Cape May New Jersey is one of the world’s great birding spots, somewhere that has been long on my list of places I hope to visit some day. It is no longer on that list, as the city has shown that it cares little for the protection of birds, the same birds that draw thousands of visitors there every year. It has, contrary to a management plan by the US Fish and Wildlife Service designed to protect delicate species such as the Piping Plover, decided to retain a Trap Neuter Release (TNR) program for feral cats.
I should point out at the start that I am not anti-cat, I’m rather ambivalent towards them really. I am however very much anti-outdoor cat. Outdoor cats, be they feral, pets allowed to roam, or "barn" cats, are essentially an invasive species. And like most invasive species they have a negative impact on native species, in this case birds and small mammals. Cats are very efficient predators, and several studies have shown the impact that they have on bird populations. In extreme situations, usually island ecologies, they can have a devastating effect on bird populations.
The solution, is rather simple actually, if you have a pet cat keep it inside, it is the responsible thing to do. It isn’t cruel, quite the opposite, cats will lead healthier safer lives as indoor cats. The situation gets muddier because, unfortunately not all cats are pets. Unwanted cats get released outdoors, people’s pets wander away and stay away, feral cats begin feral cat populations. Sometime ago someone hit upon the idea of the Trap Neuter Release program of managing feral cats. Feral cats are trapped, examined (and in some cases destroyed if they are carrying certain diseases) and neutered, then released back to live out their lives. The goal is that the populations eventually disappears, being unable to reproduce and all.
It doesn’t work, on a number of levels. Certainly from a wildlife management point of view, birds and small mammals continue to be killed. Populations, while in many cases lower, seem to reach some sort of equilibrium. Not all cats get trapped, ensuring there is still a breeding populations, peoples pets left to their own devices outside still wander away, and little Johnnies birthday gift cat still gets dropped off on that country road when little Johnny loses interest in it. Feral cats have in many cases terrible lives, beset by disease, vehicles, feral and free roaming dogs (don’t get me started), and spotty food resources. It is cruel to let feral cat populations continue.
Unfortunately the cute and cuddly factor comes into play with management issues such as cats. It is the same with the over-population of deer, mute swans etc. People recoil at the thought of cats (deer, invasive swans) being destroyed, euthanized, culled, killed, slaughtered (please feel free to use what ever verb works for your comfort level or ideology). As the result decisions that would best sustain native or other natural fauna get put aside. I have a hard time believing that any one would be promoting a TNR program for feral pet iquanas, or Burmese Pythons. So, as a result of public outcries, proper decisions get set aside.
What can we do. Well, you can take the approach that Rob Fergus, of The Bird Chaser, has advocated much more eloquently than I could. Be active in trying to change poor decisions by, first of all by the City of Cape May and secondly by other municipal governments that promote TNR programs. Few things will get the attention of communities that make money from tourists, such as Cape May, as people staying away. If you are a birder, or a person who cares about birds, stay away from Cape May. Let the community know that you will not be patronizing them as long they have a TNR program in place. Tell the mayor, tell your friends, and if you blog – tell the world.
More importantly if you have a pet cat, keep it inside.
Oh, and before I leave the topic, please don’t write to tell me that "Yes cats kill some birds, but more birds are killed by habitat loss, climate change, building strikes, deer over population, carpal tunnel syndrome or what ever." Birds are under threat on many fronts, almost all human driven (including feral and outdoor cats), ignoring one problem because there are others isn’t the solution. People often ask what they can do to help birds, keeping cats indoors and opposing feral cat TNR programs is one simple thing you can do. There are many others.
And for those of you who support the Cape May TNR program and do not wish to see feral cats destroyed I offer the following solution. The feral cats are trapped and divided up among the people who wrote supporting the TNR program, provided of course that they release Cape May from any damages resulting from injuries from the now wild cats and/or any diseases they may carry AND that they agree to keep the cats indoors AND that any additional costs from a trapping distribution program versus a cull are divided up among the people who get the cats.
Comments
26 responses
Well put.
Once I get my house mouse-and-rat-proofed … ah, er, once I get my husband persuaded that we can just trap the destructive little critters … erm, well, once we get a new housecat, after we get the basement de-junked …
Darn it, I really must snap some pictures of those fourth-generation feral cats around the neighbourhood and get the town cat bylaw put into action. But I sure won’t be popular when the mice and rats start moving in from the long grass and shrubs just beyond the yard…
Hey Arcolaura,
perhaps a nice family of owls will move in the neighbourhood. The lemmings pretty much stay out of houses, but when visited by mice in the past I always preferred a nice simple mousetrap, baggies, a freezer, and a nearby wildlife recovery centre.
