Cattails Become A Cat

[Martha Weitz]

CattailsDeveloperFalconDevelopmentGenreOpen-world RPGRelease DateDecember 1, 2017PlatformsPC, Mac, Nintendo SwitchCattails is an RPG game developed by the indie studio Falcon Development and released in December 2017. It is available on PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch. In the game, the player assumes the role of a feral cat in the wilderness alongside three other colonies. The game also has a sequel, Cattails: Wildwood Story.

The player cat is adopted by a young child in a pet store. They drive home together and become fast friends. One day, when the two are about to play ball, the child's mother walks in angrily. The mother drives the child and the cat out and abandons the cat on the road. Upset and confused, the player ends up asleep on the pavement.

The next morning, the player cat is greeted by Coco, a cat who offers to help them. Coco teaches the player some basic survival skills, and then about the three cat colonies: the Forest Colony, Mountain Domain and Mystic Colony. After the player chooses which to stay in, Coco will lead them to their new den, after which Coco will mysteriously teleport away. Tired and unable to leave after their busy day, the player must sleep in their den to continue.

When the player cat awakes at 8 AM, the colony leader greets them and informs of the colony's services; the doctor and the shopkeeper. The player is now free to roam the wilds to hunt and forage, go mining, attend festivals, start a relationship, get married, and expand their den.

After time passes and the player gets settled in, Coco will reappear, inviting the player to the Sacred Temple to complete an urgent quest. Finishing it is the game's main task, and after its completion, the player will be blessed with the ability to lead a Custom Colony.

Cattails has controller and keyboard support. The player can find many useful items in the wild by foraging for healing herbs and hunting prey. Herbs and prey can be eaten to refill hunger or used to restore health. These items are automatically stored in the player's inventory when collected. Items can be gifted to another cat or sold to a shopkeeper for Mews. The player will live in one colony and can give gifts and talk to other cats. The player can interact with outside colony cats by finding them outside or earning reputation with the colony.

Unfortunately the bad guys are very common in Wisconsin (especially the southern part of the state). The cross-breeding between species is so frequent that it has become pretty much impossible to determine the native from the invasive types by what the plants look like.

Cattails (Typha spp.) are a type of aquatic plant, approximately 5-10 feet tall. These plants have long, slender, branchless and upward-growing leaves and a distinguishable brown, cylindrical flowering head at their apex. Similar to other emergent aquatic plants, cattails create expansive underground rhizome (root) systems. Cattail ponds are often viewed as iconic because they are so common and widespread, and can be aesthetically pleasing. Capable of growing in various aquatic habitats, cattails can be found in and/or around small and large waterbodies, wetlands, and even detention ponds around the world. Currently, there are about 30 different species of cattails worldwide, with four of those species present in North America.

When growing within a larger waterbody, cattails can be a beneficial species to have and are often encouraged by professional lake managers. Scattered shoreline patches of cattails provide excellent habitat to both resident and migratory birds, as well as some aquatic and semi-aquatic organisms, depending on the environmental characteristics. Cattails are often a sign of a transitioning environment because where they grow is often where land changes from wet to dry habitat. As such, cattails are a great plant to use when creating a shoreline buffer to prevent erosion and minimize nutrient input into the waterbody; the cattails can utilize those nutrients before they have an opportunity to enter the water and promote unwanted algae or submersed plant growth. They can be used for other purposes as well; various parts of the plants are edible and the stalks have been used to make baskets, mats, and rope by indigenous communities.

Control via aquatic herbicide treatment can be achieved by a licensed professional applying the appropriate US EPA and State approved herbicide(s) directly onto the leaves of the plant. Herbicide treatments are usually the more cost-effective option available, while providing species-selective and systemic control; however, the dead plant material stays on site for several seasons following treatment until it decomposes or is physically removed.

