Supporting Effort of C.A.T.S Historically Good Idea
(by Kathryn Davis - October 06, 2008)
In the middle of the 14th century, Europe faced the epidemic bubonic plague, commonly referred to as the “black plague”. At one point, under the belief that cats were a symbol of evil and were to blame for the sickness, the government ordered the extermination of all cats. It wasn’t until about one-third of the population, some 34 million people, had died, that the cause was finally recognized. The deadly disease was actually being transmitted by rats, and those homes that kept cats as pets, in violation of the law, remained mostly unaffected. With the extreme reduction of the cat population, rats were able to reproduce in great numbers.
Today, stray and feral cats can often be found making their outdoor homes near food sources such as restaurants. Just as in the middle ages, these small creatures are naturally aiding in the control of nature’s rodent population. Yet again, just as in the middle ages, the same fear and misunderstanding has led to mistrust of these animals.
Sometimes town officials have either killed or dispersed feral cats rather than supporting private citizens in their efforts to trap, neuter, and relocate them. Kathie Tonnesson of C.A.T.S. (Communities Altering The Strays), a nonprofit group that traps, neuters, and relocates or finds new homes for stray and feral cats, said, “No one is allowed to kill a cat. They are protected by law. But people are allowed to trap a cat and have it neutered. They can release it on their property or relocate it in a safe place. But they are protected under anti-cruelty laws.”
Tonnesson doesn’t understand why there is not more support for trap and relocation efforts. “I don’t understand the hatred. If it were a dog, people would be upset. Why don’t they feel that way about cats?”
Confusion seems to abound when it comes to the laws that involve stray and feral cats. “It’s simply untrue that acts of cruelty will be excused if the cats are not owned,” said Wendy M. Anderson, Alley Cat Allies Director of Law and Policy. “Let’s set the record straight: anti-cruelty laws of all states and the District of Columbia apply to all cats—pet, abandoned, stray and feral. These laws exist to protect animals from human violence, regardless of ownership.”
C.A.T.S. has successfully placed hundreds of homeless cats. Tonnesson remembers one particular adoption. The owner requested a vet put her cat to sleep, saying he was not using the litter box and was not neutered. Then the owner contacted us with second thoughts. We took this purebred Flame-Point Himalayan cat to be neutered, and found he hadn’t been well cared for. He was urine-soaked with matted fur and he needed to be shaved and treated for skin sores. Debi DeRemer of C.A.T.S. discovered the cat was friendly and sweet, and had no problem using a litter box. Furby was soon placed in a new home. “If cats like Furby, a beautiful, docile, purebred cat, could be so close to euthanasia,” said Tonnesson, “then we could only imagine what happens to scared strays, or feral cats. Not a happy ending for those poor cats.”
Tonnesson recommends that people contact her organization if they are interested in trapping a stray or feral cat. She has heard of too many people who have tried unsuccessfully to catch a cat on their own. C.A.T.S. can lend out safe traps with instructions on what to do.
October 16 is National Feral Cat Day. For those individuals who are interested in learning more about Tonnesson’s organization, or who might want to help place a homeless cat, information and answers are available by visiting their website at www.catsincorporated.org. They can also be contacted by email at catsincorporated@comcast.net, or by phone at 908-453-0082. C.A.T.S. is holding a bake sale on Saturday, October 4, from 10-2 at the Shop Rite of Washington. All proceeds go toward the spaying and neutering of stray and feral cats, and support adoptable cats that need homes.
