Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Feral cats should be helped, not shunned
marshallnewsmessenger ^ | September 27, 2009 | Laverne Hughey

Posted on 09/27/2009 8:17:57 AM PDT by JoeProBono

It is estimated that there are about 60 to 100 million feral cats in the United States according to recent information provided by Alley Cat Rescue. These are very high numbers but can be reduced, and should be, by trapping the cats and having them spayed or neutered.

Alley Cat Rescue also estimates there may be about 17 million people feeding about 35 million feral and stray cats in this country. Thank goodness for the people who help care for the ferals and strays. Unfortunately, there are too many people who could help decrease the feral cat population who simply do not want to be involved.

Feral cats are often found on college campuses and on military bases where students or military personnel abandon the cats when they move. It is hard to understand why anyone would feed and take care of cats or dogs and when they graduate or transfer, they just pack up and instead of making arrangements for the animals, the people move on, leaving the hapless animals to fend for themselves.

Virtually every city, whether large or small, will have colonies of feral cats around restaurant parking lots, hotels, parks and even campgrounds that are food sources.

This column has provided several articles about feral cats, so many readers already know what a feral cat is. In the event you may not know, a feral cat is described as a wild, undomesticated, cat that is not accustomed to being around people. They are not like the occasional stray cat wandering the streets, hoping for a tasty handout. A stray cat may have wandered from its yard, become lost, and is not yet afraid of people.


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: cat; feralcats; kittyping
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-94 next last
To: Yorlik803

61 posted on 09/27/2009 11:03:15 AM PDT by WVKayaker (Futility: trying to slam a revolving door!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: WVKayaker

Oh...never mind.....


62 posted on 09/27/2009 11:05:23 AM PDT by Yorlik803 ( Better to die on your feet than live on your knees.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: WVKayaker

Not funny. Try stumbling across a sack of dead, drowned kittens, their bodies frozen in death because people are too stupid, too cheap, or too mean to neuter their cats.


63 posted on 09/27/2009 11:33:58 AM PDT by pabianice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

64 posted on 09/27/2009 12:15:25 PM PDT by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Daffynition

65 posted on 09/27/2009 12:24:42 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: pabianice
So, do you suggest not using a sack and just setting them free to fend for themselves? That's the problem, not the solution.

I am sorry that you hold cats in such high esteem. You must not have any!

66 posted on 09/27/2009 12:38:00 PM PDT by WVKayaker (Futility: trying to slam a revolving door!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono
This one s kinda creepy. That's what happens when you swallow the hamster whole.


67 posted on 09/27/2009 12:54:12 PM PDT by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: WVKayaker

I hold the cats in higher esteem than the Clymer’s who owned them.

My 85 year old Dad in Detroit has three strays under his back porch. The Clymers left them when they were kicked out of the rental houses.

They are my Dad’s buddies, make sure when I take him shopping, we get food for them, also no trouble w/mice anymore.

Just remember, a lot of city people post here, please.


68 posted on 09/27/2009 1:04:06 PM PDT by Springman (Rest In Peace YaYa123)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

I signed up for your thread because I love cats, but lately it seems more and more cat haters are leaving cruel remarks
Why do you tolerate this?
It’s getting to where I don’t want to even look at the thread.


69 posted on 09/27/2009 2:47:30 PM PDT by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: patriot08
I signed up for your thread because I love cats, but lately it seems more and more cat haters are leaving cruel remarks

AMEN! Especially the sicko who posted the picture of the bag and bridge. Dear God I can't imagine people like that owning a pet.

70 posted on 09/27/2009 3:07:41 PM PDT by mupcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: mupcat

People who would do things like that are sickos.
Most serial killers start out as animal abusers.


71 posted on 09/27/2009 3:38:13 PM PDT by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: mupcat

‘Cat ping’ could be a pleasant little daily pick-up, but instead it’s turning into a respository for sicko animal abusers.


72 posted on 09/27/2009 3:41:24 PM PDT by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: mupcat

I have always avoided the ‘horror stories’ on ‘Cat Ping’ but now even the supposedly uplifting, pleasant stories are ruined with sicko remarks from animal abusers.


73 posted on 09/27/2009 3:45:59 PM PDT by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: vetvetdoug

You are ignorant of the situation.  Dogs hurt and kill more people that cats.....


74 posted on 09/27/2009 4:01:47 PM PDT by Fawn (Rush Limbaugh---> America's pinata)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

God....there are a few hillbilly loser low lifes in here......makes me so disgusted they are on this forum.


75 posted on 09/27/2009 4:07:40 PM PDT by Fawn (Rush Limbaugh---> America's pinata)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: patriot08

There are real lonely losers in here who are obvioulsy bitter and spend their days sitting on their porch with their shotguns and home made liquor.....real pathetic.


76 posted on 09/27/2009 4:10:27 PM PDT by Fawn (Rush Limbaugh---> America's pinata)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: patriot08; mupcat

I have no control over who posts on a thread. For that you need to talk to the mods or JimRob. If a post violates FR’s TOS, hit the abuse button.

The cat-haters are trolls. The nastiest thing you can do to them is to ignore them.


77 posted on 09/27/2009 4:13:41 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Crazy is the new sane.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

AMEN!


78 posted on 09/27/2009 4:19:45 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

Or just post something, that don’t they respond to.

Still waiting for mine. Guess my Dad’s cats must have eating it.


79 posted on 09/27/2009 4:30:32 PM PDT by Springman (Rest In Peace YaYa123)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: gitmogrunt

Neutering male cats has virtually no effect on the feral cat population. It’s something that sane people do because it cuts down on violent catfights, and late-night-yowling, and makes it safe to let the cats in the house by eliminating the horrid scent in unfixed male cat pee. But the population is driven by the unspayed females. If there’s one unneutered male in several square miles, then every single unspayed female will be pregnant virtually all the time except when she still nursing young kittens. Cost-effective population control among ferals and free-roaming owned cats needs to focus on getting every single female spayed.


80 posted on 09/27/2009 5:52:04 PM PDT by GovernmentShrinker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-94 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson