Ecologist Disputes 'Cat Mom Ban Law,' Citing Lack of Scientific Basis

Professor Choi Jae-chun, a distinguished ecologist at Ewha Womans University, has voiced strong opposition to the proposed "cat mom ban law," asserting that the notion of eliminating feral cats to save bird populations lacks scientific grounding. The controversy, fueled by a popular YouTube creator and a national petition, centers on restricting the feeding of stray cats and improving management systems, potentially leading to their capture and euthanasia.

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Eliminating cats to save birds has no academic basis.

Professor Choi stated that while he had refrained from commenting previously due to a lack of definitive answers, the escalating calls for bans and fines necessitate a public discussion. He highlighted the complexity of ecological interventions, stressing that effective solutions require carefully designed, long-term research, which has been lacking in South Korea regarding this issue. He specifically criticized the application of Australian policy examples to the Korean environment, noting that ecological theories often yield vastly different results depending on the region.

Addressing the claim that cats are responsible for declining bird numbers, Professor Choi cautioned against drawing conclusions from intermittent observations. He pointed to habitat destruction, pollution, and "ecological mismatch", where climate change disrupts the timing of natural events like insect blooms and bird breeding seasons, as the primary global causes of bird population decline. He also refuted the idea of viewing feral cats as purely "natural" entities, explaining they are animals adapted to human-altered urban environments. "These were originally pets we kept at home, and abandoning them and saying 'only the strong survive' is not ecology," he argued, emphasizing human responsibility in managing the consequences of their presence.

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It is not ecology to abandon them and say 'only the strong survive'.

Furthermore, Professor Choi acknowledged the ongoing efforts in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, suggesting they have shown some effectiveness. He warned that abruptly halting the activities of "cat moms" could lead to more tragic outcomes. "Nature's mechanisms are not simple," he concluded, urging a nuanced approach to the complex issue of urban wildlife management.

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Nature's mechanisms are not simple.