You have a wonderful opportunity to educate people on a very important issue related to cats and the environment, but one thing that needs to be done requires a big PBS expense....changing the Nature Kat show name and mascot/host to correct a huge mistake regarding environmental issues. I realize this is a long letter/comment/post, but if you grab a glass of wine and kick off your shoes, and read it all the way to the end, I think you will feel it was worth your time. If you approve of the content, feel free to share it with any organization, expert, activist or individual you feel is appropriate. I love all of nature and hate to see any living creature suffer. When looking at the bigger picture of the entire environment or ecosystem, however, sometimes hard decisions have to be made to protect all of the animals, rather than one species. Feral cats are an invasive species in many countries, including the U.S., and they are decimating the native songbird populations, sometimes to the brink of extinction. According to Wikipedia: "Feral cats are one of the major invasive species in Australia and have been linked to the decline and extinction of various native animals. … Cats are believed to have been a major factor in the extinction of the only mainland bird species to be lost since European settlement, the paradise parrot." Nature did not intend for an invasive species to be part of the delicate balance of predator and prey, and feral/outdoor cats are extremely destructive to the ecosystem. Biologists and other experts agree that the feral/outdoor cat is one of the most destructive invasive species, and in my state of Florida, the wildlife experts state that the feral cat is THE NUMBER ONE most destructive species "by far." The Americana Bird Conservancy reports that "outdoor cats are the single greatest direct source of human caused mortality to birds in the United States and Canada." That means, cats kill more birds than climate change, pollution, habitat destruction, windmills, planes, glass windows, etc. By saying "human-caused," the blame is placed on humans, not the cats who follow their instincts. It also means humans are responsible for fixing the problem. As we fight over solutions, we are losing native species forever. Here are excerpts from a 2013 National Geographic article (the crisis is much worse 8 years later): "A 2013 study estimated free-ranging domestic cats kill between 1.3 and 4 billion birds – on top of between 6.2 and 22.3 billion mammals – every year in the United States alone, the majority by feral or unowned cats. Figures released by the Mammal Society show the UK's estimates for domestic cat kills to be more sober, but still shocking: around 100 million prey items between Spring and Summer, of which 27 million were birds – and not counting the creatures the cats didn't bring home. According to the RSPB, there is no scientific evidence to link cats to bird population decline in the UK. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of vertebrates, most of them birds, says Peter Marra, director of the Georgetown Environment Initiative. “The fact that they’ve caused these extinctions is bad enough…. [Additionally] we know that they have a significant impact on populations globally, whether they’re threatened or not,” he says." https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/2020/09/the-232-animals-in-this-photo-were-killed-by-house-cats-in-just-one-year Nature did not intend for an invasive species to be part of the delicate balance of predator and prey, and feral cats are extremely destructive to the ecosystem. Biologists and other experts agree that the feral cat is one of the most destructive invasive species, and in our state of Florida, the wildlife experts state that the feral cat is THE NUMBER ONE most destructive species "by far." Eradication is the only solution. Sadly, many cat lovers are irrational and selfish, and refuse to consider destroying feral cats, no matter how necessary...and many refuse to keep their pet cats indoors. The trap/neuter/release efforts are well-intentioned, but they don't begin to put a dent in the exploding populations of feral cats. NO invasive species should ever be released back in to the wild, spayed or not. In Florida, it is illegal to release a non-native species (invasive) into the wild, yet the law is not enforced regarding feral cats or irresponsible cat owners who allow their pets to roam free outside. Hypocritical cat owners in Deltona Fla. screamed bloody murder when wild dogs killed their outside pet cats, but the dogs were just doing what is "natural" (a claim made by cat lovers when the cats kill birds). When traps set to catch the wild dogs caught their cats, they screamed again, rather than keep them inside. Cat owners cry when a driver or native predator (coyote) kills their pet, yet their pet's blood is on their hands for letting their cat loose on the neighborhood streets. Pet cat owners must keep their cats indoors where such a destructive invasive species belongs. Cat organizations are well-funded and organized, and their