Unfortunately, most cats in a colony are feral and have never been touched by a human and would not adjust to living in someone's home. In fact, trying to place a feral cat can be extremely dangerous for the new owner and the cat. A conscientious adoption program will not accept feral cats for adoption.
Relocation of feral cats is extremely inhumane. Relocation amounts to double abandonment. These animals were abandoned once in their lives and now they are being abandoned again. There is no place to take them that doesn't already have a feral cat problem. Relocated cats are at extreme risk of injury and starvation; they don't know where to find safe shelter or food; they are almost never accepted into the existing colony; and they will spend the remainder of their lives as outsiders without the benefit of social interactions with the existing colony.
Feeding and encouraging stray, abandoned, or feral cats without offering shelter, sterilization, and preventive health care is irresponsible. These animals will rely on the food source you provide and you could find yourself host to numerous cats. If these cats are not sterilized and vaccinated against disease, particularly rabies, the problem will continue to grow. Litters of kittens will be born and those that survive will be unsocialized and wild. Distemper, feline leukemia, and other feline diseases will pass between the cats and probably cause a few to suffer and die. The cats can also pass these diseases to yours or your neighbor's pets.
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7 comments:
Well said, bird man!
However, I'm not sure that the kind and well-meaning people who notice and want to help the hungry cat on their doorstep should be held responsible for spaying and neutering, as well as sheltering that unfortunate animal.
It was someone ELSE's irresponsible act that resulted in that cat being outdoors and unneutered - and in many towns and cities, there is no municipal angency or even humane organization who will step up to offer assistance. Is it fair for us to hold that elderly person responsible? Many people who feed stray cats are pretty marginal themselves.
Ideally, that person could call their municipal animal control agency, or their humane society, and let them know about the stray cat - BEFORE there's a stray cat PLUS her 20 feral offspring! That ONE stray cat could be picked up and adopted into a new home!
She won't make that call unless she knows that the cat will not be harmed, and without more awareness about the urgency of the situation.
We, as a society, need to come up with the scratch - we need to realize that spaying and neutering cats - any cats who would otherwise not be - is in the public interest, in the interest of the cats, and of wildlife.
Thank you, Laura. We advocate lobbying our city, county, state and national lawmakers to step up to the plate. They must provide the funding and organization to enforce our laws. As you said, it's in everyone's best interest!
It's unfortunate that this animal shelter does not choose to try and at least have a little patience when it comes to feral cats they can be tamed and do appreciate a home . Putting these animals to sleep is just plain useless because there Are way too many ferals out there breeding , yes we do need to address animal abandon ment issues but killing isn't the way.Bird Advocate you are entitled to your oppinion as Iam entitled to mine and respecfully disagree with you on your TNR stance.
It's unfortunate that this animal shelter does'nt have more patience for feral cats. Yes they can be tamed and they do appreciate having a home. I don't agree with the idea that killing cats just because they aren't accustomed to humans is somehow being humane to thse animals, Peoria's shelter, like all too many around the country use this as an ease the human conscience way out. Sorry Bird Man but I don't agree with you either you are entitled to your oppinion as are we all and mine is for TNR and by the way I've been on both sides of the fence ,having volunteered for a wildlife rescue.
So you value a feral domestic cat's life more than the natural wildlife each of them kills by the hundreds? You're right, I disagree with that most vigorously.
I'm sooooooooooo sorry that you seem to disagree with me.FYI I value all life I don't put one "over" the other as you put it.But isn't that the same thing you accuse me of in the cat vs.wild life debate, putting wild life over cats? What about the many other things that happen to animals trying to make a living in our world? Seems to me blaming cats is the easy way, trying to fix the world well ,that's maybe too hard huh? By the way how is the cat you've been keeping in your garage ? strange thing for a non feral person to do, huh? pro euthanasia ,but keeping a feral in your garage.
If you leave cats outdoors you are choosing them over our our wildlife! Cats are not a natural part of our ecosystem and are deadly to our animals. The cat in my garage? No, she and her litter of three kittens were in my house and in my bed! I've found them all homes now.
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