Yes, well said Clare, they should be humanely euthanased. Better for the wildlife, better for the cats. I could go on but I’d probably get flamed!
Bravo. For the negative impact of TNR, visit:
http://www.TNRrealitycheck.com
Better for the cats? To be euthanized? It’s a shame we’ve changed the meaning of the word. The true meaning is the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition; not killing an animal because they live without the assistance of humans or killing one species to save another.
Feral cats do not live horrific, miserable lives. They are animals just like squirrels, racoons, birds, etc. Yes, this species has been “domesticated” but ferals do not need humans to survive. They live like any other animal and they contend with natural hazardous just the same as any other animal.
And as far as being an invasive species, yeah, and so are humans. We kill more animals and plants then any other species on the planet. We are ultimately to blame for any animal’s demise… whether it be from deforestation, climate change, habitat defragmentation, neglectic, etc.
As “higher beings” on this planet, it is our responsibility to solve problems facing all life. It is not our job to play “god” and decide who dies and who lives. Yes, it is pet owners’ responsibility to spay/neuter their pets, but we all know this doesn’t always happen. But for the rest of us, we need to stop complaining about the problem and ALL start helping solve it.
TNR is humane for those who did not ask to be born and for those we can stop from being born and perpetuating the problem. No, TNR does not stop the problem over night, but the more it’s practiced the more effective it will be.
Ultimately better for the cats, and certainly better for the birds, voles, bats and other native fauna that they kill. No one likes the thought of cats or other feral pets killed (and again feel free to use whatever verb you feel most comfortable with, euthanized doesn’t work for you, use put down, destroyed or whatever, bottom line here is we are talking about killing cats, what ever verb you use the end product is the same), but like you point out we need to solve the problem, even if that means the unpleasantness of death. TNR programs do NOT solve the problem they perpetuate it. And once again it is our prejudices to the cute and cuddly that stop us from making decisions that will help. Mute swans are very beautiful, but they are displacing native waterfowl and changing the habitat they weren’t evolved for. The fact that they are beautiful, shouldn’t stop us from solving the problem.
People are the problem, you won’t get an arguement from me, almost every threat to birds and other fauna are caused by humans, habitat loss, feral animals (including cats), introduced invasive species, bird strikes on buildings and towers, climate change. That doesn’t release us from dealing with the problems as we can. Certainly it isn’t the cats fault, so what, it isn’t the communication towers fault either, that doesn’t mean we should ignore the problem it causes.
If you don’t want cats to be killed, great, save everyone you can. Give them nice indoor homes, get your friends to give them nice indoor homes, get your relatives to give them nice indoor homes. Spay, neuter, vacinate, feed and care for them to your hearts content, just don’t leave them outside.
And I’m sorry, they are not just like squirrels, raccoons birds or any native fauna. They are an animal that doesn’t belong in the wild ecosystem, they were taken out of it and domesticated into something else eons ago, native animals have evolved no defenses against them. I feel the same about wild animals released where they don’t belong. Our grey squirrel is causing problems in Europe now, displacing European squirrels. I’d no more advocate a TNR program for them than I would cats. Or rats, pigs, feral goats etc.
Perhaps you can point me in the direction of some information I’ve been looking for, what TNR program has eliminated feral cats from the area it operates in? Some have been operating for quite some time now so certainly if they are effective they must have solved the problem.
You are right, do need to start solving the problems, not just hoping they are going to disappear, because right now, the wild birds are disappearing.
Euthanasia is Greek for good death. That is the true meaning of the word, and yes, it is used for population control. A lethal injection is humane, death by vehicle, wild animal, disease, abuse, etc. is traumatic and painful. The end result of death is the same – the process by which is not.
Cats are not the same as raccoons, etc. We do NOT need to feed raccoons, squirrels, etc. Cats are domesticated, a separate and unique species, and dependent upon humans.
Comments are made that we should not play God. The destruction of wildlife by free-roaming cats is not the fault of the cats. The responsibility for that lies in those people who dump cats, who allow their pets to roam, and those who release cats in TNR. Releasing those cats is one more way humans impact the environment.
Predjudiced for cute and fuzzy , boy you guys are desperate are’nt you, they kill raccons squirrels coyotes black bears wolves and so on all the time and the excuse used they are some how a nuiscence to theco system yadd yadda yadda. We the people who care about feral cats do’nt want to see them killed for just being feral if that is predjudiced so beit.
Sorry, if you are suggesting that this a male/female thing you are just plain wrong. What I am saying is that we (as a culture) value beauty more than logic. Plenty of women, including some who I admire a great deal (Hi Blogmom) feel much the same way about outdoor cats, and there are men on the pro TNR side also. This isn’t a gender issue.
