Feral Cats and Wildlife
History of the Controversy
Many people enjoy having cats as pets. They are cute, cuddly, and fun to play with. What many cat-lovers may not know is the impact that cats have on the wildlife is drastic. Cats are “invasive species” and are harming the ecological system by killing billions of native wildlife species a year, just in North America where feral and free-roaming cats are now the leading cause of human-related wildlife mortality.
There are three types of cats. Free-roaming, which are dependent on people; feral, which are independent from people; and indoor cats, which are domestic. The felines are not native to North America, and came to the country with Europeans years ago. They easily reproduce, and are ready to mate after a couple of months of life. It is agreed that all feral and free-roaming cats should be controlled. It is also important that pet cats are controlled when they are allowed outsides. The main issue revolves around dealing with the overwhelming population of feral and free-roaming cats, and the damage cats have on wildlife. Should they be controlled by humane euthanasia or should they be trapped, neutered, and released?
Key Players and Power Dynamic Analysis
This controversy is somewhat over simplistically split into cat lovers vs. wildlife lovers. Most people on each side care deeply about cats and wildlife. Each side has provided ideas for a solution to the problem. Cat lovers are concerned with the wellbeing of the cats while the wildlife lovers want cats removed from the wild and confined so wildlife can flourish. Everyone would like to find a balance where the cats are safely handled and no longer damaging wildlife populations. One method that seems to hold promise is “Trap-Neuter-Confine” where trapped and neutered cats are confined to large cat-proof enclosure where they could be cared for and not have access to native wildlife. Along the same lines, an enclosure approach is being used in Hawaii. The American Bird Conservancy is using a strategy to keep cat lovers and the bird lovers happy, while protecting nesting seabirds that were being decimated by cat predation. They are using a high tech fencing system that prevents cats from gaining access to the nesting colonies which allows the birds to nest and raise their young without being killed. The simplest and most uncontroversial method would be to simply keep pet cats indoors, for the sake of the cats and wildlife. Indoor cats lead longer healthier lives, and studies have shown that if pet owners kept their cats confined indoors the outdoor cat number could be reduced by a third to a half, depending on the setting. The “Cats Indoors” program has been endorsed by many groups as the most acceptable compromise that simultaneously protects cats and wildlife. Overall there is no specific group in power. The pro-cat groups and pro-wildlife groups have worked on finding mutually acceptable methods. As of now, the most benefic in Wisconsin, controlling cats through otherwise legal means is still permitted. Other states have different policies regarding unwanted cats. In many states it's illegal to release domesticated animals into the wild or allow domesticated animals to roam freely without confining or restraining them. It's often legal to kill such animals in defense of private property, or if they're harming wildlife. People need to come up with alternative solutions to those that are in place now. Both sides, the cat lovers, and the wildlife activists are still searching for a balance where both sides are happy with the decision made. Many cat lovers are accepting of the trap neuter release programs and the trap neuter confine methods, while the wildlife activists find it most beneficial to solve the problem by using the humane euthanasia method, because it decreases the cat growing cat population which then decreases the number of wildlife that is killed by cats.
Controversies
In Wisconsin there has been an increase in the division of cat-lovers and wildlife activists. In 2005, there was an estimate of at least 1.4 million free roaming cats in Wisconsin alone. At first Wisconsin lived with it and it was left alone, until firefighter Mark Smith proposed listing feral and free-roaming cats as unprotected animals at the La Crosse County Conservation Congress. The issue was big during it’s time, but there was no follow-up action on the question.
Other states have feral and free-roaming cats as unlisted animals, but the opposition is too big for any change to happen. A solution that has recently begun is the Trap, Neuter, and Release program that some humane societies have adopted. Killing these cats is seen as harsh and cruel, yet people for the Trap, Neuter, and Release Programs lack knowledge about the life these cats return to and often ignore the harm inflicted on native wildlife. There are feral cats that carry disease that can be transmitted to humans, and not only do they pass them on to humans, but they also suffer from them. For this reason the TNR programs are questioned and are a controversy in it of itself. Some animal welfare groups and most wildlife groups consider the practice to be an inhumane and irresponsible way to deal with the cat overpopulation.
The vast increase of the cat population in Wisconsin has brought into play many questions. The answers haven’t been found, and the treatment of feral cats is still a controversy today. Controlling cats through currently legal means might decrease their population and reduce wildlife losses, but it would also worry cat owners that their cat could be accidently shot if it roamed off their property. TNR programs also have their ups and downs, but now it’s time to find balance between both sides.
