|
National Geographic The Secret Life of Cats
|
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And they all lived |
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G'night, sweetie. |
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In an ordinary house |
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Kyle, are you in bed? |
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...there lived a cat. |
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There's my kitty. |
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He had everything |
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Feed the gerbils, honey? |
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...affection, food, shelter |
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he was the sweetest kitty |
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But this is |
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There is another side |
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one his family |
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Like his ancestors, |
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Well fed and |
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wildness still courses |
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He may look domesticated, |
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This is a real life Jekyll |
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It is the paradox of the cat. |
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There are more than |
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in the U.S. alone. |
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What goes on in |
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In the next hour you may |
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than you ever wanted to know. |
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It's 8 p.m. Do you know |
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Magnificent, |
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the cat family species boasts |
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including the diminutive, |
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Since prehistoric times, |
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these cats have wandered |
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The presumed ancestor of |
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the wild cat might |
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but its canines and claws |
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are as lethal |
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In its eyes, |
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How did this ferocious |
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feline jump the wild track |
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to our milk bowls |
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Felis catus |
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to domestication more than |
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In ancient Egypt, |
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this hunter extraordinaire |
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In return, he was worshipped |
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But history would not always |
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treat our feline friend |
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Believed to be |
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more than a few were |
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for keeping wrong company. |
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Luckily, the cat would soon |
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for his hunting skills proved |
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Cats kept the rat in check. |
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Near the end of the road, |
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perhaps the most |
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was forged between the farmer |
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Now, what you got there? |
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Ironically, |
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was its ticket to |
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There's extra milk for |
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Now to complete the journey. |
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...eleven, twelve, thirteen, |
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ready or not here I come. |
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What lay ahead was one of |
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relationships nature has |
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the remarkable bond |
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We were drawn to a creature |
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Wow! Hey guys |
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We would overlook |
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and welcome them |
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When the dust of the eons |
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we found ourselves inexorably |
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This extraordinary creature |
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in our hearts-and our homes. |
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Mama, Mama, Mama, Mom, Mama, |
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Can I keep him, |
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At last, the cat managed to |
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as the most popular pet |
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In the U.S. alone, house cats |
