On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:09:43 -0400, wrote:



I don't think you can blame this on Obama any more than you have to
blame GHW Bush for the $150 million they spent for tunnels under
Alligator Alley to save the non-existent Florida Panther.

I saw a video on the news recently - within the last week - that
showed a Florida panther in somebody's back yard.
That's what they said it was, anyway. You see that?

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:09:43 -0400, wrote:


I don't think you can blame this on Obama any more than you have to
blame GHW Bush for the $150 million they spent for tunnels under
Alligator Alley to save the non-existent Florida Panther.

I saw a video on the news recently - within the last week - that
showed a Florida panther in somebody's back yard.
That's what they said it was, anyway. You see that?

--Vic




That backyard probably was the cat's backyard before it was tractored
out and developed.

Healthy wild animals typically avoid close encounters with humans. We
have critters crossing through our yard just as they did before we moved
here. They walk from one woods to another. We leave water and sometimes
food out for them at the edge of the woods. Just once some baby raccoons
came up close to the house.

In fact, our youngest cat, Cal, actually lived among a family of
raccoons when he was a really small kitten. I have no explanation for
it, other than he is a Maine coon cat, but of course that's really no
explanation. Once we saw him, I started putting out a plate for food for
him, and in a few days, was able to catch him in a cage trap baited with
a can of sardines. He was only a few months old then. Took him up to the
vet for an exam (no feline leukemia) and shots, and the second I got him
home he became a wonderful little housecat with absolutely no desire to
go outside.

This is Cal, shortly after we brought him indoors:

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...urrent=002.jpg

On Jun 25, 1:44*pm, HK wrote:
Vic Smith wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:09:43 -0400, wrote:

I don't think you can blame this on Obama any more than you have to
blame GHW Bush for the $150 million they spent for tunnels under
Alligator Alley to save the non-existent Florida Panther.

I saw a video on the news recently - within the last week - that
showed a Florida panther in somebody's back yard.
That's what they said it was, anyway. *You see that?

--Vic

That backyard probably was the cat's backyard before it was tractored
out and developed.

Healthy wild animals typically avoid close encounters with humans. We
have critters crossing through our yard just as they did before we moved
here. They walk from one woods to another. We leave water and sometimes
food out for them at the edge of the woods. Just once some baby raccoons
came up close to the house.

In fact, our youngest cat, Cal, actually lived among a family of
raccoons when he was a really small kitten.

Bull****.

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:44:43 -0400, HK wrote:


This is Cal, shortly after we brought him indoors:

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...urrent=002.jpg

Saw a piece pumping Sandra Day O'Connors's book about the animals of
her childhood. Didn't pay much attention, but there was something
about a pet bobcat.
I never cared about cats. Oh, they're cute and all, and I have
nothing against them, just never felt a "connection" like I do with
dogs.

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:44:43 -0400, HK wrote:

This is Cal, shortly after we brought him indoors:

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...urrent=002.jpg

Saw a piece pumping Sandra Day O'Connors's book about the animals of
her childhood. Didn't pay much attention, but there was something
about a pet bobcat.
I never cared about cats. Oh, they're cute and all, and I have
nothing against them, just never felt a "connection" like I do with
dogs.

--Vic


I like dogs, too. Great pets.

One of our cats seems more dog-like than cat-like in many ways. They're
all "rescue kitties" in one way or another.

wrote:
On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:19:37 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:09:43 -0400, wrote:


I don't think you can blame this on Obama any more than you have to
blame GHW Bush for the $150 million they spent for tunnels under
Alligator Alley to save the non-existent Florida Panther.
I saw a video on the news recently - within the last week - that
showed a Florida panther in somebody's back yard.
That's what they said it was, anyway. You see that?

--Vic


Yup, all of the swamp creatures are showing up in people's back yards
as the back yards are encroaching on the swamp.
The problem with the "Florida" panther is it is just a garden variety
cougar, just like the ones in Texas and the mountain lions that eat
joggers in California.
In the 80s this was proved in court by a local casino manager and
sometime indian chief James Billee (charged with killing one).
Any possible ESA protection was voided when they introduced 50+
cougars from Texas to increase the genetic diversity.
When you see a "Florida Panther" it is as likely to have been born on
the Pecos River as on the Shark River.


Florida is far better for its small population of big cats than it is
for the influx of boobus Americanus.

On Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:41:42 -0400, wrote:


Yup, all of the swamp creatures are showing up in people's back yards
as the back yards are encroaching on the swamp.
The problem with the "Florida" panther is it is just a garden variety
cougar, just like the ones in Texas and the mountain lions that eat
joggers in California.
In the 80s this was proved in court by a local casino manager and
sometime indian chief James Billee (charged with killing one).
Any possible ESA protection was voided when they introduced 50+
cougars from Texas to increase the genetic diversity.
When you see a "Florida Panther" it is as likely to have been born on
the Pecos River as on the Shark River.

I looked around a little and found only references to 8 Texas females
being introduce. But it looks like the "real" Florida panthers, if
they exist, are genetically weakened from inbreeding.
I don't like species extinction, but if it has to happen it's probably
best it happens to species that can eat you.
Anyway, looks like a good argument to stay out of.

--Vic