What purpose does a cat have on the planet

[Victormeldrew1]

Exactly that really
Was having a conversation with my dad about cats as I have one very beautiful tortoishell cat love her so much and my dad say cats are pointless their selfish n have no place on the planet and they kill wildlife
I'm really pissed off he said it tbh

My cat's purposes:
to look staggeringly handsome
to pose in staggeringly handsome poses
footwarmer
bed-scarf (sleep on my neck)
nanny (he tucks DC in at night)
spider and rodent deterrent
helps with typing
and reading the newspaper
official taster of chicken and cream
masseur
hairdresser (not good at it but very keen)
birdwatching companion
relaxation/meditation guru
general staggering handsomeness

Actually, even the RSPB doesn't believe that cats have an impact on bird populations, as they generally kill weak or sickly birds, which would not have survived to the next breeding season. The main reason for population decline is change or loss of habitat- i.e. humans.

They are incredibly bad for our native wildlife in particular our wild bird population

And humans aren’t?

My cat is a furry princess and has never caught a single bird or animal in her long life. Her purpose is to shred the carpet and be stroked in return

@showmethegin. You'd probably get away with it when he's comatose, but try tickling his tummy when he's fully alert, and you risk severe lacerations to the arm (bitter experience!)

The argument that cats have any significant impact on wildlife population has been proven to not have any scientific basis. Their impact is negligible.

I'm pretty sure mine thinks her purpose is as a living breathing teddy-cat. Hers certainly isn't to go Outside when there might be.... Weather!

They are there to look beautiful, smell delicious (how do they manage that?!) And be generally demanding. No wonder the Egyptians worshipped them. I adore ours.

My boy is a lovely companion. He makes funny noises when he sleeps and generally enriches my life by his presence. I also love a few internet cats I’ve never met like Cole & Marm.

They lovely smelling baked bean paws are reason enough to have a cat. 🐈

It isn't a valid question. What 'purpose' have moose, wasps, axylotls or red pandas? None. They simply are.

The question implies either that life was all put here by a creator or that all life should serve humanity in some way. I'm not comfortable with either proposition.

Plus, I love cats!

mycathogstgebed genuine question, can you provide a link to back up your assertion that cats have no significant detrimental affect on native wildlife?

Mine are all super pointless. Cute though!

Pandas are fucking pointless as fuck though. Much pointlesser than cats.

Not many pandas use my garden as a toilet though.

@Miljah

I'll do my best. Having looked through the research in order to post some links for you, it appears that cats living near to conservation sites are of concern because, not surprisingly, cats predating species whose populations are struggling is potentially much more of a problem than cats predating an abundant species.

The short answer seems to be that despite significant amounts of research, nobody really knows.

Literature review across many different papers, which concludes.... nothing much really;

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.footprint-ecology.co.uk/reports/Floyd,%2520L%2520and%2520Underhill-Day,%2520J%2520C%2520-%25202013%2520-%2520A%2520literature%2520review%2520on%2520the%2520effects%2520of%2520pet%2520cats%2520on%2520.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjrjeTv_JLiAhXBXRUIHXR_DVgQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1LOQ9-rfaw0U0r0o927yi_&cshid=1557560605035" rel="nofollow" target="blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.footprint-ecology.co.uk/reports/Floyd,%2520L%2520and%2520Underhill-Day,%2520J%2520C%2520-%25202013%2520-%2520A%2520literature%2520review%2520on%2520the%2520effects%2520of%2520pet%2520cats%2520on%2520.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjrjeTv_JLiAhXBXRUIHXR_DVgQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1LOQ9-rfaw0U0r0o927yi&cshid=1557560605035

RSPB which says the research is pretty flawed, and we think cats predate sickly birds who would die soon anyway. It also points out that for a population to remain stable, out of all the chicks a breeding pair raises only two need to go on to breeding age. They also raise the issue of cats who live next to sites where wildlife in need of conservation lives.

www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

On a personal note, I wonder what if anything else is a predator to bird populations in towns? With no cats does the population risk overexpansion and the ecosystem going "out" in that direction? (The answer is of course, we don't know)

Well they kill vermin although my 13 year old cat has retired now
Seriously though they just eat and sleep but they are happy .
I said this morning that cat is happy as it's sunny and can sit in the garden . I admire cats if reincarnation exists I'd love to come back as a cat .

Mine is like a personal fitness instructor, always requiring me to get up and open a far away window and/or door and/or view the contents of his food bowl. I'm also supporting various businesses buying food for him to reject. He also fosters good neighbourly relations as random strangers phone me and tell me he's lost and can I come and rescue him.

From a human point of view cats are excellent hunters of pest animals like mice and rats which is why farmers have always had them. Dogs are useful because of their ability to be trained to do a variety of jobs. While cats are still good hunters many pedigree dogs have been ruined by inbreeding and are not used for the purposes they were bred for. So while it still makes sense for farmers to have sheep dogs and game keepers to have gun dogs and blind people to have guide dogs it does not make sense for the average suburban family to have any pets.

In this case surely quite a few pets are pointless. I'm thinking about hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, tortoises etc.....do they have a useful purpose?

Mine is great at warming my feet, last night he slept with his paws on the soles of my feet 😆

My cat loves me more than he loves Dh and dcs (it makes me feel ridiculously special)🥰and when my teens are being arsey and unpleasant I can yell “well at least the cat loves me more than you.”Childish but satisfying 😁

To be spoilt & cuddled

From a human point of view cats are excellent hunters of pest animals like mice and rats which is why farmers have always had them.

Clearly haven't met my two or the late Maia. None of them could catch a cold. They shared a brain cell between them!

No member of the animal kingdom - including humans - has a 'purpose' on the planet. We are the results of evolution not design. The reason people like cats is because they are often beautiful, affectionate and funny. Nobody who doesn't like them needs to have one but sharing my home with my four and up to four more RSPCA foster kittens at any one time does more for the quality of my everyday life than almost anything else.

I'd love to have a cat (tho they'd have to conform to several cat- stereotypes!)

However, in all conscience, I can't as they are, or can be, such alpha predators.

Cats invented yoga. And now they're resting.