There was shocking news coming out of New Zealand this week: economist, businessperson and all-around nutcase Gareth Morgan wants to start a movement to get rid of the whole feline population of New Zealand! Yes, the very same country where some of our most popular blogging pals live, including Rumbles and Hammy and Poppy Q! But then, what do you expect, coming from a feline hater who freely admits that he prefers skinks, lizards and geckos to cats?

Morgan claims that New Zealand’s cats, both feral and domesticated, are destroying many of his country’s native species, specifically rare bird populations. Of course, this completely ignores the fact that cats prefer ground prey such as mice and voles to birds, and that there are other predators that are at least as dangerous to New Zealand’s birds… the main one being man himself. Humans have done more to invade and destroy delicate ecosystems than we cats could ever imagine doing! Maybe Morgan should convince humans to leave New Zealand along with cats.

The shaky science on which Morgan tries to manipulate to his advantage notwithstanding, it would be pretty hard to convince New Zealanders to remove cats from their lives. According to the New Zealand Pet Food Manufacturers Association, 48% of households there have one or more cats — the largest percentage of cat-owned homes in the world! Apparently, to be a New Zealander means to be a cat lover — at least for about half this nation.

In spite of all this, Morgan persists, and he even has devoted part of his website to encourage New Zealanders to make their current cats their last one. And even though he is not promoting putting cats down outright, he also considers it “an option.” Live in New Zealand? Please take the poll on his website to let him know that you will continue to support us cats and will always have at least one in your home!

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