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have doubled in number |
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C'mon, chin up. |
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Cat-mania is |
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These are piddle pants |
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The Chaise lounges are a new |
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that we're carrying. |
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The Litter Maid Electric Self- |
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We probably spend about |
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$10, $20, or $30,000 a year, |
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Throughout the world, |
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to our feline companions |
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primping and keen competition. |
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Through the careful |
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humans have created nearly 50 |
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Though some might look |
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mistakes of nature... |
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each coupling is carefully |
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But a cat needn't be a winner |
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Well, it's Rush's |
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We have birthday cakes for us, |
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a birthday cake for |
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The Ross family has taken |
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They're very much our family. |
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Hey, Rush, |
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My husband spoils the cats. |
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And so he always has the cats |
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One more bite, |
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You won't get the same thing |
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They like to have the food |
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And they oftentimes will eat |
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things they would never eat |
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if you would |
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As you can see, |
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But well-fed cats |
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So we keep them inside. |
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And our cats are never bored. |
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Shirley May loves her cats. |
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But even she knows, |
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there can be |
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When I was a child, |
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there was a family down |
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And they didn't have |
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And there were kittens |
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Well, of course, |
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because I loved kittens. |
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Super kitty |
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There are more than |
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born in this country each day- |
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and more than twice |
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Sheltered and well-fed, |
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cat numbers can soar |
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Cats are prolific. |
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One female can have as many |
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In just seven years, |
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could produce over |
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Suddenly, sometimes, |
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and nobody seemed to |
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where the kittens went. |
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With such feline fertility, |
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unwanted cats are a sad |
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This scene may be |
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but the tragedy is still |
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Even now, hundreds of cats |
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in the U.S. alone. |
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What's to become of |
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He is suddenly faced |
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to survive in an alien world. |
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But the cat holds a wild card- |
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He is one of the earth's |
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Good news for the cat... |
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There's one more predator |
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And when push comes to shove, |
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another key |
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In the face of adversity, |
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Armed with sharp claws, |
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he's not restricted to |
