RANT: Kinda ticked at the Humane Society

[MickWithChicks]

I am going to be the turd in the punch bowl by saying this but.... You baited and placed a trap, and caught a stray cat. Why take it to the animal people? Why do you assume a cat needs rescuing, and why do you assume the shelter people are the solution. Assuming a cat needs "rescuing" was your first mistake. Taking it in to those people was number two. What did you expect? Let the damned thing out and on it's way and you would have avoided a lot of ass pain.

I disagree with your statement. If there's reason to think it's a stray and not a feral, there's good reason to think that bringing it to a shelter might reunite the cat with its family. OP also asked around the neighbouring properties to see if they were the owners.

Additionally--and maybe it's different where you are--adult feral cats are often caught, checked for diseases such as FIV and FeLV, neutered/spayed, and then released back into their colonies. Kittens and well-behaved adult cats are adopted out. This helps reduce the impact that ferals have on the native fauna by removing the ability for colonies to increase without having to euthanise the animals. Diseased cats are destroyed to stop the spread of disease to pet cats.

The neuter and release method also encourages people to bring the animals in as there is no guilt associated with doing so (the captor knows that the cat will not be destroyed). We have some overwhelming issues with introduced species here in Australia, so every move towards better conservation has a positive impact on reducing the harm done by these introduced species.

I understand where you're coming from and maybe the neuter and release programs aren't available in your country/location, but where I am it makes complete sense to do what OP did.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I disagree with your statement. If there's reason to think it's a stray and not a feral, there's good reason to think that bringing it to a shelter might reunite the cat with its family. OP also asked around the neighbouring properties to see if they were the owners.

Additionally--and maybe it's different where you are--adult feral cats are often caught, checked for diseases such as FIV and FeLV, neutered/spayed, and then released back into their colonies. Kittens and well-behaved adult cats are adopted out. This helps reduce the impact that ferals have on the native fauna by removing the ability for colonies to increase without having to euthanise the animals. Diseased cats are destroyed to stop the spread of disease to pet cats.

The neuter and release method also encourages people to bring the animals in as there is no guilt associated with doing so (the captor knows that the cat will not be destroyed). We have some overwhelming issues with introduced species here in Australia, so every move towards better conservation has a positive impact on reducing the harm done by these introduced species.

I understand where you're coming from and maybe the neuter and release programs aren't available in your country/location, but where I am it makes complete sense to do what OP did.

Neuter and release? I don't think you understand where I am coming from at all. Neuter and release is in my opinion, immoral and destructive. What? You don't want to kill them but you want to let them live out their lives as eunuchs? Killing untold numbers of native birds and what nots.... No Guilt you say? I am not worried about guilt. I say, if you don't want the stray cat, you shoot it. You take it for a long drive. If you take it to the shelter, don't complain that they don't want the damned thing. It is a feral Tom Cat. Why did you trap it to begin with?
Stray cats are everywhere. Who knows... they might well spay or neuter it and re-release it back in its native range... (the original property)... Neutered Feral cat colonies? . That is crazy. It only takes one Tom Cat to impregnate all the females. People take animals to the shelter because they want to feel like they did something good, and then when they wind up frustrated, I have little sympathy, because they should have left the damned animal alone or shot it themselves.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Neuter and release? I don't think you understand where I am coming from at all. Neuter and release is in my opinion, immoral and destructive. What? You don't want to kill them but you want to let them live out their lives as eunuchs? Killing untold numbers of native birds and what nots.... No Guilt you say? I am not worried about guilt. I say, if you don't want the stray cat, you shoot it. You take it for a long drive. If you take it to the shelter, don't complain that they don't want the damned thing. It is a feral Tom Cat. Why did you trap it to begin with?
Stray cats are everywhere. Who knows... they might well spay or neuter it and re-release it back in its native range... (the original property)... Neutered Feral cat colonies? . That is crazy. It only takes one Tom Cat to impregnate all the females. People take animals to the shelter because they want to feel like they did something good, and then when they wind up frustrated, I have little sympathy, because they should have left the damned animal alone or shot it themselves.

Well. . . .let's not get this thread shut down, I enjoy hearing everyones opinions.
Not arguing. .your opinion is as good as anyone elses. .
But here are a couple points I have.
She wasn't trying to trap the cat. . the cat was collateral damage.
So then your left with the choice of either shooting it, letting it go on your property so it can potentially become a problem . .
Or take it to a rescue where the people who are supposed to be in the business of knowing what to do about these things should be willing to at least offer some advice.

It's sad it's just a no win situation.

 

[MickWithChicks]

Neuter and release? I don't think you understand where I am coming from at all. Neuter and release is in my opinion, immoral and destructive. What? You don't want to kill them but you want to let them live out their lives as eunuchs? Killing untold numbers of native birds and what nots.... No Guilt you say? I am not worried about guilt. I say, if you don't want the stray cat, you shoot it. You take it for a long drive. If you take it to the shelter, don't complain that they don't want the damned thing. It is a feral Tom Cat. Why did you trap it to begin with?

That's great that you're not worried about guilt. Good for you! Others are though. What you're worried about and what others are worried about differ. Such is human nature.

While I agree that ferals can and even should be destroyed, the neuter and release method is shown to successfully reduce the number of feral cats in colonies. Shooting a single cat on sight does not.

