What's wrong with this picture?A lovely cat family. Mama, two orange kids, a part siamese (the white one), and a little black kitty who was spooked and ran under the deck when we came out on our porch on Saturday morning.
Yes, what's wrong with this lovely little family group.
They're feral.
Why are they feral?
Because our neighbors think it's swell to have cats. AND NEVER NEUTER THEM. Consequently, there are constantly new litters of kittens being born. The neighbors toss a bowl of dry food out on their deck, but that's as far as they go when it comes to cat maintenance. The cats are outdoor cats. And there are more than THIRTY of them running around the neighborhood.
According to the Humane Society there's no law that says this is cruel, but forcing cats to live outdoors in Western New York in winter is inhumane in my book. Forcing them to bear unwanted litters of kittens is inhumane in my book. Making them hunt for their food in an area filled with preditors is inhumane in my book.
Hmm...might need to write about book just about this.
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Do it! Use the weapon at your disposal--write about it!
ReplyDeleteIt's almost unthinkable that there could still be such unthinking people around. As there clearly are, and as you have a glaring example staring you in the face with several pairs of appealing eyes every day, I honestly think you should write a book about it.
My neighbors did the same thing and last year there were too many litters running around. This year though, I have only seen adult cats. Hmm, I wonder if they wised up.
ReplyDeleteI agree people who wants animals should take responsibility of them in a humane way. My last kitty was a stray black female and a maine coon, she found me one day in the yard by standing on my feet looking up and meowing at me. Freddie is the most loving cross I've ever had, shes fixed and remains a house cat. The Female black had another little this year but kept them away from me.
ReplyDeleteOur neighborhood feral cat and her 4 surviving kittens are being fed by me on our patio. If I could catch them, I would take all 5 to the shelter because I can't afford to have them fixed. The kittens are precious but . . .
ReplyDeleteI would love to see this problem publicized more. I volunteer at our local animal shelter and this is a very personal issue for me. There are so many "tame" cats that don't have homes (because people don't fix their cats) that the shelters don't even bother with ferals. One shelter can sometimes put down as many as 50-60 a DAY!! That is totally NOT ACCEPTABLE - it breaks my heart. Personally, I think it should be illegal to have an unaltered outside cat (even inside cats should be spayed/neutered). Plus, in my neighborhood, someone has been poisoning the ferals - it's sickening! ....OK, I'll stop now, but I pray every night that people wake up and realize what they're doing. Thanks for caring Lorna!!
ReplyDeleteIt is SO wrong but seems to be a nationwide problem. My aunt in Florida is currently trying to Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) cats in her neighborhood. I have recently done the same thing in my neigborhood in Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! It is wrong to have animals and not have them fixed. Or to take care of them. It is like having a child -though there are those who don't take care of them either. If you agree to have an animal then you are resposible for there care-vet, food and shelter. Not depend on someone else to do it for you. I have feed the neighbors animals also. And worried about them when they left them outside in the storms here (Bluegrass state).
ReplyDeleteDiane
Several organizations in this area have programs to trap and release (after fixing) feral cats.
ReplyDeleteNot a perfect solution, but a start.
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