King Charles and Prince William are now the two biggest feudal landlords in the United Kingdom. Charles’s feudal landholdings are so extensive and medieval, he literally profits from dead people in Lancashire. Between the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall, Charles and William now “own” a huge network of commercial real estate, farms, private homes and vacation properties. They have thousands of “tenants” with long-term or short-term leases. And Charles has now put his foot down with his tenants – absolutely NO cats allowed. This is horrific.
In addition to reigning over the United Kingdom, King Charles III, 75, is also a prolific property owner who lets a large array of homes to his citizens — but not the ones with cats. At his country abodes in rural Sandringham, tenants are subject to screening, required to rent the unfurnished properties for a minimum of 12 months and, most memorably, adhere to its “strict no cats policy.”
Dogs, meanwhile, “will be considered on a house by house basis,” according to the estate’s website.
The ban is thought to have originated under his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, out of concern that the kitties would hunt the estate’s bird population, according to SWNS.
The Guardian, meanwhile, reports that the reasoning is likely in an effort to specifically protect pheasant fledglings, which are bred in Sandringham for hunting purposes. It may also have come from personal prejudice: the Queen, although a known lover of Welsh Corgis, was reportedly not a fan of cats, to which she may have been allergic.
For those who can get past the no-feline rule, the residences offer amenities including garages, multiple outhouses, driveways, contemporary kitchens and historic details galore. Prospective residents should also note that current tenants are not without complaints. One royal renter, Mick Dye, told the Guardian he has been requesting upgrades to his Shernborne cottage home for years, significantly to no avail.
“We ain’t got any loft insulation, we’ve still got metal windows, we ain’t got a firewall [in the loft]. Lots of the things we haven’t got, we should have,” Dye said to the publication. “Any other landlord would be had up for doing what they’re doing. But … you can’t take the Queen to court.”
I get that Britain is a “dog-loving nation” but this is awful. Plenty of people love their cats across the UK. To have one of the largest feudal landlords in the country ban cats from a chunk of his real estate? All to protect the pheasants which are bred especially to be hunted? I mean, Charles also evicted his lease-holding son for no reason, so it’s not like contracts mean anything to him. I hope all of these tenants get kitties.
— Why you should have a cat (@ShouldHaveCat) December 14, 2023
you don’t need to speak french to understand every word pic.twitter.com/iFVi2G2diE
— cats being weird little guys (@weirdlilguys) December 14, 2023
everyone is a cat person, some people just don’t know it yet pic.twitter.com/botq6Tw3RW
— cats being weird little guys (@weirdlilguys) December 13, 2023
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales stokes a member of the public’s dog outside the Pier during his visit to Southend, eastern England, on March 1, 2022.,Image: 665681154, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: JUSTIN TALLIS / Avalon
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- London, UK 07th Nov 2023. HRH King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the carriage. They appear to look and wave at anti-royalist protesters holding “Not My King” signs. The Royal Procession and carriage, with the king wearing the Imperial State Crown, on the procession route from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords in London for the State Opening of Parliament and King’s Speech.,Image: 820407919, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
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- London, UK 07th Nov 2023. HRH King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the carriage. The Royal Procession and carriage, on the procession route following the King’s Speech and State Opening of Parliament .,Image: 820443545, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter / Avalon
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- His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the State Opening of Parliament in London, England, UK, 07 November 2023,Image: 820447866, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Licenced to i-Images Picture Agency. All Rights Reserved. UK copyright law applies to all print & online publications. i-Images space rates apply to all images. Magazines contact agency for fees before use. Images Single use only then repro fees apply. Info@i-images.co Tel: 07860204379, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Martyn Wheatley / i-Images / Avalon
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- TETBURY, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: King Charles III’s shares a joke with a guest as he attends his 75th birthday party hosted by the Prince’s Foundation at Highgrove House on November 13, 2023 in Tetbury, England. Guests include local residents who have been nominated by friends and family and individuals and organisations also turning 75 in 2023.,Image: 821847121, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- TETBURY, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: King Charles III smiles as he attends his 75th birthday party hosted by the Prince’s Foundation at Highgrove House on November 13, 2023 in Tetbury, England. Guests include local residents who have been nominated by friends and family and individuals and organisations also turning 75 in 2023.,Image: 821847255, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
To be far, cats are terrible for the environment. Especially the feral ones where I live.
