County Council to consider feline freedom
The painted bunting is on the wildlife of concern list with the Audubon Society. Members worry feral cats could endanger the species further.
Cleve Bryan
Published: November 6, 2009
Updated: November 6, 2009
Published: November 6, 2009
Updated: November 6, 2009
Charleston County Council will hold a public hearing to discuss a plan that would allow people to trap, neuter and return free-roaming cats rather than euthanize them.
“Manage them to extinction,“ is how Diane Straney, president of the Feline Freedom Coalition describes TNR with feral cat colonies. She is advocating changes to ordinances in Charleston County, City of Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant so that people can legally feed outside cats.
Straney and other supporters of TNR say by keeping sterile cats in their place until they die naturally it keeps other cats from filling in their space. There is only so much food or prey to go around. The Charleston Animal Society says they euthanize about 2,400 feral cats a year and eliminating that program could save up to $50,000.
Straney says there are many volunteers who are willing to meticulously manage colonies of feral cats until they die out.
The South Carolina Audubon Society is among those who oppose replacing euthanasia with TNR. According to research by the American Bird Conservancy outdoor cats can kill up to 100 other animals a year.
“They are not a natural predator for birds, lizards and small mammals and they can damage an ecosystem,“ says Jeff Mollenhauer, the director of bird conservation with the S.C. Audubon Society. He does not believe that TNR is effective and says members of the Society will oppose new ordinances.
A public hearing is scheduled for 5pm at the Lonnie Hamilton Building in North Charleston on November 17.
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And if it is wrong for the loose dogs to come kill your cats, is it not just as wrong for your cats to kill the birds. After all, is it not just as natural for a dog to kill a cat as it is natural for a cat to kill a bird?
And 1frutterford, if TNR is so successful, how did your colony grow to 18 cats. If you had TNR'd them when there was just 1 or 2, the colony should have not grown to 18. At least it shouldn't have if the TNR theory works. Regarding spending money on the cats, see my previous post.
The people part of this problem can be summed up quite simply. The majority of people do not care about cats. You need to remember, while this may be important to you, not everyone feels as you do. They do not care what happens to the cats and they certainly don’t care if the solution is going to cost them any money, and to solve this problem using TNR will cost lots of money. With a minimum of 65 million feral cats, and some estimates run as high as 100 million, it will take BILLIONS of dollars. That’s billions, with a capital “B”. Cats are the second class citizens of the pet world. I do not know what the animal laws are in South Carolina, but here in NJ it is against the law to allow your dog to run at large. Yet I have people here who would never throw their dog out the front door before they leave for work, yet think nothing of letting their cat roam at will. Cats simply do not have the same worth as dogs. It is difficult to change people’s attitude toward cats and TNR makes it that much harder. How can you on one hand tell people they should keep their pet cats indoors so they are safe from harm and the wildlife is safe from their cat, and on the other hand say it is alright for these millions of cats to live their lives out on the street. Most people do not see much of a difference between the cat sunning itself in a picture window and the cat sunning itself on top of a dumpster. Mandatory spay laws will be extremely difficult to pass and even harder to enforce, though I would certainly like to try. Here in my own town I cannot get my governing body to even consider a mandatory altering law for cats allowed to roam. And forget a leash law for cats. Trying to pass that law would be political suicide. In NJ, no other domesticated animal is allowed to roam off the owner’s property, except cats. And every time the subject is brought up, the cat wackos come out of the woodwork and scream bloody murder. We have mandatory licensing for cats in my town, the same as for dogs, yet enforcement is hard. I tell someone they have to license their cat as well as get it a rabies shot and they look at me like I have two heads. And when I write them a summons after warning them, they are on the phone to the mayor’s office. Another part of the people problem is cat feeders. Most people want to feed stray cats and do little else. When I approach them about also spaying and vaccinating the cats, they don’t want to spend the money. Yet if I tell them they then have to stop feeding the cats, they tell me the cats will starve and they won’t stop and I am cruel for making them stop. You can tell them about over-population and how fast cats breed and it doesn’t sink in. They just want to feed and that’s it. Yet when I trap the cats and euthanized them, its all my fault the cats have to die. Some people are thick headed and quite honestly, and I can see the replies coming now, some cat people are mentally off balance. Do you know that there is a large scale TNR program in Palm Beach Florida being run by two groups, and the two groups sued each other, as well as Palm Beach, over who was taking better care of the cats. Palm Beach finally had enough of the idiots, after giving them over $200,000.00 dollars, and pulled all funding for the program. And to top it all off, the groups could not catch many cats because, even after posting signs on what they were trying to do, other people kept feeding the cats and they wouldn’t go in the traps because the weren’t hungry. Anyway, you can’t change people’s attitude toward cats by treating them any different than dogs and other pets.
