Posted: Jan. 14, 2009, 3 a.m. EST
Removing Cats to Protect Birds Backfires on Island
It seemed like a good idea at the time: Remove all the feral cats from a famous Australian island to save the native seabirds. But the decision to eradicate the felines from Macquarie island allowed the rabbit population to explode and, in turn, destroy much of its fragile vegetation that birds depend on for cover, researchers said Tuesday. Removing the cats from Macquarie “caused environmental devastation” that will cost authorities 24 million Australian dollars ($16.2 million) to remedy, Dana Bergstrom of the Australian Antarctic Division and her colleagues wrote in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology, the Associated Press reports.
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Firefighters Save Zoe the Cat From Fire
West Metro firefighters saved the life of Zoe the cat by using an oxygen mask. Zoe was home alone when a fire started at her home. Zoe was found in the basement. Firefighters, with the help of a neighbor, put an oxygen mask on Zoe. The neighbor then took the cat to a nearby veterinary clinic, TheDenverChannel.com reports.
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Couple Blames ‘Cat-Hater’ for Pet’s Ordeal
Jim and Mary Righter 0f Orange, Ca., went from fear that their beloved cat Makoa was dead to outrage when they discovered an anonymous neighbor had trapped the exotic animal, worth $400, and dumped it at the pound. The cat, a 6-year-old Chausie, disappeared Dec. 29 after the couple let it out for the day. Mary Righter said she knew something was wrong when it didn't come home that evening, the Orange County (Ca.) Register reports.
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