I hate my town (stray cats and corrupt bureaucrats) - Page 8

hey now.  I have 2 cats.  I love them!  They are TERRIFIED of my chickens, and they aren't good hunters.  I just think they should do large scale spay and nuter.  That'd fix it within a few years.

 

I was involved in fostering for a lot of yrs. and one of the rescues around here were doing it (it's a couple of towns over)...I fostered for them as well. The cats were relocated to an area that didn't have a lot of homes around it. It was stupid if you ask me, but hey, I can't speak for them.  I agree with you that they should be humanely euthanized because of all the problems they cause.

 

If it weren't for me taking in and rehoming the cats that get dumped around my place, something would've needed doing too.  These are friendly cats and kittens, so apparently they belonged to someone before and weren't just feral.  I'd like to wring the neck of the person dumping them though!

 

Anyway, I suggested what I did to the OP 'cause they seemed desperate for help.  If they have a rescue around like the one we do, maybe something could be done.  I also stated that I didn't know if they would and that it was just a thought though.

I say if there are tame cats or kittens which are not vicious and are able to be caught easily possibly because they were a pet recently abandoned and looking for someone to take them in then by all means catch them if you can and adopt them or take them to a shelter where they will have proper vet care and the possiblilty of finding a home, if they are feral wild cats who are killing livestock and wild animals they need to be killed, a feral housecat is an exotic species to most all areas in the US  and most who know about wildlife and conservation know that exotic species is one of if not the single most damaging thing to a natural ecosystem, they need to be killed, fixing them won't do any good it is impossible to catch every single stray and spay or neuter it, the ones you miss would reproduce exponentially rendering the spay/neuters which were done pretty much uselss.

 

I have to say most everyone on this forum enjoys the company of animals or they wouldn't be on here but you have to acknowledge the fact that there is a huge difference between a cared for housepet and a feral exotic species which is killing everything it can to survive, they do a lot of damage to native small animals.

I also have 2 cats but that doesn't change the facts that huge populations of stray cats are killing off other species. And that affects an entire Eco system eventually. Because when one species runs out they go to the next. Both my cats are cats that act like cats...one is blind and still catches mice...possibly the sick or slow mice, but he does catch them nonetheless...it is an issue though that I think people need to put everything into scale with the big picture. Why not euthanize hundreds of feral cats that are doing nothing but decimating bird and small mammal populations---not mice or rats---nothing can keep those killed fast enough...and I'm not saying that because I don't like them either.biology agrees...anyway they are killing masses of small creatures and spreading disease...so why spay and return...? They don't do that with wild dogs

Right on right on! That is what im saying...
I lived in a more urban-ish area recently and the feral cats were so numerous...and you could see 8 or 9 generations ongoing...no squirrels or birds in the yard in the 4 years we lived there... It was ridiculous. They didn't even look like house cats they were huge, and more than a little mean...but one day a sweet little kitten wandered up to the house and became interested in us. It looked like a few of the other kittens you would see from time to time, but even when tiny they would growl and run away, but one day this little guy came in the house and that is our second cat...he is scrappy, but is very kind and gentle to me and my kids, but he won't put up with as much...our first cat won't scratch you of you were to reAch up and bite him...so he has been great for the kids, most cats don't want to get their make up done...but he does, any way the wild cat won't stand for that mess, but he is sweet and loving, but to keep him inside you would literally have to nail his feet to the floor. He will find a way out...so I am adding to the problem...I know that he is out killing stuff...I see him in the trees all the time...but he will not stay in. We'll have to open the door sometime...and I don't know what to do. The other cat is happy to stay inside and eat cat food and get lovings and sleep on the back of the couch
Edited by missnu01 - 2/15/13 at 10:13pm

Put up a live fence. They will only climb it once.

He is a ninja, and desperate to be outside... He chewed his way out through the vent work after prying back a vent cover during our third attempt to keep him inside only. He would find a way to climb the roof and jump up a tree. He lives in the trees. It's where all the tasty birds are. Now if I could electrify a few of his favorite trees it would totally work. He is a predatory outdoor cat, and a lack of testicles changed that none

 

I absolutely love cats and I agree with trap neuter release programs, but I am of the belief that there should be mass euthanizations of feral populations....as much as it kills me to say it, the world is SO VERY, VERY overpopulated because of us humans failure to spay/neuter our pets. It's OUR fault that it's become a problem of this epic proportion. But I do agree....It would be nice if someone were able to round them all up and be able to put them all down humanely in all cities and towns across the country....it would help the wild bird and chicken population greatly, and it would be greatly helpful for those living in big cities with feral ally cat problems.....but only in a perfect world would we be able to round all the extra unwanted, homeless cats up at one time to euthanize them....sigh

Duffields, I know we got off on the wrong foot, I do very much like some of your posts! Bluecoondog, same for you. This is a epic problem, one that takes a village so to speak. We do all share a bit of responsibility in it. Some maybe more than others. The real solutions lie with us "salt of the earth" folks. No matter where we live or what sort of encumbrances are placed on us. I believe we all need to do what we can to do the best we can to do right by the natural and contrived ecosystems that sustain us. That being said spay and neuter programs are completely ********! I like cats as well, I grew up with "barn cats" on our farm as well as my grandparents. They were tame and used to control introduced rodents, they were fixed, and appreciated. Feral cats are subsidized predators, they deserve our respect as a sentient being, however they do need to be eradicated. In my opinion in the way that raises the least eyebrows and attention however that may fit into your personal and ethical lifestyle. I've really enjoyed this post thanks knittycat and best of luck to you in all your future farming endeavors.