The tenant should try to take the King to court or make some noise to get his house fixed.
Cats are terrible for the environment? So it’s cats creating greenhouse gas emissions and polluting the planet? Cats kill birds and mice. That’s called nature. If owners were responsible enough, they would have their cats neutered, which would limit the cat population. But a lot of people are irresponsible and some even buy their pets from breeders when shelters are full to the brim with abandoned pets.
More than one thing can be terrible for the environment.
No, it’s called irresponsible pet ownership. Domestic cats are estimated to kill between 1.3 – 4 BILLION birds each year. So yeah, crap for the environment.
We have oodles of feral cats in my neighborhood. I don’t mind them one bit. My neighbor even takes care of them. She catches them, gets them spayed and neutered, makes sure they get their vaccinations and releases them back in the wild. And if the weather is bad, she has shelters for them on her deck. I have shelters too.
Good for your neighbor and you. You’re heroes in my opinion.
What an absurd comment. You know who’s terrible for the environment: HUMANS. We’re the one killing the planet.
THIS
It is true, and I agree more than one thing can be harmful. My state’s conservation magazine had an entire issue about the harm domestic cats do to the bird population a couple years ago. I had no idea. They don’t usually eat the birds either because they are already well fed. I have 3 cats (indoor fortunately) so I’m a fan but I do see how they could be harmful.
Yeah cats are not great for wildlife. So keep them inside. Problem solved.
Isn’t letting housecats go wander outdoors very common in the UK though? It’s not like here where they get to sit on the lawn with a leash on and the owner guarding them and that is only if they’re lucky to have a versatile owner and to tolerate a leash.
People in the US put their cats on leashes and sit outside and guard them??
Most cats are allowed to roam in Britain and 1 in 4 gets killed by cars. I didn’t know that until one of mine was killed and now mine are indoor only. They were upset at first but adapted and are perfectly happy now.
If I was a landowner concerned about pheasant fledglings I’d say tenants could only have indoor cats, or preferably a rescue cat that has an infectious disease that has to be kept inside anyway (to avoid spreading the diseases to other cats).
No.
Cats should be allowed to go outside.
Would you like to be locked inside and never breathe fresh air?
You can’t open a window? If your windows don’t have screens (which is just weird-how do you keep bugs out?) Then install a screen.
Agree @PrincessK. I grew up with what would be considered hunting dogs. They weren’t trained that way. Yet, they brought “gifts” to our porch on a regular basis-yep, birds. One was inclined to bringing garter snakes.
I love cats and we have one. She is indoor/outdoor. Yes, she has caught birds. Mostly rodents. Our next door neighbor thanked her for keeping rabbits out of their garden and they don’t like cats or dogs. They will jokingly laugh how they tolerate her because since she’s moved into the neighborhood the number of mice in their house has gone down. Are people segregating song birds from other birds? Are song birds that much more special? (outside of crows-annoying effers-our cat is afraid of them along with sandhill cranes)
You know what else kills birds? Other birds. I love seeing a hawk and a hawk in flight. Don’t love seeing them devouring a sparrow. Blue Jays do the same thing. This past September I pulled into our office parking lot seeing a sparrow gripped between a Blue Jay’s beak. Then proceeded to peck it to death. I didn’t eat lunch that day.
and… cue the anti cat squad. humans are worse for the environment than anything else.
lots of us are responsible cat owners (and cats control rodents, indoors or out, but nevermind that!)
if you want to see more birds, protect their habitat. and maybe don’t have so many kids.
Thank you.
I LOVE CATS ❤️
The evil of a cat with a pheasant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEugmHze-QA
– I got attacked by two pet Chow dogs once. They bit my leg so hard that it ripped my jeans and broke flesh. They were well cared for dogs and didn’t have rabies or anything — they were simply protective of their owners and I had the temerity to knock on the door.
– Even though I understand it intellectually, I can’t handle dogs above a certain size and actively cross the street to get away from them. It was scary to be bitten.
– I own two cats that I love and I keep them indoors. What’s all this about being bad for the environment? Rodents carry disease, cats were kept to deal with rodents. They help keep us safe!