I'm not OP, but as OP stated, they were trying to trap a racoon, not a tom cat.

Taking it to the shelter wasn't the wrong thing to do, nor is complaining that they don't want to take the thing. Perhaps the shelters need to be better equipped to handle feral cats? If they need to be destroyed and disposed of, so be it, but those shelters should have protocols to handle it; if they don't they're failing miserably.

It only takes one Tom Cat to impregnate all the females.

If you re-read my post, you'll note my statement reads: adult feral cats are often caught, checked for diseases such as FIV and FeLV, neutered/spayed, and then released back into their colonies.

These programs neuter and spay the cats. They're not re-releasing the females without spaying them. That one Tom isn't going to impregnate any of the spayed females.

People take animals to the shelter because they want to feel like they did something good, and then when they wind up frustrated, I have little sympathy, because they should have left the damned animal alone or shot it themselves.

Each to their own. You're free to shoot on sight. Obviously OP wasn't comfortable with either of the two options you would have taken, so they did what they thought was the next best thing.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

That's great that you're not worried about guilt. Good for you! Others are though. What you're worried about and what others are worried about differ. Such is human nature.

While I agree that ferals can and even should be destroyed, the neuter and release method is shown to successfully reduce the number of feral cats in colonies. Shooting a single cat on sight does not.

I'm not OP, but as OP stated, they were trying to trap a racoon, not a tom cat.

Taking it to the shelter wasn't the wrong thing to do, nor is complaining that they don't want to take the thing. Perhaps the shelters need to be better equipped to handle feral cats? If they need to be destroyed and disposed of, so be it, but those shelters should have protocols to handle it; if they don't they're failing miserably.



If you re-read my post, you'll note my statement reads: adult feral cats are often caught, checked for diseases such as FIV and FeLV, neutered/spayed, and then released back into their colonies.

These programs neuter and spay the cats. They're not re-releasing the females without spaying them. That one Tom isn't going to impregnate any of the spayed females.



Each to their own. You're free to shoot on sight. Obviously OP wasn't comfortable with either of the two options you would have taken, so they did what they thought was the next best thing.

also. . some of us that live in city limits would be slammed with an animal cruelty charge if we get caught shooting a feral cat on our property .. . by the same folks who can't take any more animals in their shelter.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I would not shoot it on sight. I would likely not shoot it at all. I would likely not even know it was out there because I would not be setting a trap outside because nothing can get into my coop without power tools and I don't see the point. But if I did go out and find a stray cat in my cage, I would release it. If for some reason, I did not want it to live, I would then shoot it. But shooting it would be unlikely. These so called cat lovers know less about cats than they think. They abuse and control them. Trapping them so they can decide which ones live or die. Arranging colonies of them is bizarre. Feeling like they need to be "rescued". That is the craziest thing of all.

 

[MickWithChicks]

I would not shoot it on sight. I would likely not shoot it at all. I would likely not even know it was out there because I would not be setting a trap outside because nothing can get into my coop without power tools and I don't see the point. But if I did go out and find a stray cat in my cage, I would release it. If for some reason, I did not want it to live, I would then shoot it. But shooting it would be unlikely. These so called cat lovers know less about cats than they think. They abuse and control them. Trapping them so they can decide which ones live or die. Arranging colonies of them is bizarre. Feeling like they need to be "rescued". That is the craziest thing of all.

I better understand where you're coming from now. These internet posts and lack of body language during a conversation can sure lead to some misinterpretations!

There are plenty of groups here who slam the groups who are running the desex and release programs, so plenty of people who agree with your sentiments wholly. I'm somewhere on the fence. I see the value, but not 100% all of the time in all of the areas.

 

[MillersFarm]

Word of advice, Don't get too comfortable with it. I had a little run-in with a feral cat i adopted and one thing lead to another the cat bit me. The shelter I got him from said he was up to date with all his shots so I didn't worry about it too much, The next day later I feel like crap and my hand is about 4 times it's size. Had to get rabies shots and everything.. Wasn't very pleasant.

 

[MROO]

Bless you for caring enough to see that your beautiful interloper was safely and properly placed. All of my pets are rescues. Two dogs (both found wandering locally as strays,) four cats, even my daughter's horse, who was once a kill-pen pull. I am absolutely floored by what people throw away.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I would not shoot it on sight. I would likely not shoot it at all. I would likely not even know it was out there because I would not be setting a trap outside because nothing can get into my coop without power tools and I don't see the point. But if I did go out and find a stray cat in my cage, I would release it. If for some reason, I did not want it to live, I would then shoot it. But shooting it would be unlikely. These so called cat lovers know less about cats than they think. They abuse and control them. Trapping them so they can decide which ones live or die. Arranging colonies of them is bizarre. Feeling like they need to be "rescued". That is the craziest thing of all.

I agree with that . . it is bizarre. I'm not 100% sold on the whole thing either. But I also have seen on television where there are literally hundreds of feral cats that invade neighborhoods and cause so many issues. . I guess people are just between a rock and a hard place. I can understand why it has become more about controlling numbers of them rather than mass killing of them only for more to just take their place.
In a perfect world people would take responsibility for their pets in the first place and we wouldn't have this problem. But that will never happen.