There is a financial cost to maintaining those colonies, but there is also a cost to the native wildlife that is killed, to the waterways that are contaminated by cat feces, to the property rights of neighbors who do not want the cats there, etc.
If you are putting food out for 19 cats, you are surely feeding every coon, skunk and possum in the area, too.
That is not a good thing!
If you have been successful in retrapping or taking all these cats for yearly shots, just how feral are they? Can any of them be rehomed or adopted?
I would hesitate to shout success when some of these cats have been injured!
TNR cannot 'be fixed' - the goals are not attainable. The method is practiced in an open system and that is the problem. Think quality instead of quantity and put money towards fencing in those cats or providing them with some type of enclosure. Then you might make a difference.
my wife and i maintain a cat colony at our home and it consists of 18 feral cats and 1 that we rescued from the ASPCA in charleston that would have been KILLED. the one thing that no one has talked about is the cost of maintaining these colonies. my wife and i pay out of our pocket over two hundred dollars each month of our own money for food. that does not include vet bills for the colony when we take them for the yearly shots and injuries suffered by them from other animals such as the loose dogs that hunters leave when they no longer want them for hunting in the woods after deer season, or the ones tht are kept for pets and run loose with no fences to keep them on the owners property. my wife and i do not ask for help with all of this because we believe that it is everyones responsibility tocare for the animals as we do. all of our cats see the vet yearly for all shots amd required medical treatment. most vets offices charge at least $45.00 to walk in the door, plus treatment and any medications that may be required.
why don't the nay sayers come down from their ivory towers and get involved in this project of TNR and help fix it instead of saying this will not work. the more people involved the quicker this problem will be under control and everyone will have a win-win situation.
Oh, and I still LOVE the idea of feral cat sanctuaries too! That's a good way to relocate those animals considered nuisances into a controlled environment where they won't pose such open threats to humans and wildlife. My husband and I have discussed this as something we may want to do in the hopes that it would be successful in reducing the cat numbers eventually but, it would certainly require some outside funding. According to my reading, ferals typically don't mind and sometimes actually enjoy the company of other ferals, whether loners or whole colonies so, I would love to see feral cat sanctuaries springing up all around our area and I'd even welcome one in my very own backyard and would sincerely hope that eventually these sanctuaries would no longer be necessary! If I could accomplish only one goal in life that I could choose to be remembered for, I would want it to be that I contributed to better education and regulations that resulted in less animal abandonment, smaller feral cat populations and no more homeless domesticated animals being euthanized! So, there's the whole ball of wax.....that's my story and I'm STICKING TO IT!
Thank you very much, Dave729. I, like you, have found our correspondence interesting and for me, it has also been enlightening, in a lot of ways. I used to feel that no animals should ever have to be euthanized and although it saddens me to no end, I do realize that it is a necessary evil. I agree with you 100% that we would deal best with the feral cat problem by altering them, vaccinating for rabies and releasing them back to their natural "wild" life without further "domesticated" management so that the numbers will decrease and some of the potential health hazard to humans is lessened as well. This option does NOT make me happy because I would love nothing more than to save and enhance the lives of every cat I see but I must be a realist....pains me to say it but it is so. It would have been nice to have met you, but maybe with this new knowledge, I can eventually bring some sensibility to the problem in our area by better educating others but still maintain and exhibit my great love and compassion for these ill fated animals. You've never said much about addressing the "people" equation in this problem....why so? Is there no hope that we can find a means of helping people understand their role in this process? Can we not create legislation that forces people to be better pet owners, something that encompasses animal cruelty laws, possibly? I really want people to be held accountable for their ongoing role in this unrelenting problem. Don't you????