No, humans are terrible for the environment. And, humans are the reason there are so many feral cats that are able to kill birds. Jesus, a little critical thinking never hurt anyone.
When I read the headline, my first thought was- this must be about the birds. I’m kind of with Charles on this topic, although maybe wouldn’t ban all cats…I’d just ban letting cats out to hunt.
I mean the off-leash dogs are also a nuisance where I live. Poops everywhere and will also kill small animals. If you’re banning cats, might as well ban dogs.
Sorry but research shows that cats and dogs do equal amounts of damage to wildlife if outside. Free roaming dogs make up about 75 percent of the global dog population and they kill birds and other animals just as much as cats do. The CO emissions and footprints of cats are smaller too.
One could make the argument that free-roaming housecats do a great deal of harm to a native ecosystem, but the biggest harm is from, you know, humans, who also do things like hunting, etc.
The damage to the environment is from humans, not dogs or cats.
Cats can stay indoors or in a catio or on a harness. Ferals that are managed in colonies are not as big a threat as previously listed. Properly Trap-Neuter-Release practices lowers the feral population which is caused by humans who dump cats outside. This isa very 1990’s thinking about cats. Also the UK culture seems to let their cats outside wtihout supervision. That needs to change as well as cats do great indoors. (I run a cat rescue before people wonder where I get my info from)
Cats are an invasive species, with no predator. They’ve killed an estimated 2 BILLION birds a year, and the population of songbirds has been decimated. Our town passed a law against letting your cat outside, but so many people let them out, and no one wants to be “that neighbor” . I am strictly Team Charles on this one.
Now do humans
That’s IT! Charles is a DEMON!! Hating cats is a MAJOR red flag for me. But this is straight up institutional prejudice. Fuck that dude!
To be fair l think this is regulation he has inherited.
I cannot believe Sandringham doesn’t have cats. How do they keep the rodent population down in that old building?
One of my favorite parts of The Crown is when they show mice running around. Most recently in one of the Season Six episodes when Charles was cooling his heels waiting to see the Queen and she was more worried about her corgi than talking to him. I guess corgis are not good mousers.
I’m assuming it’s similar in the UK… Experts say that cats kill between 1 to 4 billion birds every year, causing one-third of the 800 U.S. native bird species to be endangered or in significant decline.
Outdoor domestic cats are a recognized threat to global biodiversity. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction, such as Piping Plover.
The ecological dangers are so critical that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists domestic cats as one of the world’s worst non-native invasive species.
Yeah cats are the problem. Meanwhile, human beings, I assume, do not contribute at all to the extinction of species.
2 things can be true at the same time. And really, humans are the problem because (a) we domesticated cats, and (b) we let them roam around like little feline Dexters instead of restricting their access to birds.
@lea What is your point? Two things can be true at once. I have owned cats my entire life and I keep them indoors to keep them and the native wildlife safe.
@lea THIS +1000
your comment is the wildest exercise in whataboutism I’ve seen in a long time.
@Louise, one point. Cats pretty much domesticated themselves. They sought out humans because humans had granaries which attracted rats (food). You could say they domesticated us to do their bidding.
Cats have been killing birds for millennia. The massive bird declines we’ve seen in the last 50 years are due more to pesticide use, light pollution (which kills up to 1 billion migrating birds each year) and loss of habitat.
Pet cats can and probably should be kept indoors until we can get bird populations to bounce back. But they’re getting blamed for bird losses because we don’t want to fix the real problems that are decimating bird populations.
In the US, pesticides kill about 67 million birds each year, cats kill 2.4 billon.
Prejudice much?? You know what fixes the problem? Spaying/neutering your cats and keeping them inside where they and local wildlife are safe. Suggesting that maybe humans bear some if not all responsibility for the problem isn’t crazy talk. Furthermore brits especially are infamous for refusing to keep cats inside and NOT sterilizing them before allowing them to roam. Besides all of that, the ACTUAL point of the article is that Charles us a horrible landlord
Well said @salmonduff
Why on earth should cats be kept indoors? Would you like it if you were never allowed to breathe fresh air?
Do Windows not exist where you live?
