• Deceptichum@kbin.social
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    11 months ago

    Wow you’ve described some North American animals and extrapolated that to the experience of cats across the world.

    Cats are apex predators in their environments across most of the world.

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Domestic cats?

      Because the only places that don’t have owls are Antarctica and very-far-north in the artic circle (ie on the polar ice,)

      Most places in the world have something that fill the niche of hawks and eagles and owls.

      The only cats that are apex predators are the big cats(lions, tigers leapords, panthers jaguars… etc). Domestic cats are prey animals as well as predators.

      Even if in the places domestic cats are let out, humans have killed off most their predators.

      • Deceptichum@kbin.social
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        11 months ago

        I can’t imagine any bids of prey large enough in Australian cities to consistently prey on cats.

        The only predator that really eats cats here are Tasmanian Devils and well they live on a seperate island from the mainland and 99% of all cats here.

        And I’d wager across other places eagles or owls aren’t snacking on cats outside of chances of opportunity.

        • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          And I’d wager across other places eagles or owls aren’t snacking on cats outside of chances of opportunity. that’s… still… prey.
          Like. Seriously. you don’t have to take my word for it. watch your cat. They have a lot of behaviors that trigger because they’re prey animals. Like, you know, wanting to be up on a ledge (where they can watch everything safely, and be away from ground predators- like dogs, being in the cover of cat caves or boxes or under beds, where birds of prey can’t get to them.)

          I get it. You want to think of cats as fierce hunters. And they are that. none of what that is invalidated by them occasionally being hunted. The reality is that kind of thinking- that the cat will be okay, because they’re fierce apex predators is wrong… and besides man made hazards… there are other animals that will absolutely attack a cat. especially one with a dinner bell on it’s collar.

          • Deceptichum@kbin.social
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            11 months ago

            I get it. You want to think of birds as fierce hunters. And they are that. none of what that is invalidated by them occasionally being hunted. The reality is that kind of thinking- that the bird will be okay, because they’re fierce apex predators is wrong… and besides man made hazards… there are other animals that will absolutely attack a bird.

            Mate you’re a fucking moron. Cats are apex predators in many locations, especially cities where they surprise surprise are largely found, this isn’t up your personal feelings about fucking eagles swooping down and eating them or whatever fantasies you dream of.

            • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              Never said birds were. But I wouldn’t argue it based on what happens in cities… That would be like arguing tetras are apex predators because they’re the only thing in the fish tank.

              • Deceptichum@kbin.social
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                11 months ago

                To think otherwise is ridiculous.

                If you don’t take local environment into account, than you’re comparing a planets worth of species in which case an Orca could kill any other species and the only thing that hunts them is us, so they’re not even an apex themselves.

                You might as well argue there is not one apex predator on the planet.