Tracy Mohr, of Chico, USA says on ChicoER news:
Tracy says that stray cats are 13 times more likely to get back to their home if they are not brought to an animal shelter.
Also 59% of lost cats returned home of their own accord. Only 2% were found at a shelter.
I say that some stray cats needlessly die at shelters because they are euthanized early i.e. before the owner has a chance to contact the shelter. Some end up with new families and then the true owner turns up and can’t get their cat back.
The argument is that healthy stray cats (roaming domestic cat or community cat) are not in need of being taken to a shelter. My comment: unfortunately some cat haters take stray cats to shelters perhaps knowing that they will be killed or at least rehomed away from the area where the cat thief lives. There are many such stories on the internet.
Animal shelters should take in injured and sick cats, ‘underaged kittens who have no mother’ and cats known to be abandoned says Tracy.
I think Tracy works for Butte Humane Society (BHS), Chico, California, USA.
These are interesting thoughts. I had not seen a simple statement before which said that stray, owned cats are better left alone and not taken to a shelter.
You posted about a cat that got bald around the neck back in 2014. My cat has the same and vet stumped as well, what was the outcome?
Thanks for commenting Beth. If your cat is bald around the neck, the first thing I’d look at is allergies (or fleas) causing itching causing scratching which removes hair. Is your cat scratching around the neck. Hair does not simply fall out around the neck. It is far more common to be removed by overgrooming or scratching. Those are the two reasons. As it is very hard for a cat to lick around the neck I’d go for scratching. If that is true watch your cat and check for allergies and fleas. Fleas live in the fur around the neck. Do you flea comb regularly? Please tell me what is happening in this respect. Please click on the link below:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/cat-health-tip-hair-loss.html