It’s probably worse in the UK, as there are fewer solely indoors cats.
I grew up in a suburban area, and if people had cats as pets, they were indoor cats. They didn’t roam around outside freely. Now I live in a rural area, and everyone around me allows their cats to roam freely outside. In the winter, they sit under our birdfeeders just waiting for birds to get close enough. In the neighboring town, the residents are constantly complaining about residents allowing their cats to roam town freely, tearing up gardens, killing birds, etc. I don’t dislike cats. What I don’t understand is why I, as a dog owner, would be fined for allowing my dogs to roam at large, yet cat owners do not face similar consequences. Also, it’s just not safe for your pet. Cars, predators. All kinds of things could harm your pet.
Humans, not cats, are the problem.
I live in Europe, live with and love a cat, and feel really strongly about cats.
First, the number 1 reason for birds going extinct and endangered is FARMING! Guess what Chucky does. Monoculture, pesticides, nitrogen and fertilizer pollution, as well as light pollution in greenhouses have destroyed habitat, food, and navigation for countless birds.
Next, the number 1 typesof animals (usually invasive/ not native) to lead to bird deaths are not cats. They are RODENTS! Rats and mice are capable of climbing trees and walls and shrubs and are predators of bird eggs and baby birds. In North America, the grey squirrel also is a threat to birds.
If KC’s tenants have mice, I hope they sue him. Almost everyone I know who has a cat has next to no issues with mice. Almost everyone I know in old houses/ apartments without cats gets issues with mice at some point in time.
yes but in this case the reason they don’t want the cats is because the cats will hunt the pheasants the BRF wants saved solely to give the aristos the ability to hunt the pheasants themselves which is pretty friggen rich
Just when you think he can’t go lower he picks on cats. I love how one tenant said a few things they don’t have but should “but you can’t go against the Queen”. So there you go Chuckles they don’t even acknowledge you as king lol. I hope on one of his walks he comes upon a bunch of feral cats and they scratch his evil eyes out. Cats rule dogs drool!!
I think it’s an outdoor cat vs indoor cat attitude. In the US, the attitude is that indoor cats live longer, but that means people have to provide them with play and mental simulation. In the UK, the attitude is that it’s more natural for cats to go outside and get their play through hunting.
Okay, this is the last straw. Abolish the monarchy! They don’t like cats. Why? Because they prey upon the birds which the royals want to kill. These people are deplorable in so many ways.
Seriously, that last part about the tenant who can’t get the proper fire protection says it all. Charles doesn’t care if people die.
Couldn’t he just have an indoor cat rule? This is clearly cat prejudice.
This. Our 16 year old cat never goes outside-too many coyotes, bobcats and cars. He’s perfectly happy inside.
He never breathes fresh air, he has never felt grass under his paws?
@princessk I have never met a rescued outdoor or feral cat that didn’t appreciate being able to stay indoors. I’m in the US and have only ever had indoor cats that occasionally go outside. We do have windows here with screens and cats love to sit by them and sniff at the fresh air. They don’t need to go outside to thrive if they are well taken care of and have the stimulation and care that they. need indoors. In my experience, it takes only about 2 weeks for a previously outdoor or feral cat to become adjusted to staying inside. By that time, often they don’t want to go outside because they feel safe and warm inside. Grass under the paws is not a prerequisite for a happy, healthy cat.
Seriously. Better for the cat, better for the environment.
Exactly. I have had cats practically me whole life. They were all indoor cats. He could simply implement an indoor cat-only policy.
Why not qualify that statement , like cats are permitted if neutered and mostly indoors or in your garden. Mine was left outdoors for approximately an hour and then I went to fetch him back. We live in a high rise building with a lot of garden space and when he was very young , I used to sit there till he had his fill of grass rolling and butterfly chasing . But when he hit fourteen he stopped running around , so for the last seven years of his life he actually preferred bring an indoor cat . Rules are allowed , like having to muzzle and leash an unpredictable dog . But going all royal and declaring No Cats , is a bit much . What next ? No children ?
Outdoor cats are actually devastating for the local bird population – not just pheasants. Indoor cats dont pose the same threat obviously (if they are kept indoor 100% of the time) but then how do you police if someone has a cat that stays indoors or spends some time outside? Its easier just to say “no cats.”
