Big cat roaming Detroit streets killed by Local Asshole with Gun, thrown in trash

[joeybee12]

DETROIT — A big cat roaming Detroit's northeast side is dead, according to a feral cat rescue group that had been trying to find it for days.

The body of the 25-pound, 3-year-old Savannah cat named Chum was found in a trash can on Detroit's east side Monday evening, said founder Laura Wilhelm-Bruzek of Paws for the Cause, a feral cat rescue group based in Chesterfield Township, Mich.

A neighbor shot the cat days ago, she said. The all-volunteer nonprofit rescue group and advocates for feral cats had been searching for the cat since Saturday.

"I think people can't just go around shooting things they don't understand," Wilhelm-Bruzek said Tuesday. "I think we need to be a little bit more respectful of the animals and human beings around us. I'd love to see someone look into it and investigate it. But I'm not holding out a lot of hope. This whole thing from the beginning has just been a mess."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/27/detroit-big-cat-roaming/2706217/

[villager]

1. You used the redundant phrase "Asshole with Gun." The latter always infers the former.

n/t

[joeybee12]

4. I stand corrected...thanks...nt

[Go Vols]

34. k

[Lizzie Poppet]

36. And another:

[Lizzie Poppet]

7. Let the hate and bigotry flow through you, young Padawan.

[villager]

11. Aw, you tend to have that market cornered...

...in these discussions...

[Lizzie Poppet]

16. Any actual, verifiable evidence of that assertion...or just trolling?

Clue: that was a rhetorical question...no need to answer. Your initial post in the thread told me everything I need to know about'cha.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

19. +1

[villager]

23. Aside from the posts from the gun apologists you mean?

[Lizzie Poppet]

24. A simple, "no, just trolling" would have sufficed.

Although I suppose given that steaming turd of an initial post (and it's comedy-tier dicto simpliciter fallacy), your use of the collective "you" should have been evident.

[villager]

30. There you go! My thesis increasingly confirmed...

...with each of your "conversational" posts!

[Go Vols]

32. +1

[Mojorabbit]

44. +100 nt

[Eleanors38]

76. So, 80,000,000 million "assholes," is it? Including Democrats?

[villager]

85. On the issue of guns, they turn into flaming, obsessed assholes.

Myopic, easily manipulated, infantile emotions all abuzz, etc...

[Eleanors38]

86. So, I Walk with 80,000,000 Zombies?

[villager]

87. That's why zombie stories are such potent metaphors

Because of their general accuracy in describing the times....

[MotherPetrie]

28. +1

[Ghost in the Machine]

52. Unregister as a Democrat and find a Party that supports your views..

The Democratic Party Platform SUPPORTS the 2nd Amendment! If *you* don't support it, you're not a Democrat but more of a part of some Lunatic Fringe, along with the grabbers and banners. Go create your own third party and quit fucking ours up!

It's hard enough being a Democrat living in the South, trying to change the minds of generations of ignorance implanted in the single issue voters who say they'll "never vote for a Democrat because all they want to do is take away our guns", or "my Pappy and Grandpappy would come up out of their graves and get me if'n I voted for a Democrat 'cuz they want to take our guns and make us gay!"

Yeah, I heard both of those while out canvassing in 2008... It doesn't help when you show them a Democratic website and they see all these "grabbers", "banners" and "All gun owners are assholes" posters. It leaves a bad stench in this place, and it needs to be cleaned up. If I had my way, I'd scrape you ALL out the door with a squeegee, then dump a few 55 gallon drums of bleach in here....

Ghost

[sarisataka]

56. But aren't we repeatedly assured

by those who favor control not all gun owners are bad?

[villager]

62. Their routinely snarky posts....

...often, and sadly, prove otherwise.

[sarisataka]

65. Quite true

but not the gun owners, which is what I believe you meant.

I should note there are some who favor very strong control but are able to make a post without including a broadbrush insult. They are notably rare

[villager]

71. You had the "quite true" and "gun owners" part of your response correct!

Hope springs eternal!

[sarisataka]

75. I do have hope

That someday we will get past petty insults and bickering to pass laws both side want to see in place.
I'm not holding my breath

[billh58]

66. +100 n/t

[hughee99]

78. Why do you hate the president?

[REP]

2. 25 pounds is not a "big cat" (not faulting the OP)

A Savannah cat is not a "big cat" by any stretch of the imagination; if so, my Maine Coons are as well. Not that I expect much from USA Today, but surely someone there could compare a 25-pound Savannah to say, a lion and notice there were some differences.

