by Daniel E. Walsh Author of Our Sunday "History & Reflections" Series
’Questions regarding the value or inutility of the domestic cat, and problems connected with limiting its more or less unwelcome outdoor activities, are causing much dissension. The discussion has reached an acute stage. Medical men, game protectors and bird lovers call on legislators to enact restrictive laws. Then ardent cat lovers rouse themselves for combat. In the excitement of partisanship many loose and ill-considered statements are made.’
Those sentiments recorded in a 1916 report to the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture by Edward Howe Forbush are echoed in today’s struggle with the very same issue. Cats kill birds and they kill them for the hell of it - a penchant they share with humans and few other species. Uncomfortable as that fact may be to those who like cats; the reality is that this issue requires frank assessment when the cat problem is raised. This problem affects various city ecosystems and is a part of a community’s carbon imprint in indirect ways.
Cats kill birds that nest in the city’s trees. That’s a plain fact and not in dispute. The killing lowers the numbers of birds and then increases the number of pest insects, which can have deleterious impact on the health of trees. Healthy trees contribute to clean air and lower the temperature around them. In general, lower temps and cleaner air diminishes the carbon imprint of a city.
This controversy places into conflict forces that seem to have come to their positions along similar paths. The folks who advocate for either cats or birds may have many similar emotional reasons to feel the way they do. Advocacy can often breed an intolerance of opposing views. In the extreme, and in a most peculiar manner, these factions can be seen to be at odds. The resolution of these matters or at least the attempts to come to some agreement has implications for other groups similarly conflicted.
’Questions regarding the value or inutility of the domestic cat, and problems connected with limiting its more or less unwelcome outdoor activities, are causing much dissension. The discussion has reached an acute stage. Medical men, game protectors and bird lovers call on legislators to enact restrictive laws. Then ardent cat lovers rouse themselves for combat. In the excitement of partisanship many loose and ill-considered statements are made.’
Those sentiments recorded in a 1916 report to the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture by Edward Howe Forbush are echoed in today’s struggle with the very same issue. Cats kill birds and they kill them for the hell of it - a penchant they share with humans and few other species. Uncomfortable as that fact may be to those who like cats; the reality is that this issue requires frank assessment when the cat problem is raised. This problem affects various city ecosystems and is a part of a community’s carbon imprint in indirect ways.
Cats kill birds that nest in the city’s trees. That’s a plain fact and not in dispute. The killing lowers the numbers of birds and then increases the number of pest insects, which can have deleterious impact on the health of trees. Healthy trees contribute to clean air and lower the temperature around them. In general, lower temps and cleaner air diminishes the carbon imprint of a city.
This controversy places into conflict forces that seem to have come to their positions along similar paths. The folks who advocate for either cats or birds may have many similar emotional reasons to feel the way they do. Advocacy can often breed an intolerance of opposing views. In the extreme, and in a most peculiar manner, these factions can be seen to be at odds. The resolution of these matters or at least the attempts to come to some agreement has implications for other groups similarly conflicted.
Cat advocate groups such as Alley Cats Allies paint a bleak picture for the future of the tens of millions of stray or feral cats in the US. Many of these cats live in colonies, also known as clowders, centered on a food source (often this source is a sympathetic human feeder). The life expectancy of these animals is about two years--conversely, domestic cats live an average of twelve to sixteen years. The stray cat’s ability to procreate is staggering. This biological fact is the crux of the matter as it creates difficulties in arriving at solutions that can be agreed upon by all concerned.
Cat lovers, such as Wendy Anderson (a self-described jeans and cat paw sweatshirt wearing “cat lady” and legal director of Alley Cat Allies), argue that the most humane way to lower the numbers of strays is a process called —Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR). This method is thought to be more considerate than straight forward eradication. The funding for this process is another huge hurdle. There are observers who say that while apparently more humane; this approach is in practice—ineffective, because of the cats’ ability to rapidly repopulate. The estimated percentage of neutered cats necessary to reduce a is 85%. In other words to reduce a clowder of 100 you would have to TNR 85 of them. Catching these streetwise, resourceful creatures is exceedingly difficult.
TNR is gaining momentum, and is currently the guiding light for state and municipal legislation that governs the management of stray and feral animals. Reading through the Alley Cat Allies website and others like it, an observer may pick up on a righteous tone that permeates through the message. As in other pursuits, the focus and emotional content of the existence of the organization becomes crystallized to the detriment of opposing views. Zeal for a cause—notwithstanding the merit—can often breed a closed mindset.
Another group famously motivated by fondness for animals is birdwatchers. Birders have a reputation for gentility and civility. Birding is an outdoor activity not usually included in the rougher, more physical woodland pursuits such as hunting and rock climbing. There may be those that would dispute the stereotype but most would say that birders tend to be nonviolent types. Thus, the actions of gun-toting Texas birder, Jim Stevenson in 2007, took the nation by surprise.
Stevenson, an avid birder, alarmed by the sight of a feral cat “creeping up on three snowy and two piping plovers, and several sanderlings”--took action, good ole boy Texas style action. Stevenson potshot the one-eyed tabby with .22 Caliber rifle and killed it. He was arrested and tried for cruelty to animals (a mistrial was declared and the matter was not pursued). This extreme act is a prime example of zeal for a cause gone wild.
