Cats in Australia are considered pests - unlike dogs who do more damage to the native wildlife population but everyone seems to here like the cute, angry puppy who was badly treated ... (note sarcasm).

TNR programs won't work here because most people wouldn't bother feeding the strays let alone spaying them. Cats are just something that nasty kids can use as footballs, hang in trees by collars and give poisons to - to see how long they survive and yes - this happens all the time.

It frustrates me that they can get away with treating an animal in such a shocking manner. Take for example my brother in law. A stray cat likes to use his garden bed for the usual toilet. He has poisoned it once (still lived but was sick for weeks and he was gleefully telling me this), trapped it and released it into nearby bushland and lay down firecracker things in the garden so when it dug these things went off. I have tried to go over there and help the poor cat out but it is so terrified of humans it won't go near me - but still uses my brother-in-laws garden as a toilet.

Bear in mind that the dog next door comes over and tears out the plants and all he says is ... it had to go it wasn't thriving....

This seems tobe a long standing attitude of a lot of Australian people. It frustrates me. End of rant .....