members are loud and passionate...but unfortunately often unreasonable and irrational. The well-funded cat groups could build sanctuaries and enclosures for ferals (that often do not make good pets), if they cared about all of nature and the entire ecosystem. By the way, cat feces can carry a dangerous disease that can damage human eyes (toxoplasmosis?), so ferals are a health hazard to humans, as well. Right now, feral cats are using a sandy area on the children's playground of a middle school in Winter Park as a litter box. It is not just nasty, but dangerous to the health of the children. Yet, the "cat women" seem only to care about feeding those feral cats. An Audubon Society director told me years ago that cat groups constantly sabotage any efforts toward a real solution. He told me of a colony of endangered water bird in New England that was being attacked by a colony of feral cats. Experts agreed that destroying the cats was the only viable solution. Do you know what the cat wackos suggested? The cat nuts suggested putting the ENDANGERED NATIVE species of bird into a ZOO, where it would likely die out, and leaving the NON-native, INVASIVE species of cats alone. Insanity. Unfortunately, that is the mentality of many cat warriors. The problem is global. In Australia, some native bird species have gone extinct because of feral cats. On the beautiful island of Maui, the once-great biodiversity is gone and the island is overrun by feral cats. Sure, over-development was another cause, but the cats were the main cause and the nail in the coffin for many island species. The beautiful Nicobar Pigeon (the background on my FB page) is the closest living relative to the extinct Dodo Bird. It lives in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, on islands where it did not have natural predators, so it thrived and developed the beautiful plumage. The Nicobar is now in decline because of deforestation and the release of non-native predators like rats and cats to these islands. The Nicobar pigeon is now considered "near threatened." Back in my Florida neighborhood, a kind-hearted elderly woman told neighbors that her walled-in garden was once full of birds. Now, all she sees are "feathers and cats." This is happening in neighborhoods all over the country and world. It seems that many cat lovers would rather see an entire species of native bird go extinct than agree to the killing of one feral kitty. This makes working together with them nearly impossible. I tried discussing this with a woman feeding feral cats and her reaction made me feel that she would rather see me dead than one of her cats. Many articles on invasive species often tip-toe around the issue of cats, and some don't mention them at all. As I said, wildlife and animal control agencies often don't enforce laws regarding invasive species and free-roaming pets when it comes to cats and cat owners. Our local Orange County animal control agency will not trap and remove feral cats, unless you prove they are a nuisance, and the County actually encourages nurturing of feral cat colonies, in violation of Florida law on invasives. It seems many are intimidated by cat lovers and their passionate feelings regarding this species. I imagine that will change as the situation becomes more dire, or when some child contracts a disease from feral cat poop. Research shows that cats are one of the few species that kill for pleasure and not just for food. I find that creepy, but the point is that feeding feral cats doesn't stop them from killing birds. Yes, they kill rats, too. However, that just takes more food away from native predators, like owls and hawks, which in turn kill more birds to make up for the loss of the food source. Birds are the loser, AGAIN. I admittedly love birds, but I am objective. There is a non-native species of green parrot in South Florida that is wreaking havoc on the ecosystem. I fully support destroying the invasive parrots, because it is the right thing to do. The issue of invasive species is about SCIENCE, not some personal attachment or emotional feelings toward one particular species. Pet cats must be kept indoors, regardless of the inconvenience to pet or owner. Feral cats have to be destroyed. Period. Many will think of me as a cruel monster for saying this. That is why we have such a long way to go toward effective solutions, and I fear we will lose more bird species to extinction in the process. Whomever chose the name and mascot for Nature Kat knew nothing about the environment and invasives, or didn't care and was only concerned with marketing. The name and mascot/host for the show needs to be changed. Please pass this on to the show's producer, Spotify. I could not get to their site because of virus warnings. I urge you to consider adding more aggressive education and vocal advocacy regarding invasives, feral cats, and keeping pet cats indoors ....to the work you are doing. It would be a wonderful chance to help cat lovers become partners with scientists and environmentalists, rather than enemies. Don't you think? Peace, Glenn M******l