Other voices have weighed in on the subject. In her book, Silence of the Songbirds, Bridget Stutchbury illustrates the predation problem in a calmer, more pragmatic manner. Stutchbury describes the devastation of songbirds by cats of all types and other natural predators such as hawks and cowbirds. These birds usually build their nests on lower limbs. They forage on the ground to build the nests and are easy prey. She writes about humane methods of control such as the campaigns of the American Bird Conservancy: Cats Indoors! And the Humane Society of the United States: Safe Cats. These campaigns illustrate that simply keeping pet cats inside greatly reduces the overall problem (remember cats kill for practice!).
To combat the predation of migratory birds, the city of Boston and the Mass Audubon Society (founded by Forbush) have sponsored a voluntary program called Lights Out. This program, in effect during the spring, has the goals of removing a danger to migratory birds, reducing greenhouse gases, and saving dollars on electricity. The program targets tall buildings to dim lights during the migration period. The lights from the buildings confuse migratory birds causing them to stray from their path and expend their limited energy reserves, leading to death in some cases.
The stray/feral cat problem has implications for ecosystems throughout the many regions of the country. As the struggle for humane solutions continues, calm and reason practiced by folks with heartfelt concern for the competing species hopefully will prevail. Enthusiasm and passion are admirable qualities. Many are grateful for the issues that are brought to light because of passion and zeal. Where would the green movement be without its passionate and vocal advocates? But keeping a closed mind and taking up weapons? Holy Cats! That stuff is for the birds!
Cat lovers, such as Wendy Anderson (a self-described jeans and cat paw sweatshirt wearing “cat lady” and legal director of Alley Cat Allies), argue that the most humane way to lower the numbers of strays is a process called —Trap, Neuter, and Release (TNR). This method is thought to be more considerate than straight forward eradication. The funding for this process is another huge hurdle. There are observers who say that while apparently more humane; this approach is in practice—ineffective, because of the cats’ ability to rapidly repopulate. The estimated percentage of neutered cats necessary to reduce a is 85%. In other words to reduce a clowder of 100 you would have to TNR 85 of them. Catching these streetwise, resourceful creatures is exceedingly difficult.
TNR is gaining momentum, and is currently the guiding light for state and municipal legislation that governs the management of stray and feral animals. Reading through the Alley Cat Allies website and others like it, an observer may pick up on a righteous tone that permeates through the message. As in other pursuits, the focus and emotional content of the existence of the organization becomes crystallized to the detriment of opposing views. Zeal for a cause—notwithstanding the merit—can often breed a closed mindset.
Another group famously motivated by fondness for animals is birdwatchers. Birders have a reputation for gentility and civility. Birding is an outdoor activity not usually included in the rougher, more physical woodland pursuits such as hunting and rock climbing. There may be those that would dispute the stereotype but most would say that birders tend to be nonviolent types. Thus, the actions of gun-toting Texas birder, Jim Stevenson in 2007, took the nation by surprise.
Stevenson, an avid birder, alarmed by the sight of a feral cat “creeping up on three snowy and two piping plovers, and several sanderlings”--took action, good ole boy Texas style action. Stevenson potshot the one-eyed tabby with .22 Caliber rifle and killed it. He was arrested and tried for cruelty to animals (a mistrial was declared and the matter was not pursued). This extreme act is a prime example of zeal for a cause gone wild.
Other voices have weighed in on the subject. In her book, Silence of the Songbirds, Bridget Stutchbury illustrates the predation problem in a calmer, more pragmatic manner. Stutchbury describes the devastation of songbirds by cats of all types and other natural predators such as hawks and cowbirds. These birds usually build their nests on lower limbs. They forage on the ground to build the nests and are easy prey. She writes about humane methods of control such as the campaigns of the American Bird Conservancy: Cats Indoors! And the Humane Society of the United States: Safe Cats. These campaigns illustrate that simply keeping pet cats inside greatly reduces the overall problem (remember cats kill for practice!).
To combat the predation of migratory birds, the city of Boston and the Mass Audubon Society (founded by Forbush) have sponsored a voluntary program called Lights Out. This program, in effect during the spring, has the goals of removing a danger to migratory birds, reducing greenhouse gases, and saving dollars on electricity. The program targets tall buildings to dim lights during the migration period. The lights from the buildings confuse migratory birds causing them to stray from their path and expend their limited energy reserves, leading to death in some cases.
The stray/feral cat problem has implications for ecosystems throughout the many regions of the country. As the struggle for humane solutions continues, calm and reason practiced by folks with heartfelt concern for the competing species hopefully will prevail. Enthusiasm and passion are admirable qualities. Many are grateful for the issues that are brought to light because of passion and zeal. Where would the green movement be without its passionate and vocal advocates? But keeping a closed mind and taking up weapons? Holy Cats! That stuff is for the birds!
I don't think there's any argument about TNR being the most effective (and humane) way of controlling feral cat populations. I think the thing cat lovers argue about is allowing their own cats outside. These cats are healthy and well fed, so they have an advantage that the feral cats and wild birds don't. Keeping cats indoors is recommended by the Humane Society for their health as well as for the health of local wildlife, but most cat owners still think they're impacting their cats' quality of life by keeping them safe indoors.
Posted by: Brenda Pike | Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 08:54 PM