Current Status of the Controversy: Trap Neuter Release and Euthanasia
Some humane societies and organizations like Alley Cat Allies, in Bethesda, Maryland, are providing a safe and humane substitution for trapping and euthanizing unwanted cats, the new system is called Trap-Neuter-Release. Instead of the cats being trapped and euthanized this system purports to be a more humane way of reducing the cat population. The cats are trapped and taken in then they are operated on, given vaccinations, marked with a clipped ear, and possibly other veterinary procedures if needed. The cats are most likely sent back out into the environment to live their lives, without reproducing and creating a bigger problem with more cats. The TNR program is actively promoted but is it worth all the trouble if the cats are going to be sent back out into the wild, they still have to survive through harsh temperatures during the winter, they are still vulnerable to diseases, parasite infestations, dehydration, starvation, and heat strokes, they also have to avoid other predators like, foxes, coyotes, hawks and cars, and they still can continue to kill native wildlife species. Also, research has shown that TNR’s are not effective unless 80% of the total cat population is neutered in an area. With the percentage being so high, the likelihood of reaching anywhere near that is very low. Whether or not they are being humanely treated is questionable and some animal welfare organizations like PETA have called it “re-abandonment.”
Many people believe that more should be done to reduce the cat population, some organizations just do catch and kill and some home owners take things into their own hands. There are a very few cruel people who are fed up with the feral cats, and taking things into their own hands, and do whatever they can to reduce the feral cat population, some examples of what cruel and inhumane things are done to cats are as follows: shooting them, poisoning them, drowning them, torturing them, and burning them.
Ethical Issues
The ethical debates regarding outdoor and feral cats generally focusses on whether or not it is right to kill them and whether or not it is right to allow them to kill native wildlife species. What is a cat’s life or a wildlife species’ life worth? Does a feral cat even have a life worth living? The issue is ambiguous and morally grey. Outdoor cats carry and transmit diseases such as toxoplasmosis, rabies, bartonella, and salmonellosis that harm themselves, other cats, and humans that come into contact with them, pointing some to believe that controlling them benefits both all cats, wildlife and the people in the area. Wild cats can be pests and attack, injure, and infect people, especially young children, which lends strength to the argument for controlling cats. “Mercy killing” of unwanted cats is another argument used by those who see no moral issue with humane euthanasia. They believe that since many cats may have horrible lives and rough circumstances, putting them out of their misery is a humane option.
Unsocialized cats are the victims of car accidents and attacks by other cats, and a major lack of medical care to keep their bodies working properly. Feral and free-roaming cats are also affected by starvation. These conditions suggest that feral cats may be better off dead. However, the other side of the argument states that all life is sacred. While this may seem sentimental, the intrinsic value of a life shouldn’t be taken for granted. Typically, the cat is thought of as a household pet, and people hesitate to sanction the human caused death of an animal they perceive to be similar to their cute and cuddly kitty. There are other options to solve cat related problems, including requiring pet owners to confine their cats. Another solution, the Trap-Neuter-Release or Trap-Neuter-Confine program aims at decreasing the cat population. Pro-cat representatives argue killing the cats would not accomplish as new cats just move into the territories. However, this argument has been pointed out as flawed by conservationists and biologists who argue that it goes against animal population dynamics’ principles. People also have concerns about pet cats being taken for feral cats and killed. Because the two sides seem to have such different yet valid perspectives on the problems, the ethical issues surrounding outdoor cats remains polarizing.
There is also a serious moral conflict between the unsocialized cats and wildlife that are killed within areas of high cat population. Since cats are an invasive species brought to America by European settlers, we, as humans, are directly responsible for the extinction of species of birds and the deaths of many wildlife animals. Is the weight of an unsocialized cat’s life heavier than the weight of the approximately 6 birds and countless other wildlife it will kill in a year? This question makes the issue even more complex.
Works Cited
Bies, L. (n.d.) The wildlife society-feral cats: impacts of an invasive species. Retrieved
from http://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Feral-Cats.pdf
Black, V. (2017, January 30). Proposals in elkhart, statehouse affecting feral cats inhumane, unrealistic. Retrieved from http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/proposals-in-elkhart-statehouse-affecting-feral-cats-inhumane-unrealistic/article_9e33038b-d23b-5ce2-9cfc-052189f1265d.html
Lisnik, K. (2016, September 13). “Cat wars”? let's call a ceasefire. Retrieved from https://www.animalsheltering.org/blog/cat-wars-lets-call-ceasefire
PETA. (n.d.). “Animal Rights Uncompromised: Feral Cats” Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/about-peta/why-peta/feral-cats/.
Sehnert. W. (2017, January 16). “The Great McCook cat fight of 1967” Retrieved from http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/2377779.html
The Washington Times. (2006, April 13). Wisconsin residents ok hunting of feral felines. Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/apr/13/20050413-122945-1783r/
Temple, Stanley. (2017, February 24). Personal Communication.
