Feral cats = huge environmental problem!
February 26th, 2008
When the shearwater protection project began, Misaki thought, “Wow, so many cats! As we cleared away the brush, we found lots of bird bones and realized that the cats had used the trees as staging areas for their attacks.”
Feral cat predation of native fauna is a growing ecological problem, especially on islands. Arising from stray or abandoned unsterilized pets, feral cat colonies multiply rapidly in the wild and prey easily on smaller animals that had not evolved survival responses to evade these introduced predators.
Did The Nature Conservancy employ the stupid and ineffective “trap-neuter-release” program? Of course not. The cats were all euthanized. TNR is not a viable solution for feral cats and their direct, significant, and overwhelming impact on local ecosystems. The only solution is euthanasia. Trap-neuter-release is a “feel-good” strategy that, when compared to other strategies, leads to more feral cats, more cat predation on ecosystems, and more disease vectors.
What can you do, in order of importance:
- Do not own cats.
- Keep your cats indoors.
- Castrate/spay your cats.
- If your State/City/County allows it, destroy feral cats on your property or in areas where you may take such action.
- Continually report feral cats to county/city agencies.
- Do NOT report feral cats to “humane societies” or feral cat organizations. These animal rights organizations have a documented lack of concern for endangered species and will simply re-release feral cats AND OTHER FERAL CATS in that area. If you report a feral cat to one of these animal rights groups, it is likely that they will use that site to setup a new “colony” of feral cats.
- Tell your friends about the above.
Cats, particularly feral cats, are apex predators that are destroying huge swaths of our natural heritage day after day. While PETA and other animal rights organizations may not agree, these predators must be REMOVED for the continued survival of endangered birds, mammals, and reptiles.
Heck, even The Nature Conservancy knows that much! Isn’t it about time that YOU took action?
Related posts: "Animal rights" versus biodiversity, Outdoor and feral cats leading to Californian sea otter deaths, Can't we trap-neuter-release those sea lions?
6 Comments Add your own
1. Robert Storm | February 26th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
If numbers of feral cats on your property is a problem, call your favorite red-neck such as myself.
Dr. Remington will clear that little problem up in short order.
This isn’t rocket science.
2. kincaid | February 27th, 2008 at 6:20 am
you are a crazy old man,
god have mercy on your soul
3. laura | March 2nd, 2008 at 6:57 pm
You do realize that humans are far and away the number one species responsible for destroying the ecosystem and causing endangered birds, mammals, and reptiles to die off. The damage that cats do doesn’t come remotely close to the damage that people do.
You spend all this time whining about feral cats when the real problem, the real threat to the environment, is people. You want to save the little birdies? Try to help change the way humans destroy the planet through pollution and overconsumption. Until people change, it\’s not going to make a lick of difference what happens with the cat population.
4. Saki | May 28th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Do the math. Either way, killing a cat or neutering a cat means one less cat that can reproduce, meaning the feral population will go down and eventually die out. The big question is do you want to behave like a psychopath in the making and kill innocent cats, or do you want to show that you really are smarter than other animals and get the cats neutered so they can live out the rest of their lives naturally? Before you answer that question, THINK; don\’t just react. Rednecks can be smart too. Proove that you\’re not a stereotype.
5. Muscle Guitar | June 8th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I agree with the author.Don’t report a feral cat colony to a humane society or rescue group.I have a neighbor who feeds feral cats and they became a real problem.They don’t act like house cats.They are constantly stalking prey like birds,squirrels and small rabbits.The tom cats are relentless sprayers.
I mentioned this to my neighbor,and she acted as if it were none of my business that the cats were damaging my property.
Better to report the colony to Animal Control,then if the cats are coming on your property let them trap them.Find a discreet place where the neighbors can’t see the trap,bait the traps with mackerel,salmon or Friskies Salmon Dinner.
I was able to remove the entire colony of 12-16 cats in about 2 weeks.Animal Control was very appreciative of my cooperation.I was very appreciative of their effort as well.
Since then,I bought 4 more traps and have a ZERO TOLERANCE for feral / stray cats.If I see one,I trap if and have Animal Control pick it up.They keep records of how many males,females,pregnant and lactating cats they catch and where.
All’s well in my neighborhood,the birds are back,so are the squirrels and I can inhale without breathing the fumes of cat urine.
But like I say,Zero tolerance.Be proactive,nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand.
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