razmatazzcat, I find your comments interesting. Except for your statement that I am a cat hater, which I am not, though I profess no love for free roaming cats due to the problems they cause. I am however, a realist, with extensive TNR experience. Usually when I post, some pro-TNR people get down right nasty. I occasionally testify at public meeting on the subject and then receive death threats for days afterward. You do not seem to be that way. I would love to meet you except that I live in New Jersey so I will not be attending the meeting. Unless of course, you would be willing to send me a plane ticket 
. Let me tell you why I feel the way I do. I have been an animal control officer for well over 30 years, since before cats were an issue. I have followed the TNR movement since its inception. There were many claims made by groups, most notably Alley Cat Allies, of the effectiveness of TNR. None of those claims came to pass. The statement in this article that they want to "manage them to extinction" means that the person who made that statement has either never actually researched that theory or is intentionally making it, knowing it is false. Cape May NJ has had an extensive, governmental supported TNR program, including financial, for 15 years. That is long past the expected life span of most outdoor cats. Yet they have just as many cats as before. Cape May is an island and if you can't control cat populations with TNR on an island, you certainly won't do it in an area with open borders. Cape May is also the home of an endangered species of bird, with less than 100 breeding pairs. The federal government finally stepped in and said the cats had to be moved away from the beach nesting areas. The cat people said no, let the birds go extinct. That is the mentality of many TNR groups. There is long-term study of cats in California. Even the Humane Society of the United States, which is pro-TNR ,published an article on the program which stated in part, that the results of the study from the point of decreasing cat populations using TNR is “disappointing”. TNR has been tried in many other NJ towns and long-term, the programs were all a disaster. I, as an ACO, would be all for TNR if it worked. But it doesn't. All studies that I have found that explore its effectiveness say it doesn't work at eliminating or severely reducing cat populations. And my experience with TNR programs in mine and surrounding towns tells me the same thing. Also, it does nothing regarding nuisance complaints by neighbors. I think that many of these groups believe what is written about TNR without actually researching the truth of the statements. I do know many groups, such as Alley Cat Allies, do not wish to solve this problem with a win-win solution. All they care about are the cats not being euthanized. Nothing else matters. Point Pleasant Beach here in NJ has TNR. It also has a rather severe rabies problem in cats. Children have been attacked. Another group of people were exposed by handling a rabid kitten. Afterward, one of the TNR people said rabies or not, no one is touching my cats. I think that if they were really serious about reducing cat numbers, they would just alter the cats and release them. No feeding, no vaccinations except for rabies. That could have the potential to reduce numbers naturally much quicker, but they don't want that. They want to save the cats and have them live long, healthy lives. You alluded to a quicker, natural attrition in your post, and for that I agree with you, except I take it one step further by not vaccinating. I do not agree with your statement that well fed cats do not hunt. That is instinct for a cat. Every week I get calls from my residents about a bird, chipmunk or rabbit that their indoor/outdoor cat brought home half dead. I no longer try to save the animal. Instead, I give them advice and then let THEM watch it die. We all know people whose cats bring them home “presents”. There are so many false statements made in favor of TNR. There is no such thing as the “vacuum effect”. Unless you remove the food source, more cats will come. They come in naturally or people dump them off, as witnessed by the TNR program in Atlantic City, NJ. Mandatory spay/neuter laws will be either fought or ignored. The health issues created by cats are a threat to humans. 14% of humans under the age of 19 in the US are infected with round worm, mostly from dog and cat feces. And the number is growing. Toxoplasmosis is a threat to many forms of wildlife, and it is only shed by cats. Here in NJ, a black bear that lives near a feral cat colony contracted the disease and died. It has also been found in sea otters in California that live near cat colonies on the beach. Cats have no natural niche in our natural environment, certainly not at the densities cat colonies create. No, there can not be a win-win solution because with the solution being proposed, only the cat people win. Everything else loses.