Many people enjoy having cats as pets. They are cute, cuddly, and fun to play with. What many cat-lovers may not know is the impact that cats have on the wildlife is drastic. Cats are “invasive species” and are harming the ecological system by killing billions of native wildlife species a year, just in North America where feral and free-roaming cats are now the leading cause of human-related wildlife mortality.
There are three types of cats. Free-roaming, which are dependent on people; feral, which are independent from people; and indoor cats, which are domestic. The felines are not native to North America, and came to the country with Europeans years ago. They easily reproduce, and are ready to mate after a couple of months of life. It is agreed that all feral and free-roaming cats should be controlled. It is also important that pet cats are controlled when they are allowed outsides. The main issue revolves around dealing with the overwhelming population of feral and free-roaming cats, and the damage cats have on wildlife. Should they be controlled by humane euthanasia or should they be trapped, neutered, and released?
Key Players and Power Dynamic Analysis
This controversy is somewhat over simplistically split into cat lovers vs. wildlife lovers. Most people on each side care deeply about cats and wildlife. Each side has provided ideas for a solution to the problem. Cat lovers are concerned with the wellbeing of the cats while the wildlife lovers want cats removed from the wild and confined so wildlife can flourish. Everyone would like to find a balance where the cats are safely handled and no longer damaging wildlife populations. One method that seems to hold promise is “Trap-Neuter-Confine” where trapped and neutered cats are confined to large cat-proof enclosure where they could be cared for and not have access to native wildlife. Along the same lines, an enclosure approach is being used in Hawaii. The American Bird Conservancy is using a strategy to keep cat lovers and the bird lovers happy, while protecting nesting seabirds that were being decimated by cat predation. They are using a high tech fencing system that prevents cats from gaining access to the nesting colonies which allows the birds to nest and raise their young without being killed. The simplest and most uncontroversial method would be to simply keep pet cats indoors, for the sake of the cats and wildlife. Indoor cats lead longer healthier lives, and studies have shown that if pet owners kept their cats confined indoors the outdoor cat number could be reduced by a third to a half, depending on the setting. The “Cats Indoors” program has been endorsed by many groups as the most acceptable compromise that simultaneously protects cats and wildlife. Overall there is no specific group in power. The pro-cat groups and pro-wildlife groups have worked on finding mutually acceptable methods. As of now, the most benefic in Wisconsin, controlling cats through otherwise legal means is still permitted. Other states have different policies regarding unwanted cats. In many states it's illegal to release domesticated animals into the wild or allow domesticated animals to roam freely without confining or restraining them. It's often legal to kill such animals in defense of private property, or if they're harming wildlife. People need to come up with alternative solutions to those that are in place now. Both sides, the cat lovers, and the wildlife activists are still searching for a balance where both sides are happy with the decision made. Many cat lovers are accepting of the trap neuter release programs and the trap neuter confine methods, while the wildlife activists find it most beneficial to solve the problem by using the humane euthanasia method, because it decreases the cat growing cat population which then decreases the number of wildlife that is killed by cats.
Controversies
In Wisconsin there has been an increase in the division of cat-lovers and wildlife activists. In 2005, there was an estimate of at least 1.4 million free roaming cats in Wisconsin alone. At first Wisconsin lived with it and it was left alone, until firefighter Mark Smith proposed listing feral and free-roaming cats as unprotected animals at the La Crosse County Conservation Congress. The issue was big during it’s time, but there was no follow-up action on the question.
Other states have feral and free-roaming cats as unlisted animals, but the opposition is too big for any change to happen. A solution that has recently begun is the Trap, Neuter, and Release program that some humane societies have adopted. Killing these cats is seen as harsh and cruel, yet people for the Trap, Neuter, and Release Programs lack knowledge about the life these cats return to and often ignore the harm inflicted on native wildlife. There are feral cats that carry disease that can be transmitted to humans, and not only do they pass them on to humans, but they also suffer from them. For this reason the TNR programs are questioned and are a controversy in it of itself. Some animal welfare groups and most wildlife groups consider the practice to be an inhumane and irresponsible way to deal with the cat overpopulation.
The vast increase of the cat population in Wisconsin has brought into play many questions. The answers haven’t been found, and the treatment of feral cats is still a controversy today. Controlling cats through currently legal means might decrease their population and reduce wildlife losses, but it would also worry cat owners that their cat could be accidently shot if it roamed off their property. TNR programs also have their ups and downs, but now it’s time to find balance between both sides.
