Tag Archives: Feral Cats

Feral Cats

The Trouble With Feral Cats Part 2 Of 3

In continuation from Wednesday…

Feral cats are susceptible to a variety of different diseases that are transmitted from cat to cat, and ones that are transmitted from animal species to humans.  Feline AIDS, FIP, Feline Leukemia, and the most notable and worrisome disease is rabies.  Rabies is contracted from cat to human via the bite of a cat.

This week my teen daughters and I made a run to the grocery store.  One of the workers that we know happened to mention that there were two kittens outside under the grocery carts that were abandoned by the mother cat.  Being cat lovers, my daughters asked if they could go see them.  It did not occur to me that they were in any sort of danger so I said they could go.  Oddly, a wildlife rescue person and her son also arrived who wanted to capture the two kittens.  While I finished shopping they all scurried around trying to wrangle the two balls of fluff.  As I walked outside, my I heard my daughter say “I got it” as she was pulling a kitten out from under the carts.  Within a second the docile kitten turned on her and repeatedly dug its teeth deep into the flesh of her hand with claws tearing up her other hand and arm.  Wanting to free my daughter, I ran to help and tried to grab the feral cat by the scruff.  It was then that I was horribly bitten as well on the thumb.

The wildlife rescue lady rushed over, took possession of the kitten and put it in her car.  As she continued to look for the second cat, we proceeded to gush blood profusely.  A trip in the store yielded some help at the pharmacy where we were told that we must go to the hospital immediately because feral cats could have rabies.

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion.

Animal Control, Feral Cats, Nuisance Wildlife Control

Reducing the Population of Feral Cats in NYC

While feral cats can be valuable to neighborhoods in New York City, they can be a public nuisance as well. They can help to reduce the rat problem that is causing great concern for New Yorkers, but they are known to make a lot of noise when they are fighting and mating, which can make people lose sleep and peace of mind. Also, some feral cats carry rabies as well as parasites that can cause various health problems.

Feral cats live in colonies. They can reproduce rapidly and create lots of problems in the neighborhoods. The Feral Cat Initiative has been established to manage the feral cat problems in NYC in a humane way. Teams are sent to various neighborhoods to catch feral cats and send them to centers where they will be vaccinated and neutered or spayed. Then, they will be returned to their colonies. This will control the population of feral cats as well as the spread of rabies, and it will make the neighborhoods quieter too.

Feral Cats

Cat Lovers vs Birders: No Win Situation

Stalking big cats may be considered sport in Africa, but in Texas it could put you behind bars. Bird lover James Stevenson, founder of the Galveston Ornithological Society, faced two years in jail and a $10,000 fine for taking aim at feral cats. A retired teacher, Stevenson operates a bed and breakfast that caters to the more than 500,000 birders who come to the Gulf Coast island to enjoy hundreds of bird species. The problem is that feral cats come to the island for the same reason — only their idea of enjoyment includes a mouthful of feathers. When Stevenson decided to take the law into his own hands, he touched off a nationwide debate: birders vs cat lovers. In Texas, the result was a hung jury, but the debate — and the problem — rages on.

Cats are cute and playful — I have four and I keep them indoors where they can’t be a nuisance to my neighbors. I also have a bird feeder in my backyard. The cats and I enjoy watching the birds come to the feeder, though I’m sure for different reasons. Unfortunately, we also have a fair number of feral cats in our neighborhood and they, too, like to watch my feeder. About once or twice a year I find a pile of feathers in the yard that reminds me of the law of nature.

The problem is that feral cats aren’t part of the natural ecosystem. Feral cats have become a serious problem in bird sanctuaries, including those in New Jersey. In a city neighborhood like mine, they can be a downright nuisance: spraying and marking porches and front doors, turning flower beds into litter boxes, leaving fleas on porch swing cushions, and carrying diseases that can be passed to household pets. While I don’t think adding cats to the hunting calendar is the answer, it’s time for communities to take action.