 

 

I agree with you both.  The best thing to do, I feel, would be to humanely euthanize these animals.  I know to some that may be a horrible thing to say and it may upset some, but I don't mean to upset anyone.  See, I have worked in the animal industry just about all my life.  I've worked as a bather for a groomer, worked as kennel help, ran two kennels (one show and regular kennel and then one regular kennel), worked as a vet's assistant, a groomers assistant, trained dogs for clients, and then was as a groomer for 17 yrs.  I owned a grooming salon for 11 yrs.  I've been rescuing animals for a very long time and fostered animals for many yrs.  I've also taken in a lot of cats due to someone around here dumping them off close to my place.  One was a young cat with a belly full of kittens.  I've had her for a lot of yrs. now, as I decided to rehome her kittens and keep her.  Another had a litter of kittens under my neighbor's house just before I took her in, so I had to rehome all of those kittens.  She ended up getting out before I could get her in to get spayed, as she was determined to go back outside and slipped out the door, and got pregnant again, so there were even more kittens to find homes for.  I was then eventually able to find her a home.  Some of the cats I've rehomed and some I've kept.  Right now I own 6 cats that someone dumped.  Three of them being cats that I'd like to rehome, but so far haven't been able to.  I just took another in about 6 mos. ago.  If these cats were feral, I wouldn't be able to do this.  Obviously most of them were someone's pets that they decided they didn't want anymore.  Only one was semi-feral, but she was dumped somewhere else and was a young kitten, so I was able to rehab her.  Taking in these cats drains my finances, but sine they're friendly, I give them a chance. 

 

My point in saying all I did above, is that with working all those jobs and working rescue and fostering, I've seen it all.  Us humans start so many problems when it comes to animals.  In an ideal world that wouldn't happen, but it's reality.  I've seen more abuse than you can shake a stick at.  IMO, taking cats/kittens and dumping them is abuse too.  Not only is it thoughtless and cruel, the person who dumped the cats creates a problem for everyone else.  These cats turn wild and breed like rabbits, putting out feral kittens who grow up and have kittens of their own.  Unchecked populations soar.  These cats kill the wild bird population, kill small livestock, run out in front of cars and cause accidents with people swerving to miss them, get into people's garbage, fight with domesticated outdoor cats, spread disease and fleas, use people's property as toilets, etc...  Yeah, catch, spay, neuter and release helps to keep the populations from getting any higher, but it doesn't solve the problem of the cats that are still there causing issues.

 

In working in the animal industry, you come to realize that for every one person you educate, there will be 10 more that you can't get through to.  In rescue and fostering, you realize that for every one animal you save or solve a problem with, there will be 10 more people putting animals out there in bad situations and creating situations that negatively affect others.  In other words, there comes a time when the only practical solution is to euthanize the animals.  No one really wants to do it, as we all have a love for animals, but there is only so much that can be done.  Feral cats cannot be managed, only their populations can.  Most cannot be rehabbed unless they're young, and even that's not always successful.  It's a lot of hard work that there isn't enough people out there to do.  The only practical solution is euthanization.

 

It's a shame that the OP has to go through this.  We need to push our legislators into realizing that this is a huge problem for many, and that catch, sterilize and release does nothing to end the issues that these animals cause.  The problem is that people who love animals throw a fit when these animals are euthanized.  They don't realize the issues because they're not educated about it.  They go to the legislators and whine about animals being killed.  The legislators, in turn, try to do what these people want.  Like in my town, for instance.  We had a huge issue with cats being dumped and people getting dogs and deciding they didn't want them anymore.  We also had an issue with some dogs running wild in pack and creating problems.  We have that problem again right now, as a matter of fact, and because of it an officer had to shoot an aggressive dog.  These dogs go after neighborhood dogs, people going for walks with their dogs, joggers, and neighborhood children outside playing.  Anyway, due to the issue of animals being dumped, unwanted animals being turned over, and animals with problems being surrendered, the numbers got out of hand.  From what I was told...  The local Humane Society was only allowed so much of the drug to euthanize these animals.  Because of that, they were taking animals out and shooting them.  Well, people got wind of the animals being shot and threw a fit.  Because of that and some other issues relating to it, our Humane Society was cut their funding and was shut down.  The dog warden, from what I was told, was also involved and was fired.  This shouldn't have happened IMO.  What people didn't stop to think about, was what were they suppose to do with all of these animals that couldn't be homed and there wasn't enough of the drug to euthanize them with ('cause as I said, they were only allotted so much).  Things like this is why education is needed.

 

Sorry I'm so long winded...just wanted to get people to understand where some of us may be coming from (as I can't speak for everyone).  I'll shut up now, lol! 

 

 

 

Edited for typo.

Edited by Chikenbutwut - 2/17/13 at 1:16am