Current Status of the Controversy: Trap Neuter Release and Euthanasia
Some humane societies and organizations like Alley Cat Allies, in Bethesda, Maryland, are providing a safe and humane substitution for trapping and euthanizing unwanted cats, the new system is called Trap-Neuter-Release. Instead of the cats being trapped and euthanized this system purports to be a more humane way of reducing the cat population. The cats are trapped and taken in then they are operated on, given vaccinations, marked with a clipped ear, and possibly other veterinary procedures if needed. The cats are most likely sent back out into the environment to live their lives, without reproducing and creating a bigger problem with more cats. The TNR program is actively promoted but is it worth all the trouble if the cats are going to be sent back out into the wild, they still have to survive through harsh temperatures during the winter, they are still vulnerable to diseases, parasite infestations, dehydration, starvation, and heat strokes, they also have to avoid other predators like, foxes, coyotes, hawks and cars, and they still can continue to kill native wildlife species. Also, research has shown that TNR’s are not effective unless 80% of the total cat population is neutered in an area. With the percentage being so high, the likelihood of reaching anywhere near that is very low. Whether or not they are being humanely treated is questionable and some animal welfare organizations like PETA have called it “re-abandonment.”
Many people believe that more should be done to reduce the cat population, some organizations just do catch and kill and some home owners take things into their own hands. There are a very few cruel people who are fed up with the feral cats, and taking things into their own hands, and do whatever they can to reduce the feral cat population, some examples of what cruel and inhumane things are done to cats are as follows: shooting them, poisoning them, drowning them, torturing them, and burning them.
Ethical Issues
The ethical debates regarding outdoor and feral cats generally focusses on whether or not it is right to kill them and whether or not it is right to allow them to kill native wildlife species. What is a cat’s life or a wildlife species’ life worth? Does a feral cat even have a life worth living? The issue is ambiguous and morally grey. Outdoor cats carry and transmit diseases such as toxoplasmosis, rabies, bartonella, and salmonellosis that harm themselves, other cats, and humans that come into contact with them, pointing some to believe that controlling them benefits both all cats, wildlife and the people in the area. Wild cats can be pests and attack, injure, and infect people, especially young children, which lends strength to the argument for controlling cats. “Mercy killing” of unwanted cats is another argument used by those who see no moral issue with humane euthanasia. They believe that since many cats may have horrible lives and rough circumstances, putting them out of their misery is a humane option.
Unsocialized cats are the victims of car accidents and attacks by other cats, and a major lack of medical care to keep their bodies working properly. Feral and free-roaming cats are also affected by starvation. These conditions suggest that feral cats may be better off dead. However, the other side of the argument states that all life is sacred. While this may seem sentimental, the intrinsic value of a life shouldn’t be taken for granted. Typically, the cat is thought of as a household pet, and people hesitate to sanction the human caused death of an animal they perceive to be similar to their cute and cuddly kitty. There are other options to solve cat related problems, including requiring pet owners to confine their cats. Another solution, the Trap-Neuter-Release or Trap-Neuter-Confine program aims at decreasing the cat population. Pro-cat representatives argue killing the cats would not accomplish as new cats just move into the territories. However, this argument has been pointed out as flawed by conservationists and biologists who argue that it goes against animal population dynamics’ principles. People also have concerns about pet cats being taken for feral cats and killed. Because the two sides seem to have such different yet valid perspectives on the problems, the ethical issues surrounding outdoor cats remains polarizing.
There is also a serious moral conflict between the unsocialized cats and wildlife that are killed within areas of high cat population. Since cats are an invasive species brought to America by European settlers, we, as humans, are directly responsible for the extinction of species of birds and the deaths of many wildlife animals. Is the weight of an unsocialized cat’s life heavier than the weight of the approximately 6 birds and countless other wildlife it will kill in a year? This question makes the issue even more complex.
Works Cited
Bies, L. (n.d.) The wildlife society-feral cats: impacts of an invasive species. Retrieved
from http://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Feral-Cats.pdf
Black, V. (2017, January 30). Proposals in elkhart, statehouse affecting feral cats inhumane, unrealistic. Retrieved from http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/proposals-in-elkhart-statehouse-affecting-feral-cats-inhumane-unrealistic/article_9e33038b-d23b-5ce2-9cfc-052189f1265d.html
Lisnik, K. (2016, September 13). “Cat wars”? let's call a ceasefire. Retrieved from https://www.animalsheltering.org/blog/cat-wars-lets-call-ceasefire
PETA. (n.d.). “Animal Rights Uncompromised: Feral Cats” Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/about-peta/why-peta/feral-cats/.
Sehnert. W. (2017, January 16). “The Great McCook cat fight of 1967” Retrieved from http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/2377779.html
The Washington Times. (2006, April 13). Wisconsin residents ok hunting of feral felines. Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/apr/13/20050413-122945-1783r/
Temple, Stanley. (2017, February 24). Personal Communication.