[pnwmom]

45. It IS a big cat compared to typical domestic cats.

The phrase doesn't necessarily refer to lions, tigers, etc.

[REP]

54. It is generally understood to refer to the genus Panthera plus cougars, cheetahs and leopards

Very few people think Maine Coons (which often weigh 20+ pounds) when they think "big cats" 'terrorizing' a neighborhood. Unless they are morons.

[pnwmom]

60. Well, I guess I'm a moron because I think a Savannah is a big cat.

But I don't know why those people were terrified at the him.

[REP]

63. Good thing my Stewie is a house cat - he's bigger than that 'big cat'

Taller, heavier frame, and much more muscular. 27 pounds but looks bigger because he's long haired.

It was his much smaller sister who nearly killed me, though. Much smaller than that poor savannah.

[wild bird]

67. Could it have been mistaken for a bobcat?

We have alot of those around these parts, along with coyotes.


Savannah Cat.



Bobcat.



Someone not familiar with the breed could easily mistake it for a Bobcat.

[REP]

68. Bobcats are the size of a house cat.

[wild bird]

74. See the pictures I posted.

A full grown bobcat can weigh between 14 to 40 lbs. and stand between 24 to 48 inches at the shoulders.

The adult bobcat is 47.5 to 125 cm (18.7 to 49 in) long from the head to the base of the tail, averaging 82.7 cm (32.6 in); the stubby tail adds 9 to 20 cm (3.5 to 7.9 in) [12] and its "bobbed" appearance gives the species its name.[15][16][17][18] An adult stands about 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in) at the shoulders.[10][19] Adult males can range in weight from 6.4 to 18.3 kg (14 to 40 lb), with an average of 9.6 kg (21 lb); females at 4 to 15.3 kg (8.8 to 34 lb), with an average of 6.8 kg (15 lb).[20][21] The largest bobcat accurately measured on record weighed 22.2 kg (49 lb), although unverified reports have them reaching 27 kg (60 lb).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobcat

Given that, I can see where someone not familiar with the species could possibly mistake it for a bobcat.

[Warpy]

53. or a serval, the wildcat that gave rise to the savannah cat

The personality differences are huge, too.

This is just really sad, somebody's pet executed because a bunch of dumbass people were a-skeert.

[REP]

55. I can't imagine being scared of a serval

Then again, I live around mountain lions and bobcats without fear, and I pet wild skunks as they climb all over my feet.

Bobbies aren't much bigger than Stewart, my enormous Maine Coon, but the mountain lions are pretty damn big. And gorgeous.

[Warpy]

61. I've held long conversations with the bobcat

in the big cat habitats at the local zoo, to the amusement of the handlers.

I can't imagine being frightened of one but there's no way I'd try to keep one as a pet, either.

My favorite feline is the Manul, housecat sized and with incredibly thick, luxurious coats, but if you try to pet one, he's likely to rip your arm off and beat you to death with it.

[REP]

64. I'd be willing to try ...

... after all, it was a very petite, extremely sweet Maine Coon who (literally, and I'm using it correctly) nearly killed me earlier this year - 4 days in the hospital and just had surgery to fix some of the tendon damage.

So I'd try it, but with the other hand!

[Skittles]

3. cowards love killing

they salivate over it - look how many people enjoy killing doves. DOVES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[valerief]

9. Difference between Dems and Repubs.

The dem is the old man on the park bench feeding crumbs to pigeons.
The repub is the old man in his back yard shooting pigeons.

[graywarrior]

5. Bastard!!!

[AsahinaKimi]

43. agree!!

Baka! Doji Manuke!!

[Ohio Joe]

6. Another responsible gun owner just out shooting cats

Fuckin gun nuts.

[HolyMoley]

12. Detroits Northeast side isn't exactly a hot bed of NRA extremists

"fuckin gun nuts" or a role model for responsible gun owners

[Ohio Joe]

13. You don't mean... The 'C' word do you?

Control... Are you saying we need gun control?

[HolyMoley]

14. " 'C' word" !?!

Oh, that 'C' word.

That would all depend on what level of 'C' word we're talking about here.

Myself, I lean towards a lowercase 'c'.

[Ohio Joe]

15. So... no gun control and pass responsibility for cat shootings... Got it

Fuckin gun nuts

[HolyMoley]

18. Yes, because that's exactly what I posted.

Gotta hand it to you, you read me like a book.

[Ohio Joe]

21. Yeah, I did...

And it was pretty easy.

