- You need to spay and neuter your cats. A female can produce as many as 60 kittens a year. They reproduce exponentially. The population needs to be held in-check. Spaying and neutering cats can help to decrease the transmission of FIV and Feline Leukemia as well, which means more healthy kitties (regardless of whether they're feral or not).
- Cats are, in many habitats, an invasive species and have been threatening the diversity of ecosystems since colonialism began, like, "hey this isn't our land but we're just gonna do what we want and then leave, or stay, ya know, whatever the fuck we decide on. ps here are our hoofed mammals and cats, who will also fuck your shit up for centuries." Researchers have found (see video above) that how fed a domestic or feral cat does not affect how often it hunts. Shocking, right? Cats are assholes. Moving on.
- In Australia, many of the creatures Aborigines needed have disappeared or become so low in number that they aren't sustainable as a food source. Years ago, they began eating cats as "bush meat." Now, if you're outraged by this, you're incredibly daft. Europeans introduced non-native animals. Those animals consumed Australian resources rapidly. It is only natural they think to consume them to re-balance the equation.
- Over-population is happening everywhere, not just in Australia. Take, for example, Aoshima. The cats there are dominating the island and the only thing humans can do is damage-control at this point. In the United States singularly, there are 70 million feral cats (some articles estimate it at 50 million now, but I digress).
- One of the major reasons the population has begun to swell in many countries again has to do with owners adopting domestic cats, not having them spayed or neutered, and then, as if this is logical or ethical, releasing them into the wild if they a) can no longer care for them b) can not maintain care for litters they produce. Once that happens, they often become too antisocial to re-socialize. Meaning, wildlife veterinarians keep doing what they can for the birds and bunnies and others cats attack (though the death rate is high and unnecessary), and nonprofit organizations strive for catch-and release spaying/neutering and vaccination operations, unless they find they can rehabilitate the cats and adopt them out. This is such a huge drain on everyone trying to help by essentially cleaning up a wholly preventable mess shitty people have created and continue to perpetuate.
- Because feral cats are such an imposing force on local wildlife, you need to keep your cats indoors to minimize the devastation. If your cats really, really need to go outside, leash train your cats. If they don't comply, consider building a contained outdoor jungle gym or system of tunnels, so they can roam outside and be surrounded by plants and enjoy chirpy-chirps without having a negative impact. If this is too expensive, invest in a pet stroller (I'd recommend using two small hitch pins instead of one to secure each wheel; Home Depot has them and sizes for comparison) and a harness and lead. Many cats are just as comfortable being wheeled around with an occasional walk allowed as they are roaming alone. Would they greatly prefer the latter option? Likely. But toddlers would much rather always stay up late and never get shots. That doesn't mean we let them determine what is acceptable or responsible behavior.
| Taken from http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/16/science/la-sci-sn-feral-cats-neuter-20130816. |
Be the good cat-person you want to see in the world. Or else, you will be judged and harshly reprimanded. There may not be such a place as hell, but maybe, just mayyyybe, you should do your damnedest to keep it away from earth.
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