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The cat nearly always lands |
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This diminutive creature seems |
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With a flexible backbone |
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the cat can run up |
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His agile body |
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But at times, |
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is to seek shelter... |
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For the tables will soon turn |
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Night belongs to the cat. |
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He is a creature designed |
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with night vision, |
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a keen sense of smell, |
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tuned to signals that mere |
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The faintest squeak- |
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allows him to pinpoint |
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and launch his assault. |
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Only the fortunate manage to |
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The cat is a marvel of |
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His supple spine allows |
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we could only dream. |
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His uncanny sense of balance |
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a safe landing. |
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With persistence |
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the cat gets his mouse. |
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This is a creature |
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He has landed in the most |
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and somehow managed to endure. |
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Near the Antarctic, |
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temperatures can |
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On a diet of seabirds |
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and the occasional |
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the cats of Macquarie Island |
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have persevered since |
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by sealers over a century ago. |
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Half a world away, |
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the volcanic Galapagos Islands |
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or prey to its immigrant cats. |
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Though lean, |
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Abandoned cats are struggling |
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to survive throughout |
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where there are an |
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Here in Miami, Florida, |
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thousands of forsaken felines |
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have landed in the middle of |
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Though the dumping of |
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in Dade County parks, |
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it's not uncommon to |
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abandoned cats. |
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What are the consequences |
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Don Chingquina of the |
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is concerned about |
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You know parks like these |
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are so important to |
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because |
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these birds fly from as |
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They come across |
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and they're tired, |
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They land in a small, |
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confined place like |
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and they're greeted |
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It's a recipe for disaster. |
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Through no fault of their own |
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these felines have stirred |
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Kate Rhubee is one of many |
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who have taken pity on |
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She, too, knows there's |
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A lot of people |
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about the impact that |
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cats have on the small birds |
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In an ideal world, |
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we wouldn't have |
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and the cats wouldn't |
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and they wouldn't be |
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But in this cycle of |
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it's not just the wildlife |
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These cats are at the mercy |
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aggression within |