[HolyMoley]

22. Well then

break it down (in the simplest terms possible), and explain it all to those that didn't catch your drift; myself included.

[Ohio Joe]

26. Sorry you can't understand plain language...

Or the complicated terms I used.

[HolyMoley]

31. Awww, fuck it, you win

I blame myself for even responding in this thread to begin with.

Have a pleasant evening.

[snooper2]

48. you know they actually make those?

[ileus]

8. asshat...

poor cat, I've never understood hunting big cats.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

10. "I think people can't just go around shooting things they don't understand"-Laura Wilhelm-Bruzek

"Seems like my neighbor wants to kill what he can't understand
I say we can't just kill what we don't understand
But I turn on my TV and see that, oh, yeah, we can

We can and we have since then dawn of man
For countless gods whose only real seeming plan
Was to see to it that clinging to life was our fate
And you gotta admit that life's pretty great..."

-Todd Snider, "Happy New Year"

[Taitertots]

17. To all the people against shooting the giant stray cat....

What reasonable alternative do you propose?

Police- No Help
Michigan Humane Society- No Help
Owner- No Help
Mystery Organization for Feral Animals- Practically no Help

I have yet to see anyone produce a single viable alternative. Let me just preempt the obvious by saying, do nothing and wish for the best is not a viable alternative.

[MadrasT]

25. Leave it the fuck alone

It was a big housecat

Big deal

It was not going to tackle a human

[Taitertots]

29. You missed the part where I preemptively disregarded doing nothing

"It was not going to tackle a human"
Duh.

Is the whole basis of your opinion: Do nothing about giant feral stray cats roaming your neighborhood because you don't think it would "tackle a human"?

[joeybee12]

47. Wasn't feral, wasn't stray...was a pet...

Try again.

Oh, did this jackass hear of Animal Control?

[Taitertots]

70. Um, this was is in Detroit.

Animal Control are too busy trying to stop packs of wild dogs from attacking people.

I think you need to actually read the definition of feral cat, because that cat was feral.

So they probably hear of Animal Control in the sense that: They heard that Animal Control is just a number that you can call but no one will show up (at least not in any reasonable amount of time).
Just a little bit of context regarding public service response time in Detroit.

[joeybee12]

72. No, the cat was not feral..it was a pet..maybe reading is something you should do...

A feral cat is a cat that is born in the wild to a domesticated cat and has not been socialized. BTW, 25 pounds isn't huge...and the fact that the filthy asshole dumped the cat in the trash tells me he/she was out for the thrill of it all.

[Taitertots]

73. "having escaped from domestication and become wild "

http://www.merriam-webster.com/wdictionary/feral

[PoliticAverse]

27. Apparently it was only about 25lbs, not that huge...

and the Michigan Humane Society was looking for it.

It was an escaped pet house cat.

[Curmudgeoness]

33. Explain to me what harm that cat was doing

that warranted the death penalty.

And while you're at it, tell me why doing nothing is not an alternative.

We have stray and feral cats in my neighborhood. Never has it occurred to me to shoot one. I may not like the idea of cats running loose, but I am not going to go on a killing spree either.

[Taitertots]

37. Doing nothing is not a viable alternative because people shouldn't have to endure needless hardship

Do you live in an urban area?

Short list of problems caused/exacerbated by feral cats.
Disease vector for ticks, fleas, mites, lice, Toxoplasma gondii.(effects humans too).... The list goes on.
Biting/Scratching people
Biting/Scratching people's pets

Is a stray cat's life is worth more than the health and safety of your family and pets?

[Incitatus]

39. .

[Curmudgeoness]

59. Yes, I live in an urban area, and

we have a lot of stray cats in our neighborhood. To be honest, there has not been one case of disease, or of biting and scratching of people. I don't know about pets, but I have not heard of this happening...although we may not know since the pets don't talk to us. But most pets are not running free here, and the stray cats will retreat instead of attack.

I think this shooter was just a nasty, mean, sour human being. I have tried to find any reports about why she did it, and there don't not seem to have been any reasons for it, except that she must have hated cats.

[Taitertots]

77. Source? Frankly, I don't believe you have ever investigated the matter.

"be honest, there has not been one case of disease, or of biting and scratching of people"
Are you seriously trying to claim that you know that no one (Edit: in your entire city) has ever been bitten or scratched?

[Curmudgeoness]

83. Don't believe me then.

I have no idea about the whole city, and I never claimed to. But as to my neighborhood, we always know everyone's business and what happens. There are some people here who will tell everyone when a dog takes a shit on some yard and the dog walker doesn't pick it up. If there were problems, the rumor mill would be churning. I would bet on it.