I don’t disagree with your point about outdoor cats killing a lot of birds, but this is also a family into grouse shooting, where birds are raised to simply be shot.
Yeah, it’s not like Charles gives a damn about the birds. He doesn’t want cats killing the birds he wants to kill. A true environmentalist. 😏
But unless they are killing billions of birds per year, its not the same thing. Cats also wreak particular havoc on local songbird populations and on smaller migratory birds.
I’m really puzzled about the comments in this post lol. I thought it was a well known fact that outdoor cats are horrible for the environment?
It may be hypocritical of Charles to ban birds considering his love of bird shooting, but its not like he’s known for a pillar of consistency anyway.
I mean it sounds stupid if the sole reason is “we need to protect these baby pheasants so we can raise them and kill them” but in terms of general environmental impact, it makes sense.
Thank you for saying this.
I can’t say that cats don’t kill birds, but it’s a bit more nuanced than that at least in Europe. First off, rats and mice kill millions more birds than cats do, which is usually less spoken about. A cat, unless she’s an awesome hunter, is not going to rid the world of rats. Mine caught about 20+ baby and juvenile rats this year—only two were bigger than 25cm. However, my cat is an excellent mouser and usually catches 1-2 per day. The most mice she’s brought back was 5. Next, our corvids take the small rodent corpses away for us. Usually this is done by a pair of magpies (one watches and alerts the retriever if it’s unsafe). Otherwise the jackdaws are usually the ones dining on mouse from our house.
Next, I actually made our backyard as insect-friendly as I could after our pear tree didn’t have enough bees to pollinate all of the blossoms. It’s taken a couple years, but several insects have returned. It turns out that an insect-friendly garden is also incredibly bird-friendly.
Most of my neighbors have gone in the opposite direction. My garden is 60 square meters and 37 square meters of that is plants (most good for our insects and therefore birds). Two of my neighbors have tiled/ paved their backyard so they have an outdoor “living room.” Several more have removed trees, shrubs, ivy, other vines, native plants…. They like dirt bs mulch here. They’ve removed trees along the street to make room for parking spaces. Along the canals, they’ve removed trees, shrubs, traveler’s joy vines, honeysuckle, etc and it’s now mostly stinging nettles, sticky weed and grasses. The birds lack food and habitat and are easily eaten.
except, as linked below –
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/14/cats-kill-birds-wildlife-keep-indoors
cats in the UK are responsible for killing 40 million birds a year, maybe up to 75 million. So its not just a US issue (do people think only american cats kill songbirds?)
Becks1, When Friesland had a rodent explosion, this impacted the birds. Hier in our neighborhood, there are those green boxes of poison to try and control the rodents. Some birds are affected by the poison, too either directly or from the rats that eat it. Have you watched a rat eat a baby bird yet? Have you looked for it? You’re probably more aware of the cat because you can see the cat prey on the birds, right? https://www.scienceofbirds.com/blog/top-5-global-threats-to-bird-populations
https://www.berrypatchfarms.net/do-rats-eat-birds/
I know outdoor cats and feral cats are a big problem. I have a cat. He’s an indoor only cat (now at least, he’s a rescue) and though he’s a bit of an ahole (standard with orange tabbies) he’s the perfect low maintenance companion. He doesn’t make noise (like a dog would bark), does his business in his Poo Palace (unlike a dog who does it in the yard).
His Imperial Majesty Spike the Handsome would like a word with Chuckles.
I’ve had cats all my adult life. Any new cat gets sat down before moving in for a short discussion about rules.
“Ok, three meals a day, warm beds to sleep in at night, a whole house with comfy spots to roam in, window seats for watching cat TV, but… no going outside. Yes or no?”
As of today not one cat said “no”! 🙂 They were and are all happy indoor cats.
Charles is a pos but this actually makes sense. British people are NOTORIOUS for having free roaming outdoor cats that destroy bird populations.
You mean the birds that are perfectly legally to HUNT and kill if you’re human on those exact lands??
Charles wants the birds to survive only long enough for him to kill them himself.
Uh no, I mean specifically small birds like songbirds. No one is hunting those, except for outdoor cats.