And where in any of my arguements, writings or anything for that matter, have you seen any mention about nuisance wild animals? Many of those species you mention are predators who I admire very much. They have a place in the wild, domestic cats do not.
Rather than trying to blow smoke at the debate rather than non issues, offer some proof of the effectiveness of TNR programs or studies that show that cats aren’t destructive on native wild life. As Maggie said above time to stop complaining, and time to do something about the problem. Screaming “I don’t want cats to die!” won’t make the problem go away. Save the cats, you have my full support, take them all into your home, spay and neuter them, feed them, give them care, I don’t want them dead. I JUST WANT THEM INDOORS. In case I wasn’t clear on that let me repeat it I JUST WANT THEM INDOORS. If that can’t be done, if there is none of “the people who care about feral cats” or not enough of them willing or able to take the cats in, then well they should be destroyed, moved to a big warehouse where they can live out their lives INDOORS, or whatever plan you can come up with that keeps them INDOORS
Here is a little reading for you while you’re researching your arguement. http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/factsheets/predation.pdf
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats
gees!
I couldn’t agree with you more. What a great post! It infuriates me when I hear people say that cats are a natural part of the landscape. Exactly what is natural about feral cats?
Thanks for the GREAT information.
And one more thing, people who love their cats should know better than to let them roam outdoors, as they are more prone to illness and injury. I live in the woods in the mountains and I am always amazed when I see a sign posted about a “missing cat” or someone say, “Our cats just disappeared and we are so worried.” Honestly, what do people expect?
Great posting. As much as I admire people for having empathy for other living things, I would much rather share my extra food or income with the two-legged ‘animals’ who don’t have homes. How about showing some concern for them? Or at least showing some concern for our native wildlife who just are not evolutionariy equipped to deal with such a potent predator as the house cat.
The feral cat situation is particularly bad at the Jersey shore. I took a guided dusk kayak/birdwatching trip about ten miles north of Cape May recently. The guide pointed out that a lot of families spending the summer at rented beach houses will adopt kittens for the kids and then just let them loose at the end of the summer rather than bring them home. (Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either.) Unfortunately the summer folk aren’t particularly concerned with their impact on the area, so convincing them to keep pets indoors is a losing battle. It’s turned into a major problem for the coastal towns. And the birds too, I see.
-Kara (New Jersey resident)
Thank you to arcolaura, Duncan, birder and cat lover, Maggie, Linda, kat, Kat, Hey It’s E and Kara for taking the time to comment here. This is a problem that needs to be worked on, before it is too late for wildlife.
Upon re-reading kat’s comments, I think I might have read a little to much into the word “guys” and so I ranted about the gender thing, but I stand by every other word I’ve written here.
The REAL KAT first when I used the word “guys” it was used in a general context not a gender thing incedently I happen to BE female, next time use your head and think alittle before you rant.Further more those predators Imentioned do indeede get killed for being a nuisance in my home stae of MD they reinstituted a black bear hunt after 50 years be cause of claims of bears being in places where they should’nt be. If your reference is cats don’t belong here then should’nt there be a teepee in DC instead of the White House be that would mean those of european ancestry don’t belong here either . You wild life crew blow just as much smoke as you say the TNR people do with your self rightious peity , unfortunately there are too many cats established here to eliminate them all and you don’t have any real answers to that either.
PS HA HA funny to steal my name and use it huh?
pps there is information on feral cats i’m sure you probaly have accsess to it. I how ever do not intend to provide ammo for your arguement you all are so closed minded what difference would it make.I wish all cats had an in door home too however they don’t.The cats don’t deserve to be thrown out on their kiesters either but they are , they sure as heck however don’t deserve to be dead because of your fantasy land ideas of big ware houses or whatever because you can’t bring your selves to admit you want to kill cats.I’ve seen my fair share of wild animal get sick and get hit by cars so that’s no excuse thing happen it’s called real life you’re not going to stop that.
Sigh, there you’ve run rings around me logically. (Damn I told myself I wasn’t going to resort to sarcasm) I don’t even know where to start.
We are stewards of the environment. The same characteristics that we evolved that make us cause so much destruction to the natural world, rational thought, hands free to make tools, the ability to alter our environments quickly to suit us, massive communications skills, are the same characteristics that make us the only animal capable of changing or mitigating the damages we do to the environment (or at least while we still exist here, I hope things will sort themselves out after we’re gone).
We alter every environment we enter, there are problems with predators and other wildlife because our wilderness is disappearing and we are increasing putting pressures on wildlife because of it. Wildlife inevitably loses because of it. Only we can do something about it right now.