And I wouldn't expect you to think my sources would be credible...."Linda" or "Bonnie" or "Joe" would probably not pass muster.

[Taitertots]

84. It is not that I don't believe "you", I don't believe that you actually investigated the issue.

AND, your post isn't clear that you are referring to only your neighborhood, and not the urban area in which you live.

It isn't that your sources are not credible. The problem is that a few anecdotes is fundamentally weak evidence. This is independent from their credibility.

[wild bird]

79. Someone not familiar with the breed could very well mistake it for a bobcat.

See my pics upthread for a comparison.

We have bobcats here where I live and they can be dangerous, especially to dogs, cats, children, how does anyone here know what was in the mind of the person who shot it? Maybe they thought it was a bobcat and dangerous to the neighborhood?

Who knows?

[Incitatus]

35. My alternative wouldn't be to fire a gun in a residential area.

The dumb fuck could have killed someone. People getting hit by stray bullets from some asshole firing a gun unnecessarily in a populated area is not a rare occurrence.

[Taitertots]

38. No, it is actually a fairly rare occurrence.

And I'm willing to bet the vast majority of the time the situation bears almost no resemblance to the situation in the OP.

[Robb]

40. "Rare"? Lightning deaths are "rare".

We get about 50 per year in this country.

Care to guess how many are killed, not by bullets with peoples' names in them, but by ones labeled "occupant"?

[Taitertots]

42. I'm not going to guess or search. If you know it, post it with your source.

Who cares how many people are struck by lightning? It is fundamentally irrelevant to the current discussion.

[billh58]

69. Uh, let it live?

Just a thought...

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. Why? very sad.

[LisaL]

41. Awful.

[undergroundpanther]

46. stupid fucking people

with guns. shooter should get a penalty. Poor cat,died in pain and his body put in a dumpster. Sometimes people are just amazingly disgusting. Sekhmet and Bast honor and protect the spirit of your murdered kin.
BTW my cat bear is big,he weighs around 25 lbs. He is a big boned cat. According to the people who don't know how big a cat has to be to be called a big cat .

[snooper2]

49. Maybe it was somebody reading DU that got moved by that "billion birds killed by cats" thread

[Ghost in the Machine]

50. As a gun owner, and hunter, this sickens me! I would bet dollars to doughnuts that whoever did this

was neither. I can't understand anyone with the mindset to shoot and animal, especially a cat they had no intention of eating, and just discarding it in a dumpster. Don't shoot what ya' ain't gonna eat!

Now, if it comes out that someone shot it because it was attacking one of their small children, or own pets, such as a regular sized house cat or small dog, I could probably understand that. You have a right to protect your kids, and pets, from being harmed in your own yard.

Ghost

[giftedgirl77]

51. Poor meow meow

Is there no laws anymore about discharging a weapon in a neighborhood or residential area? I'm pretty sure the asswipe couldn't use the stand your ground defense over a damn a house cat.

[NickB79]

57. With the MILES of empty city blocks going back to nature

I'm surprised we aren't reading about people shooting fucking mountain lions in their backyards yet.

Though the dog situation is getting bad: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-news-bc-detroit-dogs21-20130821,0,979563.story

[mwrguy]

58. Law abiding gun owner strikes again

He was just exercising his gawd given rights an a 'Murkin.

[Eleanors38]

80. So, an admittedly "local" story is used to...yep: Smear 80+ mill. gun-owners.

[The Straight Story]

81. Some here like to judge the many based on the very few, we have a term for that when

it is done to others.

There are some rights people would love to do away with (not something I would ever have thought I would see progressives advocating for, but since less than 1% of gun owners don't behave we should treat the entire group the same. Someone stole the playbook from the RW and how they portray Islam)

[Eleanors38]

82. And some controllers/banners are quite open about this...

method of stereotyping and stigmatizing with no irony at all.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

88. I hate trigger happy dipshits

One of the most exciting moments of my life was when I came within about 6 feet of a bobcat. I had never seen one before and for a few seconds I had no idea what I was looking at. He stood up and I said, "You're a bobcat" (Like he didn't know). He trotted slowly off. What stunned me was someone said I should have shot him!

Many years ago, the people who live about a mile from us, told us they saw a creature they didn't recognize in their barn............so they shot it! I was so mad, I never bothered to ask them what it was. Why are people like that? Fear of nature?