Saturday, May 1, 2010

My Neighbor's Cats

Actually, the cats don't "belong" to my neighbor at all.  They are feral. 

About two years ago a couple of cats showed up.  Kittens really.  Small, dirty, underfed and wild.  My neighbor trapped them, had them "fixed" and had them immunized.  Over time more showed up including a a Siamese that was due to pop at any moment.  The neighbor again trapped, fixed and immunized-at considerable expense to herself.  There are now ten cats, all feral, who call this neighborhood home. 

The cats are quite territorial and do not allow other feral cats in to the neighborhood.  While I am not thrilled about having cats begging at my feet when I eat out on the patio or finding one sitting in my chair when I take my coffee out on the porch I am thrilled that it has been two years since I've seen a snake, mouse or cockroach in the area. 

 Conservation Groups don't like spay and neutering programs and have been successful in halting such programs through lawsuits.  Is there anything that Progressives won't interfere in?  The truth is that even with trap and release programs thousands of cats end up euthanized each year.  It makes no sense to halt these programs particularly programs that are funded by private donations rather than taxpayer dollars.  It is also true, that cats kill and eat birds.  That is part and parcel in life.  Why should one animal species be favored over another ?

The neighbor's cats keep me company, albeit from a distance.  I would never tell them, but, I kinda like them.

4 comments:

Dave C said...

My wife works with a very liberal vet here in the Richmond, VA area.

The vet volunteers at an organization where they catch, sterilize and release feral cats in order to keep their population in check.

One thing I do know about feral cats. If left to themselves, they'll breed like rabbits. So the catch, sterilize and release is much better more humane option than the alternative means of control.

Carol said...

I have become a big fan of catch and release programs.

Satan was laying on my porch when I came out this morning. He gave me the typical "what are you doing here" look but was kind enough to allow me to sit in my own chair on my own porch.

I am a dog person but haven't had a dog since Winston passed nearly three years ago. Somehow it just makes me feel better to have animals around-even animals like Satan & Co. who don't give me the time of day unless there is food involved.

Dave C said...

My wife would say that you haven't met the right cat yet.. (She's also a vet, she should know)

BoR said...

I love cats ... even the ones who hate me.