Paddy Gower's Issue With Feral Cats

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Paul1977

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#306235 6-Jul-2023 10:59

Did anyone watch this last night?

If this was meant to convince cat lovers of the need to include feral cats in the Pest Free 2050 plan, it will have failed miserably.

It was the most over-the-top, one-sided presentation I've ever seen. This pathetic display consisted of selectively interviewing people who already agreed with him, and then declaring that "everyone we spoke to agrees". Then at the end of the show, almost angrily, declaring that "Feral cats must die".

If you want to change people's opinions, you need to fairly present both sides of the debate and make your arguments. This was a far cry from that.

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#3100509 6-Jul-2023 11:19

"Feral cats must die" Do you disagree with that? Because I think you'd be in the minority if so.

richrdh18

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#3100511 6-Jul-2023 11:23

What they didn't highlight that they weren't targeting your pet cat being kept in an urban environment. They never reinforced that these were feral cats, cats that are far away from any urban environment, living in the wilderness. This is what they want the funding for. These are the cats that need to be dispatched (was the word she used last night).

In the same way as there are feral dogs on Stewart Island that need to killed.

Its not about killing any stray cat found wandering the streets of Auckland, Wellington or CHCH.

Paul1977

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#3100514 6-Jul-2023 11:31

lxsw20:

"Feral cats must die" Do you disagree with that? Because I think you'd be in the minority if so.

I don't necessarily disagree. My main objection is the entirely one-sided and sensationalized way it was presented. Whose mind do you change with a statement like that?

Paul1977

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#3100515 6-Jul-2023 11:33

richrdh18:

What they didn't highlight that they weren't targeting your pet cat being kept in an urban environment. They never reinforced that these were feral cats, cats that are far away from any urban environment, living in the wilderness. This is what they want the funding for. These are the cats that need to be dispatched (was the word she used last night).

In the same way as there are feral dogs on Stewart Island that need to killed.

Its not about killing any stray cat found wandering the streets of Auckland, Wellington or CHCH.

But they also mentioned feral cats in urban parklands. So they're sending mixed messages.

sir1963

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#3100724 6-Jul-2023 19:03

lxsw20:

"Feral cats must die" Do you disagree with that? Because I think you'd be in the minority if so.

I think NZ would be far better off without cats.

Cats are the most destructive pest that has ever been introduced into any country.

lxsw20

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#3100725 6-Jul-2023 19:07

Feral cats can't have very good lobbyist if it was one sided.

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eracode

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#3100726 6-Jul-2023 19:08

@paul1977 You mean Paddy Gower. For a while I was wondering who Patty Gower is - having never heard of her.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

gzt

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#3100731 6-Jul-2023 19:33

It depends how feral is defined. On conservation land I believe feral cats are trapped and like many other animals, destroyed.

Urban, suburban and rural environments are different again. Many places around NZ there are people who capture cats and work with a sympathetic vet to neuter the animal and return it to that environment. Obviously that makes little difference to the damage an individual cat can do if it wants to, although there is some debate on that. People who do this often if not always feed the animals regularly even morning and night. Animals under that kind of care will not be hunting purely because of hunger.

In both cases above a huge proportion even in rural environments result from humans abandoning animals. Like many places NZ has a past idea cats can look after themselves. Which of course they do starting with easy prey.. one of many reasons we lose ground dwelling birds, native and endemic lizards etc.

Rust

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#3100738 6-Jul-2023 19:54

Paul1977:

[snip]...

It was the most over-the-top, one-sided presentation I've ever seen. This pathetic display consisted of selectively interviewing people who already agreed with him, and then declaring that "everyone we spoke to agrees". Then at the end of the show, almost angrily, declaring that "{insert agenda affirming statement here}".

If you want to change people's opinions, you need to fairly present both sides of the debate and make your arguments. This was a far cry from that.

(bold added by me)

You've just summed up the entirety of New Zealand "journalism" right there. And I use the term journalism loosely, as there is no actual real journalism in New Zealand any more.

gbwelly

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#3100739 6-Jul-2023 20:04

sir1963:

Cats are the most destructive pest that has ever been introduced into any country.

Pretty sure humans hold the title for that one.