Mechanical removal can be accomplished by utilizing a hydro-rake (essentially a floating backhoe with a rake attachment). A hydro-rake facilitates the removal of the expansive root systems associated with the area(s) of unwanted cattails, in addition to removing the cattails themselves. Hydro-raking is a viable option if use of herbicides is not desirable within an area, although the hydro-rake has more limiting logistical requirements and is not species selective.

Ideally, a combination of the two techniques can maximize overall efficacy and sustained long-term control, while minimizing system impacts over the long-term. Always keep in mind that local state and municipality regulations may apply and it is worth consulting your local environmental regulatory body before beginning any work.

SOLitude Lake Management is an environmental firm committed to providing full-service solutions that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Our services include lake, pond, wetland and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, mechanical harvesting, hydro-raking, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, water quality testing and restoration, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, biological assessments, habitat assessments, invasive species management and nuisance wildlife management. Services, consulting and aquatic products are available to clients nationwide, including homeowners associations, multi-family and apartment communities, golf courses, commercial developments, ranches, private landowners, reservoirs, recreational and public lakes, municipalities, parks, and state and federal agencies. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com

Do you have a lake, stormwater pond, wetland, or fisheries management question or concern? The professionals at SOLitude are standing by ready to assist you. Complete the form below or Call us at 888-480-5253.

Typha is the scientific name, or genus, of all the cattail species found in wetlands of the world.Worldwide, there are about 30 species of cattails.In North America, there are three species: broadleaf cattail (T. latifolia), narrowleaf cattail (T. angustifolia), and southern cattail (T. domingensis). Broadleaf and southern cattails are considered to be native to North America.Narrowleaf cattail is considered non-native, and was likely introduced to the east coast of the United States and Canada from Europe during the mid1800s. Though it is non-native, narrowleaf cattail has not shown invasive characteristics.

A new taxon of cattail has developed as a result of hybridization of at least two of the three species, T. latifolia and T. angustifolia.This taxon is called Typha x glauca , and it is invasive in nature.Scientists and student interns have conducted research to assess cattail populations in national parks in the Great Lakes region.Their results have yielded important information for park managers.Investigations continue, and today there are opportunities for volunteers and citizen scientists to help.

Read more about managing invasive plants

Cattails (Typha latifolia, T. glauca, and T. angustifolia) are native wetland plants with a unique flowering spike and long, flat leaves that reach heights of 4 to 9 feet. They are one of the most common plants in large marshes and on the edge of ponds. Many pond owners view cattails with uncertainty because they have a tendency to grow in thick, nearly impenetrable stands, blocking the view of open water and raising the concern that they will take over and cover a pond. This article describes the various techniques available for cattail control.

Cattails can be desirable in a pond. They provide important wildlife habitat, shelter for birds, food and cover for fish and for the insects they eat. Cattails help protect the banks of a pond from erosion. They intercept and reduce the force of small waves and wind on the shore. The stems catch and slow water and help trap sediment and silt. Cattail roots harbor microorganisms that help break down organic materials. New research shows that cattails can also remove polluting materials from the water surrounding their roots. It is pleasing to see small patches of cattails dispersed around a pond; however, a thick wall of cattails along the shore of the pond makes it hard to enjoy their benefits.

The tendency of cattails to grow in thick stands causes concern for many pond owners. If you want to reduce the amount of cattails in your pond, you should first determine how extensive they are and in what ways they interfere with your enjoyment of the pond. This will help you decide which approach will work for you.

Under the right conditions, cattails can grow and spread vigorously. The pollinated flowers develop into fluffy seed heads, blowing across a pond in autumn breezes. Just as commonly, cattails spread through their root system. The thick, white roots, called rhizomes, grow underground near the edge of ponds and in shallow swales. As long as the water is not too deep, the cattails feast off the open sunshine and abundant water, storing a large amount of food in the root system. In fact, cattails at the edge of pond can grow faster than fertilized corn in a field! The dense foliage and debris from old growth makes it very difficult for competing plant species to grow.

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