This is the response by a person who commented on a Facebook thread where an animal advocate asked people to please spay and neuter their pets.
The comment below first made me think this person is clueless (I’d REALLY like to use more colorful words such as STUPID). The second thought that came to me is this person is WRONG!
“I have cats. They are not pets. Their job is to keep the area around my house snake and rat free. Spaying and neutering them would make them less effective. How about if we don’t try to force our opinions on others.”
Whether talking about cats or dogs, those who don’t spay or neuter their pets usually leave those who work in shelter rescue to pick up the pieces of their mistakes. We SHOULD try to force our opinion on others because hundreds of unwanted cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens are dumped each day in shelters across America when the owner decides they’re no longer wanted.
Does this person even realize how much they’re costing the community emotionally as well as financially? The majority of shelters operate on tax dollars. The cost of euthanasia has to fall somewhere. Rescue advocates are mentally exhausted trying to keep up with the demands for placement in an already impossible situation. Rescues are full and there are too few fosters to help all of the cats until a forever home can be found.
This has been another really horrible kitten season. Rural shelters are taking in HUNDREDS of cats each week as “owner surrenders.” These cats can be killed upon intake because they’re not lost or stray or missing. They’re simply unwanted and animal shelters have to deal with a problem that exists in part to no spay-neuter laws.
I don’t even want to go into how many stray cats are trapped and brought to the shelter. Does he even consider his cats are more likely to wander off and end up at the shelter?
The person who made this comment is also WRONG. Unfortunately, many who live in a rural area think exactly like him.
If you have to have a working cat (AKA barn cat), the cat will be more effective once spayed or neutered. I cared for a colony for several years and I watched the time the male cats spent chasing the females in heat until each was TNR’d.
I categorized this article under “changes in behavior” because “fixing” a cat definitely changes their behavior. The cat will not only be healthier, live a longer life and be more loving, it will cut down on the annoying habits of male marking (very stinky and nearly impossible to remove the odor) and the screaming at all hours of the night of the female.
It’s fine that the man (now confirmed it was a man) who made this comment uses his cats as working cats (providing he feeds them) but he needs a good lesson in how to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. Can you imagine how many kittens he’ll be dealing with within a year?
Oh wait, he’ll just take any kittens or cats he doesn’t want to the local shelter and keep on the rose-colored glasses that have him believing all cute cats will find a forever home.
Thoughts, anyone?
NOTE: I have also learned this man has used this approach for 20 years now. He allegedly stated “They keep multiplying, or neighbor’s dogs or other critters get them. Mother nature has a way of balancing things out.”
You’re Frederick Minshall aren’t you?
I presume Jayne Cobb is a pseudonym taken from the fictional character. It is not a true male name. More BS I guess. Afraid to tell us your real name.
The domestic cat is classified as ‘non-native’ on my research. That is not the same as invasive.
Srce: Alaska Natural Heritage Program.
Alaska is living in the 19th century isn’t it? Sort of backward mentality. The Wild West. Pick up trucks, bibles, god-fearing and firearms.
Again, it’s not illegal to destroy stray and feral cats in my state. They’re officially recognized as invasive species. The Alaska Board of Game unanimously refused to legalize TNR just last November (I was there). Two years from now I and my colleagues will return to propose reclassifying Felis catus as a deleterious exotic species. Should be successfully convince the Board, the result will be year-round, unlimited open season on them via any legal hunting method anywhere it’s legal to hunt in my state. Give me a mailing address and I’ll send you some cat-pelts.
That is a big statement. And I don’t think it is useful or verified. Firstly, TNR does work at a local level e.g. for a specific cat colony it stabilises and slowly reduces the population. I have real examples to support that. But nationwide it does not work because it is not carried out widely enough and with enough funding.
Anyway it is not meant to be the ‘solution’ to unwanted cats. It is one string to the bow. The best solution is improving cat ownership. There has to be much tougher demands placed on cat owners in my view.
You are advocating multiple crimes. And you’ll be sued by cat owners for compensation. Cats are not vermin and because you describe cats as vermin I will have to ban you. You’re too angry and biased. You are a genuine cat hater. And you probably are male not female. Leave this site and don’t come back.