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It's really upsetting to me |
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when someone dumps |
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'cause this is absolutely |
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In the last |
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we've had 39 |
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With so many new arrivals, |
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Spaying and neutering |
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But most of the strays |
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it's impossible to |
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Members of the Cat Network |
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the ingenuity- |
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Still, there's no guarantee |
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which cats will venture |
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if any at all. |
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Hey, you guys, |
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The night's bounty |
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Kate? Is this the orange |
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Yes, he is. |
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I'm concerned that |
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looks like he's gonna have |
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Off to the vet you go. |
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Dr. Ted Sanchez |
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at a reduced rate caring for |
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The rest of the funds come |
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from volunteers like |
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who contribute thousands of |
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We're going to be taking a |
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and we're just gonna try to |
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rule out a couple of |
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that they commonly get. |
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It's a male. |
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And these guys tend to be a |
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in the males than the females |
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because they tend to have |
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We're just going to |
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Cats are vulnerable to |
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Feline leukemia |
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are both highly contagious- |
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It's not a pretty death. |
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Cindy, I think we may have |
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You can tell here. |
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We'll see what the test |
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But you see the gums? |
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They're real, real red. |
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He's got a pretty good |
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which is one of the common |
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plus the fact that |
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So we'll wait. |
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He's got a couple of variety |
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so he's not in |
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He's been eating well, |
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but this is a bad sign. |
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It really makes me sad |
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And anytime I have to |
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it really bothers me. |
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But, if you leave him, |
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then he's gonna infect |
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It's the right thing to do, |
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And he'll also have |
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If they go through the |
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it's not fair to them. |
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They suffer too much. |
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Cats that test negative |
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might be candidates |
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But first they must be spayed |
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I don't think it's the |
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But at least |
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we are controlling |
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Thousands of cats are being |
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put to sleep every year, |
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because owners are |
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with spaying and neutering. |
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We have to tell these people |
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that are abandoning cats, |
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Spayed and neutered cats |
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have the tips of |
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to serve |
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This kitten has become |
