Cats: Irresponsible to feed strays?

A few years ago our neighbor started feeding a stray cat. It of course, in no time had a litter of kittens. The neighbor continues to feed them and voila, we all now have a cat problem. Now the neighbor moves leaving behind 5 or 6 cats. They tear into trash, leave tracks all over vehicles, urinate in flower beds (no opening windows for a fresh breeze), kill neighborhood birds and squirrels and pretty much make a nuisance of themselves.

Unlike civilized animals, like dogs, that can be kept in the owners yard.

Is it irresponsible to feed and harbor stray cats in you live anyplace other than a farm?

Yes. Cats are the worst.

I'd call the pound and have them removed.

Yes. Cats are the worst.

 

I'd call the pound and have them removed.

Depending where you are they won't. We went through something similar, and they would capture them, clip their ears, fix them, AND RETURN THEM. It was ridiculous.

A few years ago our neighbor started feeding a stray cat. It of course, in no time had a litter of kittens. The neighbor continues to feed them and voila, we all now have a cat problem. Now the neighbor moves leaving behind 5 or 6 cats. They tear into trash, leave tracks all over vehicles, urinate in flower beds (no opening windows for a fresh breeze), kill neighborhood birds and squirrels and pretty much make a nuisance of themselves.

 

Unlike civilized animals, like dogs, that can be kept in the owners yard.

 

Is it irresponsible to feed and harbor stray cats in you live anyplace other than a farm?

This sounds more like a rant than genuinely asking if it is ok or not :lol2:.

This sounds more like a rant than genuinely asking if it is ok or not :lol2:.

Your point being?

:lol2:

Yes it's irresponsible. VERY irresponsible - far beyond just being a nuisance.

Cats can go feral in the course of a single generation, and feral cats are EXTREMELY harmful to ecology. Feral cats can decimate bird, rodent, and small mammal populations because they are completely indiscriminate killers. Among other things, elevated feral cat populations are increasingly bad for songbird populations and bat populations - which in turn creates a notable elevation in the number of mosquitoes in that area. Mosquito populations, and changes in it, are directly proportional to the number of mosquito-borne illnesses in humans like Zika, west Nile virus, yellow fever and malaria. Cats are also shown to have little-to-no impact on reducing rat populations, and are actually oftentimes associated with a rise on rat populations since cats readily kill without eating the entire animal, which in turn is left to shift into being food for for rats and rodents.

Domestic cats - especially feral ones - are the #1 carrier of rabies among domestic animals and the #1 cause for rabies infection humans.

Cats are considered the to be the #1 carrier of toxoplasma gondii and are essential accepted as the singular cause of the spreading of the parasite, which lives in cats' digestive tract and is found in their fecal matter. 75% of outdoor cats are carriers, and in feral cats it's closer to 95% that are carriers. Toxoplasma gondii is in the same family as the parasite that causes malaria, and it can spread to humans and is linked to symptoms & presentations similar to malaria, as well as siezures, going deaf, and even schizophrenia. Ecologically, the biggest impact of feline-spread t. gondii is actually on wildlife species that are more susceptible to it than humans. In North America t. gondii was recently linked a dip in the sea otter population, as well being identified in the deaths of numerous monk seals, beluga whales and dolphins. In Australia, where the feral cat population is absolutely out of control, t. gondii has been identified in post-mortem examinations of grey kangaroos and tammar wallabies.

Worldwide, feral domestic cats are considered by many to be the MOST invasive all wildlife species. They kill an estimated 22 billion mammals every year, and cats have been directly linked to the extinctions of 63 total species, 40 of which are birds.

Depending where you are they won't. We went through something similar, and they would capture them, clip their ears, fix them, AND RETURN THEM. It was ridiculous.

There is study after study after study showing that the spay/neuter-release programs have thus far had almost no impact on the actual population of feral cats. They are EXTREMELY cost in-effective, and the time it takes to trap and spay/neuter the cats simply cannot keep up with the rate that they are reproducing in the wild.

There is study after study after study showing that the spay/neuter-release programs have thus far had almost no impact on the actual population of feral cats. They are EXTREMELY cost in-effective, and the time it takes to trap and spay/neuter the cats simply cannot keep up with the rate that they are reproducing in the wild.

So you're saying take matters into your own hands? :lol2:

We have two clipped "Community Cats" Constantly dumping in my flower beds. Of course the neighbors feed them, hopefully it's a cold winter.

Nothing irresponsible about being kind to an animal. But it’s definitely irresponsible to keep them like some kind of halfway pet where you feed them at your house but don’t let them in or have the local animal control come and make sure they’re fixed.

There is study after study after study showing that the spay/neuter-release programs have thus far had almost no impact on the actual population of feral cats. They are EXTREMELY cost in-effective, and the time it takes to trap and spay/neuter the cats simply cannot keep up with the rate that they are reproducing in the wild.

Thats because crappy pet owners keep dumping their cats. If cats are fixed, this doesn’t happen.

Fix your cats and keep them inside.

Nothing irresponsible about being kind to an animal. But it’s definitely irresponsible to keep them like some kind of halfway pet where you feed them at your house but don’t let them in or have the local animal control come and make sure they’re fixed.

Thats because crappy pet owners keep dumping their cats. If cats are fixed, this doesn’t happen.

 

Fix your cats and keep them inside.

This!!!

To me this is an example where there is no rule of law to be followed and inevitability the irresponsible among us abuse it and cause problems for the rest of us.

So you're saying take matters into your own hands? :lol2:

Absolutely.

I know so many people want to think of them as loving pets. They're not. They are wild pretty dangerous animals.

Would you think twice about killing a coyote, snake, or rat?

Just kill everything that’s inconvenient....that’s man’s way.