How early can my kittens go outside?They are driving me mental. - Page 2

I thought everyone already knew the history of the Australian ecological disaster. *scratching head*

I guess for those that aren't familiar with it, in the 1700s Europeans brought rabbits to the island. By the 1800s, they had bred into quite the plague having no natural predators in that new environment, and out-competing native fauna and destroying a lot of the flora from overconsumption by feral colonies.

To deal with this disaster, they had to build hundreds of miles of fences around settlements to keep the rabbits out, but they got through.

Since that failed, to raise revenue from their pelts and deal with the rabbits, foxes were introduced. Unfortunately, the foxes reproduced in mass numbers from all the available rabbits they had to eat, but they ate not only rabbits but countless native species. Foxes themselves were declared a pest animal and orders were sent to shoot on site and lay traps regardless of declining pelt market value.

Cats were introduced around the same time for the same reason, with large feral colonies as well that likewise did not restrict themselves to feeding on rabbits, to add to the damage to local flora and fauna in a similar fashion to the foxes.

The rabbit population still out of control, they then started introducing various viruses and fleas into the ecosystem to deal with them, but it wasn't really successful either.

There was also an issue with beetles affecting crops, so toads were introduced. Long story short, similar situation and now they are a pest animal in Australia.

Because of these disasters, Australia now has the strictest quarantine laws of any country in the world today, but its still simply too late to undo most of the damage that has been done.

If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

and don't you guys remember the Simspons episode where Bart brought a frog to Australia and by the end of the episode bullfrogs had dominated the continent?

Topic off-track, thread closed? Had to get my 2 cents in, sorry...

As an aside to my earlier post in regards to my outside cat recently killed during the night by a snow plow.

Although I don't intend on adopting anymre outside cats, and my current cats will remain indoors. I will say that I don't regret a minute of the life my outside cat lived, and I firmly believe in quality of life of quantity of life in humans and pets. She was the happiest being outside, believe me I tried to keep her inside at times. She loved hunting and did so at least once a day and absolutely loved the additional 18 months of life I provided for her at my home.

So to the OP, if you believe that the best quality of life for these kittens is to go outside, then do that. But if you think they are contented to be inside, and are only sending them out because they are rambunctious kittens, keep them inside.

Good luck