Once again the “bird people” have published an article regarding the evils of feral cats. Not targeting specific colonies or areas of the country, but all free-roaming cats in general. This particular piece screams about dangerous diseases being transmitted to humans, making it sound as though the plague (literally) was once again knocking at our door.

It seems rather irresponsible to alarm the public with generalities and hints of dangers when they really are no more than slight possibilities. The tone of the article is meant to incite public reaction to demand extermination of all free-roaming cats in order to protect humankind and wildlife. Oh the hoard of rodents, many of which DO carry plague and other nasty diseases, that would descend upon us and our food sources were this to happen.

The article states that “the number of cats detected with rabies was four times higher than dogs” however it gives no actual number of cases. Are rabid cats now to be feared as they may be lurking just outside your back door? In Santa Barbara County, only three cases in domesticated animals have been reported in the last 30 years and one was a family pet which had been bitten by a bat.

The CA Department of Public Health reports that, “In California, most cases of rabies occur in skunks and bats. Domestic animals account for three percent of animal rabies, and the rest occurs in a variety of wild animals….” My veterinarian told me gophers may carry this disease as she examined my dog’s nose after a bite, something I didn’t know. I am very happy to have cats hunting in my backyard!

According to the article, TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return) apparently does not work and, in fact, compounds the problem by increasing the number of felines in a given area and therefore the chances of spreading the dreaded rabies, toxoplasmosis and plague by attracting intact, un-inoculated, free-roaming cats.

Really? If this were the case, why then have many of the feral colonies Catalyst worked with back in 1990 completely disappeared through natural attrition? All of our current managed groups are either stable or dwindling in size. Locally thousands of feral cats have been TNR’d (including vaccination and flea treatment) over the years, and not one of them has come up with rabies or plague. Even in the private sector, if either of these viruses was found by a veterinarian, it would be all over the news.

In reality, free-roaming toms are constantly looking for females in estrus and will not hang around a colony more than three days if none are available. Intact females may join a group if there is a good food source and the members accept her. Our feeders are always vigilant and notice any new face immediately, then take steps to TNR the cat. This includes the three-day window for males, exactly what I did in Los Alamos last January. Just after I had TNR’d five sisters, their father showed up. He wasn’t there for the food as he never came back after he was neutered. He also stopped spraying beneath the antique mall where he lives.

Feral feeding stations are also attacked in the article by implying all of them are overflowing with food, left there unattended to attract all manner of diseased wildlife. Responsible feeders NEVER leave bowls of food, but come, feed, count heads, pick up bowls, and leave. Twenty minutes tops, unless they want to socialize with the cats. There are, of course, irresponsible people out there who do leave food, some of whom I have butted heads with myself as they are indeed a public menace.

At best, the article is incomplete as it cites only excerpts from referenced studies that, when taken out of context as they seem to be, appear sensational. Well this is “Political Season” after all, when we are bombarded with those abominable negative TV commercials about the candidates, all of which must be taken with a grain of salt or better yet muted.

You can read the article here and decide for yourself whether or not this “scientific” commentary appears a bit skewed in its presentation of facts: http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/120918.html?

In my opinion, true research is done in the field, not by reading and quoting studies. My mother always told me, “Don’t believe everything you read,” and she lived her life searching out her own answers personally. Come TNR with us if you have any doubts and make up your own mind.