You people are strange. Indoor cats are fine. Outdoor cats are bad, and get killed a lot.
@Hanna – did you read the excerpt?? This isn’t about songbirds. He is banning cats specifically for Grouse and Pheasant – which are birds that are HUNTED. LEGALLY. On the exact same land.
And he is not stating that cats can be had as long as they are indoor cats – he is banning ALL cats.
I wonder what the rodent situation is like in the King’s landholdings? I live in a suburban area and my cats deal with mostly rats and mice. I know alot of people care for feral colonies (neuter them) but our culture doesn’t have the same attitude about packs of feral dogs. I think many responsible cat owners get flack for letting their cats out, but I think our tolerance of feral colonies has a greater impact on wild birds.
Well blame the landlord when there is a rodent infestation, domestic cats do help control those issues.
I love the irony of no cats for fear of harming the bird population, yet the favorite activity of the aristocracy is to hunt and shoot birds.
THIS
We all know they don’t like competition.
ITA. The no cat rule to protect the pheasant hunt is just so unbelievably feudal I can’t even deal.
The royals hunt bigger game birds like pheasant, partridges and grouse. The outdoor cat problem is they go after the smaller, rarer song birds and decimate the population despite being well fed at home, it’s just instinct. That being said the hypocrisy of the BaRF is galling. They breed game birds to kill them for sport. Disgusting.
I’m sorry but the no cats rule is the lesser issue here.
The renter who has been trying to get the property fixed for years has a valid safety issue, which should be legally addressed.
No fire wall? Years of no insulation, old windows, a property in poor condition owned by one of the wealthiest men on the planet = Slum Lord!
Let the Poors go cold in the winter, while Chuckles has his new gold carriage parked for history. Which was paid for with tax payers money.
Why do stinking rich, privileged people continue to behave this way?
Because the wealth hoarders do not see others as human beings.
Never ever enough money. They make the rules. And damn the rest of us.
Trump kept young children in cages, ffs!
A no cats for renters rule is a minor ripple. Still a**hole behavior.
I would like to nominate you for comment of the day, Janes. Priorities. 👏👏👏
And, yes, I do love (indoor) cats.
Thanks! 👍
I agree with you that the bigger issue is that Charles is probably charging premium rents for these properties but doing no upkeep which is the landlord’s responsibility, not the tenant’s. He’s definitely a slum lord.
Good point.
People who dislike cats are walking red flags. So this tracks for good old Chuck.
@AMERRAH M
That’s a very weird take. Many People from non white cultures are not crazy about cats. I am Nigerian and cats are not a big thing in my country. So according to you we are all red flags?
I’ve always been a low key fan of Charles despite his faults, and I love all animals but now WE’RE DONE. HOW CAN YOU NOT LUV CATZ. BAD HOOMAN!
The last Insta with the guy becoming a cat person because of his kitty bebbeh sleeping on him, saying he’s trying not to move because he doesn’t want to disturb him…Dude. You are a cat person for life, welcome to the club 🙂
The Queen banned cats so she and her family could kill the pheasants instead.
Good point. It depends on whether the predator is royal or not.
Just require that the tenants keep the cats indoors. The Windsors are not rocket scientists, are they?
It’s hard to police though. For years I lived in a townhouse complex that had a “no cats outside” rule to preserve the songbird population. There were several families who blatantly ignored the rule and guess whose unit said cats chose to hang out at? Mine, because I had 2 indoor cats who would sit quietly at the patio doors watching the world go by. The outdoor cats would routinely attack mine through the screen and tore it badly on several occasions terrorizing my 2 babies. After months I finally found out who the cats’ owners were, sent them and the condo board notes stating if they continued letting their cats outside I would call the humane society to come in, cage them and remove them from the property. I finally had to do it and the outdoor cat issue promptly ended.
I have heard it whispered that cats are anti-monarchists and who can blame them.
#abolishthemonarchy
Cats recognize no emperors except for themselves. These other “royals” are just pretenders sitting on what should be a cat’s scratching post. And that pillow they carry the crows on? Please. Much better suited for a cat to nap on.
Because cats know they are the REAL royalty.
Feudal.
Perfect word for this.
