Feral Cats and TNR

I found this video while surfing youtube tonight. This is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart- Feral Cats. At my workplace we had a colony of feral cats that were being looked after by numerous employee's and other concerned citizens that lived in the area. Other numerous businesses in the area helped feed and look after the colony of about 16 that lived in the area. We had watched several cats grow from babies into adults, and worried about them through the winter, most of whom made it through and as the spring returned, we were happy to see many of our loved ones back out and about.

A business that was two buildings down changed hands, and the new owner started complaining about the numerous cats running about. She decided to try to trap these magnificent beings and take them to the pound. She was quite unsuccessful, and her impatience grew- claiming that these cats were a nuisance to her customers. She then contacted the County Administrator and animal control. An order was issued to trap this colony. A concerned person contacted animal control and inquired about their policy on feral cats. Indeed, the policy was to "exterminate" said cats, in other words MURDER healthy innocent lives, who's only crime was trying to live a life after their "loved one's" or so called guardians had dropped them off, and were left to fend for themselves.

Several people banded together and we mounted a mission to rescue these cats from their certain deaths. We were lucky enough to have an animal rescue group that brought up numerous Have A Heart traps to aid us in getting these cats to safety. Over the weekend, this new business owners saw our traps and started causing another rash of bullshit to the county. I was then contacted by the City Police who given the task of "mediating" between the rescue group and animal control. We asked that we would be given the opportunity to try a TNR program, which stands for "Trap, Neuter, and Release", but this request was denied. I was then threated that if we were caught trying to feed or capture any of the ferals we would prosecuted for Trespassing on private property and for "stealing county property". The county now looked at these cats as if they were their property since an order for trap and execution had been put in place. This is an egregious misuse of government power, and is a disgrace.

In the end, we ended up rescuing several cats, all of which went into labor and had babies within their first week of being rescued, and now we face the monumental task of finding them all loving homes where they will live their lives out in safety and love. I know these lives were saved from facing certain execution, and this is an example that there is no limit as to what a few people can do to make a difference to the lives of a number of individuals.

There are multiple reasons why I believe so strongly in TNR programs, and why killing healthy feral cats is completely immoral. Population control through murder will never work, it hasn't worked in all of the time that animal control has existed and their sick and torturous policies have been in place.

Number 1- Inherent moral wrong. To kill a healthy cat is morally unjust and no sentient being deserves to be executed for the simple reason of being left to survive on their own. What if we were promulgate policies to execute all children rendered to the state by parents who felt they were unable to care their child? This would cause an outrage! Why is it socially acceptable to kill a species that is unable to communicate with us, or is different from our own? This is blatant specieist and no different from any other form of discrimination.

2. Cats are territorial animals. A cohesive feral cat colony will hold their territory and keep it free from invasion. When a cat colony is eradicated by the method of trapping and murdering, their once held territory is now open. Cats from the surrounding area's will come into this now open territory, breeding will sharply increase as there isn't as much competition for territory and food. Within a few months, there will be a high population of feral cats in the said area. Female cats can have two liters of kittens within the first year of their lives, and 3 liters of cats each year there after. The "problem" therefore is not solved, but rather delayed, and will then lead to the trapping and killing of more cats, and the vicious cycle continues.

TNR programs work because once the ferals are trapped, they are then spayed or neutered, to keep the population of ferals from increasing at exponential rates. After a day of having been spayed or neutered, the cats are then returned to their home territory where they will hold their territory, and over time the population of cats will decrease as they age and die. It is important that TNR continues to be implemented as new cats find their way and acceptance into a colony so the rate of population does not increase. This only takes some time, patience, and love from one or two committed individuals, which isn't so very hard. A looked after colony can live to have full, happy, and healthy lives.

Studies have shown that in cities such as San Fransisco, CA and other counties in numerous other states that have adopted TNR policies instead of inhumane and unnecessary murder policies, the feral cat population steadily decreases by numerous percentages, and when No Kill policies are put into place, an almost overnight decrease in kill rate of 75%, and the eventual decrease of 92% in kill rates.

For more information on the No Kill Revolution please check out Nathan Winograd's book, Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America Nathan was also interviewed by Bob and Jenna Torres on Vegan Freak Radio, you can listen to the show Nathan's interview here. Please check these out!

The unnecessary murder of healthy feral cats is not necessary, and if the ferals that were rescued from my workplace would be able to communicate with humans, I'm sure they would agree that their lives are just as important as any other.