. Let me tell you why I feel the way I do. I have been an animal control officer for well over 30 years, since before cats were an issue. I have followed the TNR movement since its inception. There were many claims made by groups, most notably Alley Cat Allies, of the effectiveness of TNR. None of those claims came to pass. The statement in this article that they want to "manage them to extinction" means that the person who made that statement has either never actually researched that theory or is intentionally making it, knowing it is false. Cape May NJ has had an extensive, governmental supported TNR program, including financial, for 15 years. That is long past the expected life span of most outdoor cats. Yet they have just as many cats as before. Cape May is an island and if you can't control cat populations with TNR on an island, you certainly won't do it in an area with open borders. Cape May is also the home of an endangered species of bird, with less than 100 breeding pairs. The federal government finally stepped in and said the cats had to be moved away from the beach nesting areas. The cat people said no, let the birds go extinct. That is the mentality of many TNR groups. There is long-term study of cats in California. Even the Humane Society of the United States, which is pro-TNR ,published an article on the program which stated in part, that the results of the study from the point of decreasing cat populations using TNR is “disappointing”. TNR has been tried in many other NJ towns and long-term, the programs were all a disaster. I, as an ACO, would be all for TNR if it worked. But it doesn't. All studies that I have found that explore its effectiveness say it doesn't work at eliminating or severely reducing cat populations. And my experience with TNR programs in mine and surrounding towns tells me the same thing. Also, it does nothing regarding nuisance complaints by neighbors. I think that many of these groups believe what is written about TNR without actually researching the truth of the statements. I do know many groups, such as Alley Cat Allies, do not wish to solve this problem with a win-win solution. All they care about are the cats not being euthanized. Nothing else matters. Point Pleasant Beach here in NJ has TNR. It also has a rather severe rabies problem in cats. Children have been attacked. Another group of people were exposed by handling a rabid kitten. Afterward, one of the TNR people said rabies or not, no one is touching my cats. I think that if they were really serious about reducing cat numbers, they would just alter the cats and release them. No feeding, no vaccinations except for rabies. That could have the potential to reduce numbers naturally much quicker, but they don't want that. They want to save the cats and have them live long, healthy lives. You alluded to a quicker, natural attrition in your post, and for that I agree with you, except I take it one step further by not vaccinating. I do not agree with your statement that well fed cats do not hunt. That is instinct for a cat. Every week I get calls from my residents about a bird, chipmunk or rabbit that their indoor/outdoor cat brought home half dead. I no longer try to save the animal. Instead, I give them advice and then let THEM watch it die. We all know people whose cats bring them home “presents”. There are so many false statements made in favor of TNR. There is no such thing as the “vacuum effect”. Unless you remove the food source, more cats will come. They come in naturally or people dump them off, as witnessed by the TNR program in Atlantic City, NJ. Mandatory spay/neuter laws will be either fought or ignored. The health issues created by cats are a threat to humans. 14% of humans under the age of 19 in the US are infected with round worm, mostly from dog and cat feces. And the number is growing. Toxoplasmosis is a threat to many forms of wildlife, and it is only shed by cats. Here in NJ, a black bear that lives near a feral cat colony contracted the disease and died. It has also been found in sea otters in California that live near cat colonies on the beach. Cats have no natural niche in our natural environment, certainly not at the densities cat colonies create. No, there can not be a win-win solution because with the solution being proposed, only the cat people win. Everything else loses.
Good link, thank you-I wholeheartedly recommend it to all with an interest in this matter. I especially appreciated the information promoting sanctuaries for feral cats. Feral cat colonies are definitely a challenge and neither TNR nor euthanization alone can combat the overpopulation or impact these groups of cats have on our environment. I really believe we need a combination of methods to remedy the problem. Believe it or not, you and I are actually on the same team since we both want to put an end to the feral cat problem; I just wanted to be the voice of the cats who are also the victims here. Whatever is decided, I just hope that we also do what it takes to stop the bleeding where it began....I'll say it again....the irresponsibility and callousness of people are at the very root of the problem. Let's work on that!
Lots of misinformation in the article and comments.
Colonies do not die off.
Cats do not prevent others from joining. Neighborhood cats find the food. Pets are dumped at colonies. Caregivers add to existing colonies.
Any cat that evades capture is fed and better able to breed.
Feeding cats in NO way lessens their motivation to hunt. See Adamec, 1976.
Cat predation on native wildlife is NOT part of the natural order. Cats are not native to any North American ecosystem.
Humans are the problem, and any time someone permits his/her cat to roam or dumps a pet or releases one through TNR, that person's actions are further degrading habitat.
Learn the truth here:
http://tnrrealitycheck.com/
Cats don't kill hundreds of other animals. They kill HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of wild birds and more than a billion small mammals every year.
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