I grew up in the country side, now love cats or hate them, cats killing birds is NATURE doing what nature does, not the king who is saying “you can’t have cats, because cats kill birds, and I want to kill them and let people pay to kill them on my estates
Now, which is more gross, animals doing what animals have been doing since the beginning of time, or a dogsht monarch, playing god with his tenants and nature?
I’m with you @Mary Pester. You can’t blame a hoe for doing what hoes do, etc etc…cats are predators, it’s instinct, there are far more pernicious (eg human) threats to birds than cats, the end.
Re outdoor cats: What’s wrong with putting a little bell on their collars? Simple solution.
Re banning cats: Ridiculous over-reaction. Also, if you keep your cats indoors, how will Charlie know you have cats?
How will this be policed?
Dogs have licenses, why not cats?
Cats and dogs are predators; it makes sense to me they be kept under control at all times for the safety of one and all.
you dont want an outdoor cat wearing a collar outside. When I was growing up a neighbor’s cat got out and ended up strangling itself in a tree on its collar.
Tear-away collars release at the slightest pressure. If for any reason one wants their cat, indoors or out, to be instantly identifiable (without scanning for a chip) these types of collars are safe.
@surly, yes, if people put bells on the collars of their outdoor cats that would help the bird population. This is known to help decrease cat attacks upon birds. @artfossil, absolutely, tearaway collars are great and my indoor cats have always worn them since they came about – in case they escape! I do suggest that you test them every once in awhile to make sure that they still tear away. Some of them, if of lesser quality, can get stuck sometimes. So, put bells on the tear away collars of outdoor cats and problem solved. No need for the outdoor cat hate.
1) The environment- dog poop is toxic to the environment. Does KC have a ‘pick up your hunting dogs’ poop, while chasing birds on a hunt, policy?
2) Decimated bird population- suburban lawns AKA the suburban desert, are an unnatural and dangerous place for birds to live. No shade, no water, no food, no safe place for nests, and many predators compared to rural or wild places.
3) Cats – feral cats/outdoor cats have a 25% catch/kill success when hunting. Indoor only cats kill an occasional mouse on that gets inside. Indoor/outdoor cats, get veterinary care, 16 hours of sleep a day in a warm, safe place, and regular full meals. They have a 75% catch/kill success rate. This is unusually high rate among in the animal hunting species.
Pick up your dog poop, stop cutting down mature trees, turn your suburban desert into a place where birds, bees, butterflies, can survive and thrive, and spend time with your cat inside.
ALL of these problems are caused by HUMANS and can be fixed by HUMANS. And we are all guilty. Figure out what you are doing that damages the environment and change your behavior.
❤️
But cats kill mice, rats, moles, which, in my opinion is great! And it’s not like they are out there killing every damn bird, it’s the Circle of Life, cue the Lion King. This is just another reason those royal a-holes over there need to go, cats serve way more of a purpose than these f#$Ks. And I’m a dog owner 🙂
Plus it’s not like rats carried a lot of diseases….
The UK learned nothing from the last time they banned cats – during the Plague.
My strata just recommended I get a cat to deal with the mouse issue the building is experiencing (tons of construction around our little building displaces mice and rats so they look for somewhere else to live). No organization will let me adopt a cat because I cannot 100% GUARANTEE it will stay indoors at all times (I am on ground level w/a 730 sq ft patio) as I’m in and out all day long and besides, though I have had cats (last one lived to age 17) I’m a dog person at heart. Even though I’ve indicated the cat would have a collar and a bell, I have an 8′ cedar fence a cat could jump easy peasy. So, there’s a 10% chance the cat could might maybe possibly escape briefly, but as it’ll be wearing a collar w/a bell why is there a problem letting me adopt a cat? I must admit after two attempts and being turned down both times for the same reason, I’ve given up. Still and all, I find Charles is overreaching into the private lives of his tenants. It’s gross
I’m from the US now living in the UK, and have the opposite problem. No UK organisations/cat rescues will let us have a cat because we don’t have a garden/can guarantee that we will let the cat outside. I don’t want my cats to go outside! This means we pretty much have to go to a breeder or wait for someone’s pet to have kittens. It’s frustrating.
WTF ??!!! A shelter would rather that a cat not have a loving home if it means that the cat would be indoor only? That is totally messed up.
