What a cat-astrophe!

Authorities in Walldorf, Germany, order cat owners: “Keep your felines inside—until the end of August!”

Why? Because it’s breeding season for a rare bird called the crested lark. Crested larks live in Europe and Africa. In Western Europe, their population is taking a nosedive.

Crested larks make their nests on the ground. The new rule is designed to help save the nests from hunting cats. Authorities in Walldorf write: “The survival of the species depends on every single chick.”

The decree applies to all cats in the southern part of the town. It will be repeated for the coming three years.

And cat owners? They object to the idea of three summers of cat house arrest. The head of the local animal protection association plans to challenge the new law in court. “Please remain calm,” he tells pet owners. “We’ll do our best to stop this disproportionate measure.”

Disproportionate means uneven or unbalanced. Is keeping everyone’s cats indoors a lopsided way to save birds? Is it too much work for cat owners?

Are you a cat lover? Read all about how people and cats have learned to live together in Cat Takeover and Not-So-Tame Cats. Then take a tour of cat species in All Kinds of Cats. Got cat questions? Maybe you’ll find a few answers in Why Does My Cat Do That?

I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. — Psalm 50:11