The welfare of feral cats and wildlife
Summary
Opposition to TNR as considered not to reduce the problem of feral and unowned cat populations nor their adverse impact on wildlife.ABSTRACT
David Jessup
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2004 225(9):1377
The welfare of feral cats and wildlife
There are an estimated 60 to 100 million feral and abandoned cats in the United States. They present an important welfare issue, and the many free-roaming cats found dead along roadsides are testimony to their precarious lives. The welfare problem extends to wildlife, with these cats each year killing many hundreds of millions of native North American birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
This paper essentially presents a case against trap-neuter-release (TNR) programs, citing they can encourage people to abandon cats instead of taking them to animal shelters and that locations where TNR programs are being conducted regularly experience substantial and repeated influxes of cats. In addition, released cats still face the welfare problems inherent in a feral or free-roaming life.
In the author's view, trap, neuter and ‘re-abandonment' of cats is not the measure of a healthy or mature society. A balanced, multidimensional approach to management of feral cats is the measure of a mature society. The approach must be practical, legal, sustainable, effective, compassionate and it must embrace stewardship and responsibility for all species.