...cats kill critters, and thank heavens for that, otherwise we'd be overrun with squirrels...

Attack of the fifty foot squirrels!! AAAIIIEEEeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Talk about an "overblown problem". Fix the holes in your buildings and you won't have a squirrel OR a bat problem. I'd have thought you'd welcome the weasel- they eat mice, you know.

an endless stream of deermice and house mice
An indoor cat should take care of these very nicely, thank you.

You seem to think I'm an 'animal rights raver'

Fascinating- you know what I think! Ever consider joining up with the CIA's remote imaging project?

and again missing the point, there are no suitable habitats left for them in NS at least because farming practices changed

Ah, but then, you see, I don't have your gift of mind reading, and you didn't say that. (Always assuming you've surveyed all NS to identify bobolink habitat.)

And now, after a word from our sponsors,back to the music ;>)