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Once she's recovered |
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she'll return to the colony- |
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You doing alright? |
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It's a dismal solution |
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and a precarious |
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Well-fed and spayed, |
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But where are the thousands |
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Until an answer can be found, |
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migrating birds |
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with yet another predator. |
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But it's not just |
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There are more than 60 |
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and many are on the prowl |
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What is the impact of |
| 00:21:52 |
The answer is clear at the |
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Dr. Gentz, cat attack coming |
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Many of the patients |
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are casualties |
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We have two injured bunnies. |
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Most are mangled |
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Cat attack coming in from... |
| 00:22:12 |
Each day brings new drama for |
| 00:22:15 |
as they try to piece together |
| 00:22:23 |
Well, I think this one's |
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although probably half don't. |
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Casualties pour into the |
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Pet owners are often shocked |
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to find that their well-fed |
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Though some have been |
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the attack is often |
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This one was injured on |
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And it was bleeding |
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And this one was injured... |
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...on his leg... |
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Oh, you better |
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The hospital recovery room |
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that fell prey to the claw. |
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Most require intensive care. |
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But for every |
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there are four others |
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This represents two weeks of |
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brought here to the |
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the non-survivors. |
| 00:23:20 |
We probably have an |
| 00:23:22 |
animals in the |
| 00:23:24 |
still being treated now |
| 00:23:27 |
than these, |
| 00:23:28 |
but statistically about |
| 00:23:30 |
of the cat attack victims that |
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Cats are incredibly efficient |
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This poor bunny was |
| 00:23:40 |
by the cat that caught it. |
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Creatures lucky enough to |
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face yet another peril. |
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Cat saliva is |
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Getting bit by a cat |
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poison into a wild animal. |
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A wild animal with a cat |
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from the trauma will die of |
| 00:24:02 |
an infection within |
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As a wildlife veterinarian, |
| 00:24:10 |
it's my job |
| 00:24:11 |
and injured wildlife |
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but this is a waste. |
| 00:24:15 |
These animals |
| 00:24:18 |
If people would keep their |
| 00:24:20 |
these animals wouldn't end up |
| 00:24:27 |
What's a cat owner to do? |
| 00:24:30 |
Just three hours from the |
| 00:24:33 |
on 25 acres of |
| 00:24:36 |
lives a cat |
| 00:24:40 |
Ironically, |
| 00:24:43 |
who's specialty is birds. |
| 00:24:46 |
As a devoted cat owner, |
| 00:24:48 |
Ruth Beck has been grappling |
| 00:24:52 |
I specialize in ornithology |
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and I'm very interested in |
| 00:24:57 |
But I also love cats. |
| 00:25:02 |
It is not the cat's fault, |
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it's what he does and what |
| 00:25:07 |
He has some basic equipment, |
| 00:25:09 |
just as every |
| 00:25:11 |
first of all, |
| 00:25:11 |
you can look at these |
| 00:25:15 |
And then we have |
| 00:25:17 |
of switchblades |
| 00:25:19 |
can inflict quite a wound. |
| 00:25:23 |
C'mon, breakfast. |
| 00:25:25 |
Ting Tang II is a well-fed cat. |
| 00:25:27 |
But breakfast |
| 00:25:28 |
on his favorite pastime. |
| 00:25:31 |
He's an avid bird watcher- |
| 00:25:35 |
Each morning, |
| 00:25:38 |
Ting Tang is ready |
| 00:25:41 |
But he has to comply with |
| 00:25:44 |
Most bird species feed |
| 00:25:49 |
So just by not letting him out |
| 00:25:52 |
and for just a few hours |
| 00:25:55 |
when the birds are less |
| 00:25:58 |
to prevent the cat |
| 00:26:03 |
Ruth has found a compromise |
| 00:26:07 |
but gives the birds |
| 00:26:24 |
Ting Tang II must make |