Handsomedan

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#3100856 7-Jul-2023 09:07

I have to say, I have gone from a Paddy Gower fan to turning over the channel when he's on, since he started blatantly band-wagoning.

This show of his is poorly done and his issues are brought to the fore in a lopsided and almost extreme manner.

He had a go at the banks for surcharges a couple of weeks ago - made it sound like retailers don't have a choice - they're actually the ones putting surcharges out there, not the banks. Also stated that the costs for a dairy to accept paywave are in the thousands. It's absolute b0ll0cks. The costs for a dairy in particular would me tiny, as the turnover is so small.
They didn't mention any of this, because it didn't meet the narrative: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/483466/commerce-commission-considering-action-over-high-paywave-fees

"Some businesses are failing to pass on lower paywave and other card fees to consumers, despite a law change capping some rates. The Retail Payment System legislation, which went into effect in November, limits the interchange fees between banks and card companies, with savings to be passed on to consumers.
However, consumers were still being charged 2 or 3 percent on purchases paid for using paywave in many shops, despite a cap of 0.2 percent on interchange fees, or a 5 cent flat fee."

Do consumers also have to pay a surcharge for the convenience of having the lights on, or the floors cleaned? Costs of doing business. Accepting cash is expensive. Should there be a surcharge on this? Probably, if you can surcharge for cards.

The "comedians" that they have on are too left-leaning for their own good too. It's not comedy, it's boomer-bashing and Nat-bashing and Seymour-bashing for laughs in an election year.

I decided not to watch last night's episode on feral cats, because I just didn't think it would be balanced and well presented. It appears that I was right.

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Paul1977

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#3100863 7-Jul-2023 09:26

lxsw20:

Feral cats can't have very good lobbyist if it was one sided.

Not necessarily the case when a one-sided "news" team is only interviewing people on that already agree. From what I could tell there was no effort (or desire) to even address peoples concerns or questions.

The primary one being: What steps are taken to ensure a captured cat is feral before "dispatching" it? It's all good and well to say they're too far from urban areas to not be feral, but what about ones that some jerk drives out into rural areas to abandon? Or people who live in rural areas who have cats, some have been known to have surprisingly large territories (the idea of banning domestic cats in rural areas is an entirely different debate)?

Another question I've heard: Cats don't just kill native birds; what about all the other pests that they kill (mice & rats etc)? If you get rid of the cats, what's the plan to stop the rodent population exploding?

And I have a real issue with competitions for children to go out hunting feral cats, and it would take some convincing to make me think that's a good idea.

Maybe these questions and issues are easily addressed and answered, but Paddy's teams sure didn't.

Paul1977

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#3100864 7-Jul-2023 09:32

eracode:

@paul1977 You mean Paddy Gower. For a while I was wondering who Patty Gower is - having never heard of her.

Quite right. @freitasm could you please correct the title for me?

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#3100868 7-Jul-2023 09:44

Handsomedan:

I have to say, I have gone from a Paddy Gower fan to turning over the channel when he's on, since he started blatantly band-wagoning.

..

The "comedians" that they have on are too left-leaning for their own good too. It's not comedy, it's boomer-bashing and Nat-bashing and Seymour-bashing for laughs in an election year.

If not for the "This is the f- news" skit, I probably wouldn't have ever know who he was. After that train wreck Stefan Molyneux interview, he's now just another so-called journalist I avoid.

I'm happy to listen to the views of people I don't agree with, but only if it's fair and balanced.

MikeAqua

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#3100872 7-Jul-2023 09:50

I grew up on a farm that is adjacent to large forest park. Consequently, we had an ongoing incursion of feral cats (*and possum, stoats etc etc).

In the little valley we lived in, there wer Kakapo juts dow the road and we were all on bird recovery mission. We all used to catch the feral cats in cage traps. A couple a month was the average run rate. Viscous little things and very distinctive. Quite small cats with black fur - much coarser than you'd expect on a cat. Short tails and big teeth. They all got the lead disprin.

Between bait stations for possums, cat traps, and stoat traps and spotlighting .... sometimes I used to feel like we were in the pest control business not the deer framing business. Worth it though.

Mike

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