My little dog caught, and then ate, a mouse the other morning so maybe try a dog.
There are SO MANY pheasants in the UK it’s almost ridiculous At least in the Yorkshire area. So amounts oh roadkill I’ve seen (pheasants)… I don’t think cats would pose any threats. and yes cats also do hunt mice and rats – both in abundance in and close to old houses.
Cats in the U.K. kill huge amount of animals and birds every year. Literally millions. Animals ranging from hares down to tiny shrews and everything in between. Birds ranging from grouse to goldcrests and everything in between. It is appalling for the environment to let cats free range outside. I’m not defending Prince Charles but defending pet cats is a bad take. If you have to have them you should keep them inside.
Except pets being not fed properly and taken care of is a human problem.
It’s human activity and destruction of habitat by the human that litterally made some species go extinct.
This is just some feudal sh.t by an horrible landlord that live of the back of the taxpayers while he and his family pollute more than most of the masses.
the issue is that cats might kill songbirds even IF they are well fed. we had a cat growing up that was indoors/outdoors and he was fed on a regular basis, well-fed at that, and he would still bring dead birds to the back door on a regular basis.
It’s instinctive for cats to prey on birds despite being well fed. It’s not hunger-driven, it’s just in a cat’s genetic makeup to hunt and kill prey. In North America alone, cats are second only to habitat loss as the largest human-related cause of bird deaths. It’s estimated that domestic cats kill 1.3–4 billion birds each year so the only human problem is that people still let their cats outside.
lol Cats have been around for THOUSANDS years yet it’s the last 50 years that have seen the constant decrease of birds and their extinction. It has been proven that it’s humans that destroy wildlife not pets.
That attitude is what will make the future very difficult for our children and all for the benefits of the 1%.
Oh and cats kills rodents too, you know, the Plague anyone…
@Cecile730 — apparently you’re not aware that the global cat population has increased 100-fold since cats started being domesticated. The number of “owned” cats in the world is estimated to be 220 million, while the number of stray cats is estimated to be 480 million. THIS is why the small bird population has been decimated. Cats DO destroy birds, that is a fact. It’s people who let their cats roam outside that have caused this. End of story.
Indoor cats tend to live longer. Cat adoption places advise not to let cats out
For example
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/14/cats-kill-birds-wildlife-keep-indoors
Cats know.they probably are not fond of charles. Lol
Pheasant shooting is a disgusting activity-I live in the U.K. near shoots and local wildlife is obliterated to protect game birds (particularly pheasants around here). Chinless morons like Charles stalk around in tweed blasting hundreds in a day-most of which end up in stink pits-pits full of rotting animals- as there is no market for them: they can’t even give them away. Few people eat game as it apparently tastes gross, plus I imagine the crime puts many off. Shooting cartridges are left littering a Countryside devoid of native wildlife & we locals are expected to put up with the constant noise of shooting & dumping of millions of birds (estimates range from 20-60 million dumped annually). Many are run over & cause traffic accidents. Urge anyone sticking up for Charles here to look into game shooting in the U.K.-it’s a very unpleasant industry & also associated massively with wildlife crime (see hen harrier persecution-crimes have happened on the royal estates too & been covered up). Driven grouse shooting is one of the worst activities when it comes to crime & bird of prey persecution.
Also, not all cats kill. My cat has more regal dignity in his right paw than sausage fingered dickhead Charles or horse face William or indeed any of that benefit stealing bunch of parasites.
Additional context pheasants are not native to the UK they are raised/bred by game keepers for the sole purpose of hunting.
So let me get this straight. They don’t want cats to kill the pheasants for survival because they (royals) want to kill the pheasants for entertainment? That is effed up thinking.
No doubt an unpopular opinion here but Charles owns the properties so he can make the rules. I’m sure most places in UK do allow cats so go rent elsewhere. If I had a rental property I wouldn’t allow cars or dogs. You can never get the awful smell out and they damage stuff. Simple.
On one hand, yes cats are bad for the environment, on the other hand he could just allow indoor cats. Also it’s just because he wants to keep on hunting pheasants and be bad for the environment as well so he’s got no lesson to give. William will tell people to stop using their car next.