The most stupid reason I've ever heard, for euthanising a cat Options

[Catsfriend]

...was presented to me today at my vet's clinic. I was just checking in some of my cats for vaccinations when a man came in with a cat carrier, waved at the receptionist and said, "Comin' for euthanasia", and the receptionist was about to wave him straight through to the consult room. I basically stepped into the doorway to stop that man (I know that was rude) and asked, "Tell me why" (I guess I risked being kicked out of the surgery for bad behaviour in that moment, but it was just kind of a reflex action, without much thinking), and the man almost bumped into me and looked straight in my eyes speechlessly. I repeated my question, and after a second, he got wet eyes and said, "My neighbours complain that he kills birds. He must go."

I said, "Okay, I'll take him. You don't need to put him down." He was speechless for a moment again. "Are you serious?", he asked. Within 20 seconds (we didn't have more time to change his original decision as the vets were waiting in the doors of the consult rooms for each of us), I learned from the owner that the cat to be euthanised was only 1 year old, half-Burmese from a purebred pedigree mother, desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, cost them more than $1,000, but sadly, "...he kills birds, so we can't keep him." No other problems whatsoever, ever.

Every week, I check the local notice boards in shops and on the Internet and I never saw a single poster with this beautiful healthy cat looking for a new home. The owners did not make a single attempt. Neither ever considered keeping him indoors. Although the man claimed that they loved him (which I was tempted to believe when looking into his wet eyes) and that they had always treated him very well (which his good condition and vet history confirmed). I just can't get my head around that. If I hadn't been there, and rude, at the right time, this beautiful young cat would be dead now.

Would someone/everyone please teach the public that pets can be REHOMED instead of being killed?
Would someone/everyone please teach the vets not to kill healthy animals, only because they are too busy to educate the owners about the alternatives?

Picture of our new foster cat just taken:

[Ithika]

I can't believe the owner never considered keeping his cat indoors?

Good work saving this lovely looking cat, Catsfriend. I hope your search for his new home goes well. :)