Feral Cats 2: TNR

Last post I discussed the growing problem of the feral cat population in the United States. I also mentioned that their is a solution. The answer to controlling the feral cat population is TNR. That is Trap-Neuter-Return. This is a technique where people go into the cat population and take care of them, humanely trap them, neuter/spay them, and return them to their colonies where they can live their life out. It eliminates the possibility of new litters and caretakers of these colonies make sure they are healthy by getting them vaccinated at the same time they are neutered/spayed. These caretakers are volunteers, and most of them are trained at a local animal shelter. This technique has been the only one proven to keep the number of feral cats down and also the number in shelters and this is the reason why almost every state has implemented TNR. You can go to any shelter and they will most likely have information and training available for you to help out a cat colony if you discover one.
Although facts show that TNR has brought less shelter cat deaths, there are still some people who oppose it. A few bird conservancy groups believe that cats are a main factor in the extinction of many bird species. They advocate that "removing" these cats 50% is the best method. Not only is this severe and unethical, it takes resources and money to trap and euthanize cats. This "catch and kill" method was the main one used in the 1990s and results turned out ineffective. The only way to help keep cats from shelters and euthanization is Trap-Neuter-Return, and nonetheless it is the most humane. So maybe next time you are taking a walk, look around. You just might find a whole community of critters that need your help.

Sources:
Neighborhood Cats
Best Friends

Feral Cats

A feral cat from one of my adventures at a cat colony

There is a growing problem in the United States: that is the feral cat population. Feral cats are born into the wild and form colonies to survive. They are usually too difficult to domesticate, but nonetheless should be cared for. Most live very short lives due to disease and other predators. This situation is getting worse; it is estimated there are 70 million feral cats living in the U.S. You might think, "I've never seen them", but I guarantee you will find them if you look. These colonies do very well at hiding from human contact, as their instincts tell them to. These cats spread quickly because they are not spayed/neutered. This is where the question comes in, what should we do to prevent these colonies from growing? It is impossible to trap them and take them to a shelter, for many reasons. One is that they are undomesticated and will most likely be euthanized in shelters for being "unadoptable". Another reason is that animal control is more trained on capturing dogs and less on cats since it is much more difficult to capture cats. Some answer this question by claiming it would be easier just to kill them all and the population would go down. Here is how the humane society explains why that won't work:

"Some people feel sorry for feral cats because of their difficult and dangerous life. Others are annoyed by the cats' behaviors and want the cats removed. But many people don't feel that the cats should be euthanized. Even if there were enough people and money to remove and euthanize feral cats, other feral cats would move into the vacant territory to take advantage of the food source and shelter now made available. It's an endless cycle."

More pictures of mine of feral cats

Not only is euthanasia not a solution, a lot of people see it as unethical and costly. Why put them down when there is a proven, more effective strategy? More about It In the next post!

Sources:National Geographic
Humane Society

NKUT

I'm sure you have seen these ads around, they are everywhere (especially in the newspaper). What are these mysterious ads all about? NKUT stands for No Kill Utah, an initiative started by the Best Friends Animal Society last March. This is an effort to make the state of Utah a "no kill state", a title held by only New Hampshire. No kill shelters get their status by not using euthanasia on animals that are unadoptable to make more room for other animals. A No Kill state would have to meet the criteria of 90 percent of the animals that enter shelters leave the shelter alive. Utah is right on track to achieving this goal by 2019, they saved 70 percent of animals last year in 2013. The Best Friends Animal Society plans are to provide spay/neuter services where they are needed most so that fewer animals go into shelters, and increase adoptions so that more animals are placed into new homes. They have spent one million dollars on this initiative, and are determined to make it aware to every single person in Utah.

A great way to help lower shelter euthanasia is to tell others about the importance of spaying or neutering their pet. In the span of 7 years, A single pair of cats and their kittens can produce as many as 420,000 kittens. Refer to this graphic courtesy of peta.org for an idea of how many shelter animals' lives you can create just by not spaying or neutering your pet.

If you really want more pets, it's a lot easier to go to the shelter and adopt. You will feel great because you saved a life and got a new companion for life! Although make sure that you really are committed because if you do return that animal, it can damage it's self esteem and will most likely be more unadoptable and can even lead to its euthanization.Now, some people don't believe in this method that shelters use. If the animal is really "unadoptable", is it ethical to euthanize it to make room for another that can be adopted? If you really feel strong of this issue, the first step is to spread awareness and inform others and limit the number of animals put in shelters by spaying or neutering your pet. This lowers the abundant amount of stray/shelter animals so the ones already there have a chance to be given a home. These are the methods that NKUT hopes will bring Utah to a no kill state.

References:

nkut.org

peta.org

SL Tribune  

Importance

“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty”
- Albert Einstein
Wherever you go, occurrences of animal cruelty and violence is happening. Chances are that you have witnessed at least one happening; the question is, what did you do about it? Most people believe it's "not their business". Others don't see the importance of standing up for creatures that can't do it for themselves. This is the definition of compassion. Sure, everything on the earth is technically "living". Companions are the animals that help us in our everyday lives, whether we realize it or not. They are just like us humans, when you kick them, they might fall, they hurt. They have feelings, it's just harder to convey because they don't speak the same language. As the dominant species, it is our job to help those who are unable, the ones below us on the food chain. Some may claim that it is survival for the fittest, but in today's world filled with technology and a growing population, that is becoming even more challenging. The point is, these animals are not just here for our own use, it's not up to us to be selfish. They give to us, we should give back.
Now I am not proclaiming the idea that animals shall be "equal" to humans. That just isn't possible, as all organisms are different. What I am saying is that humans should make an effort to be more caring for the other species that have a much harder life than we do. Even if it's just for dogs and cats, it takes little effort to be kind, and the reward is infinite.
I will tell you of my personal sightings of cruelty, stories I've heard on the news and I have witnessed later on.  Briefly I will tell you one. In July of 2012, I read about an incident that broke my heart. Basically, a four month old kitten was found in the neighboring state of Arizona buried alive in cement in a wet pipe up to his neck. When they found him, it was too late and the kitten later died. You can read the extensive report here. Obviously someone intentionally put a cat in concrete and left it there to suffer and die. This really saddens me because events like this happen every day. There is no other reason for this other than pure cruelty.
The philosophy is simple, it's the golden rule. Treat others they way you desire to be treated. "Put yourself in the other's shoes" as your mother would say. How would you feel to be that kitten? It never hurts to have some compassion.
This blog's purpose is to keep awareness for occurrences like this and encourage others to do something about this problem. I hope you feel informed and inspired to do the right thing.