| 00:26:27 |
in feline paradise. |
| 00:26:29 |
He is a cat with a curfew. |
| 00:26:32 |
When day is done, |
| 00:26:35 |
I think that true cat lovers |
| 00:26:40 |
I'd like to see us |
| 00:26:43 |
that our pets are |
| 00:26:51 |
If we come to terms |
| 00:26:53 |
that our cats do hunt, |
| 00:26:58 |
the question then becomes: |
| 00:27:03 |
That's just what |
| 00:27:06 |
set out to discover |
| 00:27:07 |
when they launched |
| 00:27:09 |
"Look What the Cat Brought In" |
| 00:27:11 |
...a bit ghoulish, really. |
| 00:27:14 |
This is brilliant. |
| 00:27:15 |
Yes, it's good, isn't it? |
| 00:27:19 |
Excellent... |
| 00:27:19 |
The Society has found itself |
| 00:27:21 |
buried beneath a mountain |
| 00:27:23 |
For Michael Woods, |
| 00:27:24 |
processing the results |
| 00:27:27 |
C'mon, I can't have you |
| 00:27:29 |
top of all my work. |
| 00:27:31 |
Well, I have a very ambivalent |
| 00:27:34 |
I love the way |
| 00:27:35 |
that they move and I think |
| 00:27:37 |
but I just hate what they |
| 00:27:41 |
The Society invited the public |
| 00:27:44 |
for a five-month period, |
| 00:27:47 |
their kitty dragged home. |
| 00:27:49 |
The amazing thing is we've had |
| 00:27:53 |
which is a huge amount- |
| 00:27:55 |
and much better |
| 00:27:57 |
We've got a lot of |
| 00:27:58 |
and it's giving us some |
| 00:28:01 |
And some of them |
| 00:28:04 |
they're some big killer |
| 00:28:06 |
And they're causing quite |
| 00:28:08 |
Remarkably, |
| 00:28:09 |
the traditional |
| 00:28:12 |
the mouse, |
| 00:28:14 |
If you extrapolate up |
| 00:28:16 |
of cats we have in Britain, |
| 00:28:17 |
which is around about |
| 00:28:19 |
and that's just the tame ones |
| 00:28:20 |
the wild ones are |
| 00:28:22 |
then we are looking at |
| 00:28:25 |
are killed every year by cats. |
| 00:28:28 |
And then we have voles, |
| 00:28:31 |
The mice are interesting, |
| 00:28:32 |
because a lot of people think |
| 00:28:34 |
you know, because they can be |
| 00:28:37 |
particularly if they |
| 00:28:39 |
but mice are very important, |
| 00:28:41 |
along with the other |
| 00:28:42 |
as prey species for |
| 00:28:45 |
Then, |
| 00:28:47 |
we've got about cats, |
| 00:28:50 |
approximately, wear bells. |
| 00:28:51 |
Wearing bells seems to |
| 00:28:54 |
at all to the amount of |
| 00:28:56 |
They still go out and catch |
| 00:28:58 |
And color of cats seems |
| 00:29:00 |
White cats appear to catch |
| 00:29:01 |
a lot less than some of the |
| 00:29:04 |
and I guess it's color |
| 00:29:06 |
particularly at night, |
| 00:29:08 |
The survey's certainly shown |
| 00:29:10 |
that however |
| 00:29:11 |
it makes no difference at all |
| 00:29:14 |
and is just as likely to |
| 00:29:18 |
Out of 750 cats, one of the |
| 00:29:21 |
a female cat |
| 00:29:23 |
and who has killed |
| 00:29:25 |
worth of |
| 00:29:27 |
for us to |
| 00:29:30 |
So she's a real, you know, |
| 00:29:32 |
wicked thing to |
| 00:29:42 |
Knowing her record, |
| 00:29:43 |
I thought it would be |
| 00:29:46 |
and I was really surprised |
| 00:29:47 |
myself |
| 00:29:48 |
the form and found out |
| 00:29:50 |
things she did bring in. |
| 00:29:52 |
Hilary and Jim Pike |
| 00:29:55 |
to Missy's daily offerings. |
| 00:29:58 |
For Jim, the rabbits |
| 00:30:01 |
They all start from the skull |
| 00:30:05 |
and all we get left |
| 00:30:07 |
and four little paws... |
| 00:30:09 |
...which is not a |
| 00:30:10 |
when you come home |
| 00:30:11 |
and it's on the middle of the |
| 00:30:15 |
There must be some sort |
| 00:30:17 |
makes her do it all the time... |
| 00:30:20 |
They obviously just do it |
| 00:30:25 |
The spot you see along here, |
| 00:30:26 |
she lays in there |
| 00:30:28 |
and the swallows zip along, |
| 00:30:31 |
come down to along |
| 00:30:34 |
and she just leaps up and |
| 00:30:36 |
And, you know, |
| 00:30:39 |
and they're just stunned |
| 00:30:43 |
The two sucker fish |
| 00:30:47 |
specifically to take out |
| 00:30:47 |
within two weeks |
| 00:30:49 |
and they were |
| 00:30:50 |
We paid 40 pound for the pair. |
| 00:30:51 |
And in two weeks they're |
| 00:30:53 |
We found them on the grass. |
| 00:30:56 |
So that was a waste of |
| 00:31:07 |
Well, I've been collecting |
| 00:31:09 |
for the last two weeks, |
| 00:31:11 |
So, would you like me |
| 00:31:12 |
To show you just |
| 00:31:15 |
or bodies, I should say? |
| 00:31:20 |
It was a little bird, |
| 00:31:22 |
Just looks to be asleep, but |
| 00:31:23 |
unfortunately, |
| 00:31:28 |
And then this is one of the |
| 00:31:34 |
This is what Missy's brought |
| 00:31:38 |
She's quite a hunter. |
| 00:31:41 |
She's really surprised us on |
| 00:31:44 |
I've got to say that |
| 00:31:46 |
when we started |
| 00:31:48 |
In the last two weeks she's |
| 00:31:52 |
maybe a dozen or so that |
| 00:31:55 |
And I think that's a little |
| 00:32:29 |
Well, |
| 00:32:30 |
that she was one of |
| 00:32:33 |
But knowing how much stuff |
| 00:32:36 |
Because |
| 00:32:39 |
um, I think she's actually |
| 00:32:49 |
For many a cat, such |
| 00:32:52 |
at one time translated into a |
| 00:32:57 |
They kept stowaway |
| 00:33:03 |
But not all the cats |
| 00:33:06 |
made the long journey home. |
| 00:33:09 |
Some jumped ship and soon had |
| 00:33:15 |
New Zealand is a unique place. |
| 00:33:18 |
Like many islands, |
| 00:33:19 |
its wildlife evolved with |
| 00:33:23 |
Today, rare shore birds still |
| 00:33:26 |
on the sandy beaches- |
| 00:33:32 |
Attentive parents |
| 00:33:34 |
but their nests |
| 00:33:38 |
Until recently, |
| 00:33:42 |
But today, New Zealand's shore |
| 00:33:46 |
Here at |
| 00:33:49 |
the fairy tern is down to |
| 00:33:53 |
Each chick represents the |
| 00:34:00 |
With the |
| 00:34:02 |
Richard Parrish |
| 00:34:04 |
are part of a team trying to |
| 00:34:06 |
save the last of |
| 00:34:08 |
and Mangawhai's other |
| 00:34:11 |
Five years ago, |
| 00:34:12 |
they found themselves |
| 00:34:15 |
Something was |
| 00:34:18 |
and no one knew what. |
