I’ve been following, in near disbelief, the mollycoddle response to the re-release of captured and neutered feral cats by the SPCA in the Charlottesville area (“City to seek OK for 'trap-neuter-return' of feral cats,” The Daily Progress, Nov. 24, 2011). I’m appalled at the nearly total apathy toward the loss of wild bird populations and the complete lack of scientific information under which this policy was conceived and implemented. It now seems inevitable that the natural systems, which I find utterly delightful and includes the birds, are going to be controlled by the ill informed (Charlottesville City Council) and the emotionally misguided (save-the-cats-no-matter-the-cost advocates) among us.
How can anyone support a policy that re-releases 13,200 cats into the environment without even so much as an estimate as to the impact it will have on existing wildlife populations?
One recent public comment suggests that if people feed and shelter the feral cats, the cats will probably catch only weak and sick birds. This is one of the most outrageously naive and completely inaccurate statements I’ve ever heard about cats or birds. My neighbor’s house cat in recent years has killed enough birds, chipmunks, voles, shrews, young rabbits and squirrels, mice and even a two-pound goldfish out of my backyard pond to fill a 55-gallon drum to the brim. This cat has never missed a meal in its life, yet it kills all types of wildlife. Feral cats, which have more “wild characteristics,” are killing more than just a few sick birds, as some would have us believe.
To be clear, I expect those who choose to insure that domestic animals are treated with respect to make reasonable efforts to protect them. However, I do not expect them or City Council to be so single-minded about that work that they are willing to sacrifice other living creatures vital to a healthy ecosystem.
Charlottesville cannot be a “bird sanctuary,” where feeding birds is a long-established practice, and a feral cat zone at the same time. What this amounts to is luring unsuspecting and habituated birds to cat feeding stations all over town. I’d like to see some cat owners/feral-cat advocates get emotional about that!
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