But lets talk about cats kat. In all likelihood there are too many to completely eliminate from the wild, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Cat populations in the US are estimated at approx 90 million pet cats, of which only 35% are kept in doors. So there are 58.5 million cats that we could easily keep out of the wild just by keeping our pets indoors. Feral and stray cat populations are more difficult to nail down but it is estimated there are between 60 and 100 million of them out there.
Feral cat populations have been removed from sensitive areas, although granted it is easier in closed systems. TNR programs do not work, they perpetuate the problem. If, by definition, the cats in a TNR program have been trapped, all of those cats could be eliminated from the outdoors. They could be given to people who want them but if no body wants them, killed. I’m sure that you would be willing to take several of them, right kat?
As I understand it, the whole point of a TNR program is to eliminate cats from the wild by preventing the cats from breeding and therefore the population will gradually disappear through natural attrition. But it doesn’t happen, and in the mean time those cats continue to kill wildlife at alarming rates.
If a TNR program has actually worked and a colony has disappeared I’ve yet to find the information. I ask for proponents, such as you kat, to find the information, but you can’t either, because it doesn’t exist. TNR doesn’t work and wildlife suffers because of it. Yes there are other threats to wildlife, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work on this one also.
Oh, and for the other Kat who commented here, I guess only the real kat can use your name, sorry. (Damn, there’s that sarcasm again).
I’ve heard your so called logic ring around the rosey tactics for many years, infact I HAVE taken in out door cats I have a house full because the ferals are’nt always easy to tame or find homes for. No one said feral cats are 100% eliminated thru TNR you are’nt going to, but that does’nt mean we should’nt try. Please don’t use the ABC’s rhetoric repeated from their website. No one has yet to eliminate them by killing them either be cause like you said they don’t exist in a closed environment. Also don’t give me that stewards of the earth crap either, I’ve spent 20 years in animal rescue, INCLUDING wild life,as well as volunteer work at an aquarium. I’m educated enough about the environment and how our actions affect it, global warming is a good example of this,but I digress. I don’t agree that stewardship in cludes killing cats merely because unfortunate circumstances thru no fault of their own put them out doors.Now if you want to waste your time with knit picking about proof of TNR and sarcastic remarks you go right ahead it certainly does’nt make you or your stance look legit.THE REAL KAT (Damn that immature sarcasm it’s contagious)
PS I’m sure Clare that you and other bird people are willing to take in several feral cats youselves right ?
Laura Erickson also had a thoughtful and well-articulated post about feral cats at Cape May:
http://tinyurl.com/2emtvn
I doubt there are any ornithologists or ecologists (or people who are educated in ecosystem dynamics) that would side with the TNR people versus the side of getting as many feral cats out of the environment as fast as possible is whatever way is quick and effective. The overarching issue isn’t whether TNR or euthanization will eliminate a colony faster, it’s the fact that any feral cat will continue to kill wildlife so long as it is out and about. Neutered feral cats kill animals, dead cats don’t. That’s pretty simple.
The arguments presented by “kat” are based on emotion, as evidenced by the variously accusatory, defensive, or illogical language. The very poor grammar and spelling don’t lend any credibility either.
Hey Nuthatch,
Thanks for the link to Laura’s excellent post. You know how much your opinions matter to me, so it is always good to hear from you.
Jeez the lies keep on coming. Twist one way and you twist back. Hmmmmmmmmmmm you ALL the cat people to adopt the cats ,but you don’t want to take in any your selves. Seems to me you are acting in a very illogical accusatory defensive manner yourselves,with alittle emotion added in for extra fun.I never heard about the BIG warehouses you own to put all these cats in,I don’t know if you won the lotto but I sure as heck did’nt, nor do any cat rescuers that I know. Maybe you have!!!!!!!! How do you like my spelling and grammer now!
You want ALL the cat people to adopt all the cats but you don’t want to. I do correct my mistakes, nice enough of you to point them out for me folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually kat, if you read Laura Erickson’s article that nuthatch pointed to you will see that she does adopt feral cats (and works in wildlife rehabilitation, she sees the damage caused by cats in the outdoors first hand). And Nuthatch has two cats. The point about warehouses etc is to show alternatives to destroying cats that keeps the cats out of the outdoors where they cause the harm to native animals. People like us do not oppose TNR because we want to see cats dead, but because we want to see the damage they do to wild birds, mammals and other vertebrates stopped. We just don’t want cats in the wild, and if there is no one willing to take them in, or other solutions to keep them indoors well, we recognize that culling the cats is the lesser of the two evils.
Clare – wonderful post… I am still utterly amazed at how many feral cat supporters there are and how dead set they are on promoting feral cats. I guess these people are willing to ignore all the scientific studies done on the matter…