| 00:34:20 |
The team had to do a little |
| 00:34:24 |
One year we lost a lot of |
| 00:34:27 |
and we didn't know |
| 00:34:29 |
so we decided to set up |
| 00:34:32 |
24 hours a day on the nests- |
| 00:34:34 |
and try and work out who was |
| 00:34:39 |
The new lens is good, |
| 00:34:41 |
The wide-eyed angle lens... |
| 00:34:42 |
Oh, it is. |
| 00:34:42 |
...taking in a much bigger |
| 00:34:45 |
Well, |
| 00:34:46 |
stay here another day. |
| 00:34:48 |
You think so? |
| 00:34:48 |
Initially, we set it up on a |
| 00:34:51 |
just to get used to |
| 00:34:53 |
out the problems. |
| 00:34:56 |
What they discovered |
| 00:35:00 |
. and macabre. |
| 00:35:04 |
We ended up catching a cat |
| 00:35:06 |
and over four nights, |
| 00:35:12 |
The interesting thing for me |
| 00:35:14 |
only ate the heads. |
| 00:35:17 |
They left the bodies behind. |
| 00:35:22 |
Over the next four years, |
| 00:35:24 |
on various nests and found |
| 00:35:28 |
against the alien predator. |
| 00:35:31 |
As a result, feral cats |
| 00:35:33 |
are now being eradicated |
| 00:35:41 |
New Zealand |
| 00:35:43 |
of what can happen |
| 00:35:50 |
Here, in a land where |
| 00:35:54 |
and there's often |
| 00:35:57 |
it's hard to imagine |
| 00:35:58 |
surviving for long... but the |
| 00:36:04 |
In the middle of |
| 00:36:07 |
it must eat |
| 00:36:09 |
be it road kill |
| 00:36:11 |
or Australia's |
| 00:36:15 |
Bilbies, bandicoots, |
| 00:36:18 |
have been pushed |
| 00:36:20 |
by a barrage of pressures, |
| 00:36:26 |
One of the culprits |
| 00:36:33 |
For at least a century, |
| 00:36:36 |
this harsh expanse. |
| 00:36:37 |
And yet they remain elusive... |
| 00:36:40 |
whose ancestors were |
| 00:36:45 |
In an effort to unlock |
| 00:36:47 |
Parks and Wildlife |
| 00:36:50 |
has enlisted the help |
| 00:37:01 |
Searching for a cat |
| 00:37:03 |
is like looking for |
| 00:37:11 |
Yet these Aboriginal trackers |
| 00:37:13 |
are able to read even |
| 00:37:16 |
in the shadows of the sand. |
| 00:37:19 |
So the pussy cat, |
| 00:37:21 |
jumping here, jumped there, |
| 00:37:28 |
With their extraordinary |
| 00:37:31 |
Rachel has begun to unravel |
| 00:37:37 |
Where's that pussy cat now- |
| 00:37:40 |
Must be a long ways off. |
| 00:37:43 |
With their greater insight, |
| 00:37:46 |
cat numbers |
| 00:37:49 |
They're a pretty amazing animal |
| 00:37:52 |
But they just don't |
| 00:37:54 |
They didn't evolve out here. |
| 00:37:55 |
The native animals |
| 00:37:57 |
them and just can't really |
| 00:38:00 |
Hopefully, this work will lead |
| 00:38:03 |
of feral cats and eventually |
| 00:38:09 |
To reveal the patterns of |
| 00:38:12 |
Rachel uses radio telemetry, |
| 00:38:14 |
tracking individual cats |
| 00:38:20 |
Finding them is |
| 00:38:33 |
Feral cats are as ferocious |
| 00:38:38 |
Before handling one, |
| 00:38:39 |
Rachel must first |
| 00:38:44 |
Cat bites are not only |
| 00:38:46 |
they can infect |
| 00:38:51 |
We caught this cat |
| 00:38:53 |
using the Aboriginal |
| 00:38:56 |
and radio collared it, |
| 00:38:56 |
and we've been following |
| 00:38:58 |
in those last four months. |
| 00:39:02 |
This cat normally |
| 00:39:04 |
two or three kilometers a day |
| 00:39:09 |
tight home range |
| 00:39:13 |
He's lost about 300 grams |
| 00:39:17 |
I don't know if its maybe |
| 00:39:20 |
there may be a bit |
| 00:39:23 |
I just wanted to check that |
| 00:39:25 |
and not rubbing on his neck |
| 00:39:27 |
and just check |
| 00:39:29 |
But he's fine, so we'll |
| 00:39:31 |
just let him go here |
| 00:39:38 |
Any cats that are not part |
| 00:39:41 |
might find another |
| 00:39:46 |
It is a twist of irony: |
| 00:39:49 |
much of the Aborigine's |
| 00:39:51 |
to near extinction. |
| 00:39:55 |
In doing so, it now fills an |
| 00:40:07 |
Like a game of cat and mouse- |
| 00:40:11 |
it is the cat that |
| 00:40:32 |
Going to cook this one up |
| 00:40:36 |
Yeah. Good meat. |
| 00:40:37 |
These people |
| 00:40:39 |
all their lives and it's quite |
| 00:40:42 |
So they'll probably cook |
| 00:40:46 |
Good bush meat? Yeah. |
| 00:40:50 |
Now that the bilbies, |
| 00:40:52 |
and other medium-sized mammals |
| 00:40:55 |
the cat has taken a place |
| 00:41:05 |
Back at camp, |
| 00:41:06 |
Rachel collects |
| 00:41:09 |
as possible before the cat |
| 00:41:17 |
I'm trying to look at |
| 00:41:20 |
on all the wildlife out there |
| 00:41:23 |
and I'm looking at |
| 00:41:25 |
gut contents as probably |
| 00:41:27 |
of understanding |
| 00:41:30 |
This cat was obviously |
| 00:41:33 |
You can see quite plainly |
| 00:41:35 |
each object's |
| 00:41:40 |
What's this one, snake? |
| 00:41:42 |
He's got a little snake |
| 00:41:45 |
Well, |
| 00:41:46 |
There's three different |
| 00:41:49 |
three of these |
| 00:41:51 |
one quite large... |
| 00:41:56 |
some remains of |
| 00:42:00 |
So you can |
| 00:42:02 |
an impact they're |
| 00:42:03 |
on the native wildlife out |
| 00:42:06 |
that much in just one day. |
| 00:42:09 |
Ideally, we'd like to |
| 00:42:11 |
and see the native animals |
| 00:42:14 |
returned to their |
| 00:42:21 |
Until the cat |
| 00:42:24 |
it will remain a fixture |
| 00:42:26 |
It has worked its way |
| 00:42:30 |
for better or worse. |
| 00:42:35 |
There is a new order here |
| 00:42:38 |
and it's not a kind one for |
| 00:42:58 |
The cat wars are raging |
| 00:43:01 |
Halfway across the continent, |
| 00:43:10 |
On 160,000 acres of land, |
| 00:43:14 |
stretches as far as |
| 00:43:17 |
Why would anyone |
| 00:43:20 |
in the middle of |
| 00:43:24 |
The world has lost |
| 00:43:27 |
over the last 200 years; |
| 00:43:31 |
At present, about one a year |
| 00:43:33 |
we're losing and that's |
| 00:43:36 |
John Wamsley is a self- |
| 00:43:39 |
and rabid conservationist. |
| 00:43:43 |
Considered controversial |
| 00:43:45 |
his passion for |
| 00:43:47 |
has fueled his ire |
| 00:43:51 |
Let's talk about cats. |
| 00:43:53 |
This is a feral cat... |
| 00:43:57 |
about 500 years ago, |
