Nope. Nope. Nope.

[ergophobe]

I've seen a dog kill a cat just for the fun of the chase and then drop it as soon as it was dead.

Domestic animals are generally bred to still love the chase, but not the kill (rat dogs and a few others excepted). That's the essence of what it means to be hound or a retriever.

Mixed feeling about the snake.

As a naturalist, I find it awesome that you can teach a snake.
As a naturalist, I find it awful that you would feed a snake.
As someone who had a deep childhood fear of snakes, NOPE.


>>http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cats_actually_kill

Actually, this is something that really bothers me. Cats are second only to habitat destruction as drivers of songbird collapse. For birders who have been tracking songbirds for many years, this is a crisis and we will reach a point where we will walkl through the forests and wonder where the music went.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/science/that-cuddly-kitty-of-yours-is-a-killer.html?_r=0
http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2013/02/03/170851048/do-we-really-know-that-cats-kill-by-the-billions-not-so-fast

Although it turns out that lately, a major new driver of songbird collapse is the Chinese food market
http://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/blog/2015/06/08/eurasian-songbirds-decline-mirrors-passenger-pigeons-collapse/

[littleman]

I actually like snakes.  I would definitely have a small one (like a garter snake) as a pet if my wife didn't have her phobia.

[Rupert]

I always wanted a pet snake, but mum would not let me have one. I would hate to meet a big one now.
Torben, thanks for pointing that out   Littleman... WOW!  hahaha...

We have a killer cat. Always had a cat. This one brings in mice, birds, rabbits (and once a rat) to the house, and plays with them. She is the worst cat we have ever had, only small, but will take on anything it seems. (except my sisters retriever).

But we do have a garden FULL of birds. I counted 26 around the feeders last week. And its winter, we get more in the summer. Next door has 4 cats, and there are others on the lane. We are in the country, but we see families of long tailed tits, greenfinches, and gold finches that visit, and its actually a rare day she brings in a bird.  Is usually a mouse.

What I am trying to say is from my little corner, I hear the RSPB talking about the dangers of cats to the songbirds, but I do not see it.  Perhaps it is different in urban society.