads day in
his state. In New York state they
destroy 100000 bushels annually.
w. r. Oates Of Michigan estimates
that birds are worth $10,000.000 an
nually to his state. The birds work
for us all the time, never strike; and
without pay, singing their hearts out
while doing it.
''NOw, for the much-abused cat. l
have no brief against the properly
restrained cat Your neighbor may
ask, Haven't I right to keep a
cat?' Most assuredly. but don't ask
me to keep it half the time for you.
Some persons would rather have
your COW than you cat on their lawn.
What logis is there in the law that
collects SIS from me when I shoot
robin in your garden, but permits my
penalty?
There are probably 25.00O,000
cats in the United States. In Maine.
there is an average of one so-called
domestic cat to every family-say
100. 700, and there are as many more
vagrant cats.
''How many birds will a cat de-
stroy in one season? Experts esti-
mate anywhere from ten to one hun
bred. I have heard persons boast of
their cats killing seventy. I have
also heard others say that their
cats never kill birds Friends,
there amt no such animal The cat
is only limited in it's kill by it's en-
vironments
John Burroughs, Frank Chap
man, T. Gilbert Pearson and Hen
shaw, consider cats the worst of all
enemies to birds. Considering the
nestlings that die from the destruc-
ton Of the parent birds, 1t is safe to
charge every cat with destruction
of fifty birds a season, and cats run
ming wild in the woods practically
live on thrushes and ground nesting
game birds, Thus our 100000 cats
destroy for us, in Maine, 100000
birds year.
''Can Maine affoyd such destruc-
tion of it's insectiverous workers?
Are her cats worth the one to three
million dollars she is paying for them
annually? What is the remedy?
More thoughtful, painstaking re-
straint of the domestic cat, and the
humane destruction of all vagrant
cats, especially those about sporting
camps and abandoned homes"