| 00:43:58 |
probably with the early |
| 00:44:00 |
the West Australian coast, |
| 00:44:03 |
Australia until |
| 00:44:05 |
The rabbit came late 1800s, |
| 00:44:08 |
to cross Australia, |
| 00:44:10 |
and that's when the |
| 00:44:14 |
I love Australia and I love |
| 00:44:17 |
I've taken on the job of |
| 00:44:19 |
and I am going to save them. |
| 00:44:22 |
It's as simple as that. |
| 00:44:26 |
For over a decade, |
| 00:44:27 |
Wamsley has bred |
| 00:44:29 |
in captivity to insure that |
| 00:44:32 |
don't slip away. |
| 00:44:34 |
We're an island. |
| 00:44:35 |
We had no serious predators |
| 00:44:38 |
creatures evolved... |
| 00:44:41 |
most of them and they evolved |
| 00:44:44 |
We've got banded anteaters |
| 00:44:47 |
We've got kangaroos |
| 00:44:50 |
like rabbits. |
| 00:44:51 |
And we're losing them. |
| 00:44:52 |
We've got the bilbie |
| 00:44:54 |
just like a cartoon character |
| 00:44:56 |
The world would love to see |
| 00:44:58 |
but they can't, |
| 00:45:02 |
Wamsley's dream to create a |
| 00:45:05 |
is getting closer |
| 00:45:10 |
But fencing in habitat |
| 00:45:14 |
Before endangered wildlife |
| 00:45:17 |
the enclosure |
| 00:45:19 |
of introduced species. |
| 00:45:21 |
This fence is all about cats |
| 00:45:24 |
It puts a pretty |
| 00:45:27 |
It's a massive charge |
| 00:45:29 |
in the middle of the back |
| 00:45:31 |
When a cat touches |
| 00:45:33 |
it doesn't come back. |
| 00:45:35 |
On the other hand, |
| 00:45:36 |
we don't want to stop |
| 00:45:38 |
the wildlife that |
| 00:45:39 |
we don't want to stop |
| 00:45:41 |
And this fence is designed |
| 00:45:43 |
The kangaroos |
| 00:45:48 |
What we're going to do here, |
| 00:45:50 |
is we're now watering |
| 00:45:51 |
The cats have plenty |
| 00:45:53 |
And on the hottest day |
| 00:45:55 |
when we get there in February |
| 00:45:56 |
when all the rabbits are gone |
| 00:45:58 |
we're gonna cut off |
| 00:45:59 |
There'll be water |
| 00:46:01 |
They'll come over the fence |
| 00:46:03 |
They won't be able to |
| 00:46:11 |
For the cats and rabbits |
| 00:46:14 |
Wamsley called in an expert. |
| 00:46:24 |
I guess Adam O'Neil is the |
| 00:46:28 |
He understands animals |
| 00:46:31 |
and the bush better than |
| 00:46:33 |
I've ever met. |
| 00:46:36 |
He's probably the best shot |
| 00:46:40 |
He can knock over |
| 00:46:41 |
without any trouble. |
| 00:46:43 |
Yeah, he's got the job |
| 00:46:46 |
the cats and the rabbits. |
| 00:46:57 |
Well, I love the cat |
| 00:46:58 |
along with every other animal |
| 00:47:01 |
They're not exactly calculating |
| 00:47:04 |
They're just out there acting |
| 00:47:09 |
It's just unfortunate |
| 00:47:13 |
I suppose. |
| 00:47:14 |
But they've obviously got to |
| 00:47:18 |
Once again, the cat has been |
| 00:47:23 |
If you walk down the street |
| 00:47:26 |
then you are noticed. |
| 00:47:27 |
I can guarantee you that. |
| 00:47:28 |
Some people might try |
| 00:47:30 |
and they'll have different |
| 00:47:32 |
but you'll be noticed |
| 00:47:37 |
Here at CATS, Incorporated, |
| 00:47:42 |
Right, Nippy? |
| 00:47:46 |
Not everyone approves |
| 00:47:53 |
At the other end of the |
| 00:47:56 |
the president of CATS, |
| 00:47:59 |
She is dedicated to |
| 00:48:02 |
and the control of cat numbers |
| 00:48:06 |
Killing cats- |
| 00:48:07 |
or trying to get rid of |
| 00:48:09 |
is achieving nothing. |
| 00:48:13 |
Christine Pierson |
| 00:48:15 |
about the cat crisis. |
| 00:48:18 |
If you leave the birds |
| 00:48:20 |
they have a natural balance |
| 00:48:24 |
But the trouble is that |
| 00:48:26 |
they upset the natural balance |
| 00:48:35 |
And so the cat wars |
| 00:48:39 |
Where does the solution lie? |
| 00:48:42 |
Perhaps it |
| 00:48:47 |
In the Adelaide Hills, |
| 00:48:49 |
there is a cat whose |
| 00:48:51 |
a few years back. |
| 00:48:53 |
Owner Christine Colyer |
| 00:48:57 |
an unusual solution |
| 00:49:00 |
Diddles is a happy cat. |
| 00:49:03 |
The more comfortable she is, |
| 00:49:06 |
...the further out that |
| 00:49:09 |
She is the most beautiful cat |
| 00:49:13 |
We just don't think that |
| 00:49:17 |
Nestled in |
| 00:49:19 |
Diddles has the run of |
| 00:49:21 |
and access to an open cat |
| 00:49:29 |
The world outside for Diddles |
| 00:49:32 |
and tunnels- |
| 00:49:35 |
We have what |
| 00:49:37 |
which Diddles just loves to |
| 00:49:41 |
up and over and down. |
| 00:49:44 |
It's not a cage. |
| 00:49:49 |
The garden is full of birds- |
| 00:49:54 |
the red finches, rosillas, |
| 00:49:59 |
They will graze directly |
| 00:50:04 |
It's lovely to see the birds |
| 00:50:11 |
It certainly is peace |
| 00:50:13 |
of mind for me to know |
| 00:50:15 |
that she is safe and that |
| 00:50:18 |
enjoy life just as normal, |
| 00:50:23 |
And so are the birds. |
| 00:50:29 |
Back in Virginia, |
| 00:50:31 |
another cat is yielding |
| 00:50:34 |
Ting Tang! Time to come in. |
| 00:50:38 |
Ting Tang II's moment in the |
| 00:50:42 |
You know the rules. |
| 00:50:44 |
It's curfew time. |
| 00:50:49 |
Good boy. |
| 00:50:54 |
Until tomorrow, there will be |
| 00:51:03 |
Through the millennia, |
| 00:51:06 |
into our hearts and our homes. |
| 00:51:07 |
Mama, Mama, Mama, Mom, Mama, |
| 00:51:10 |
Can I keep him, |
| 00:51:11 |
But has our passion |
| 00:51:14 |
also blinded us to |
| 00:51:17 |
Has domestication gone awry? |
| 00:51:21 |
With cat numbers on the rise, |
| 00:51:23 |
Felis catus is getting away |
| 00:51:28 |
Well-fed and sheltered, |
| 00:51:30 |
these predators are gaining |
| 00:51:33 |
against which |
| 00:51:39 |
Most simply can't compete |
| 00:51:47 |
In the time it's |
| 00:51:50 |
cats in the U.S. have caught |
| 00:51:54 |
and over 30,000 birds. |
| 00:51:58 |
As for Missy, last month |
| 00:52:01 |
17 shrews, |
| 00:52:07 |
Nine more cats were dumped |
| 00:52:11 |
Neut celebrated |
| 00:52:15 |
Diddles communed |
| 00:52:19 |
And Ting Tang II |
| 00:52:25 |
It's 9 p.m. |
| 00:52:27 |
Do you know where |
