How Do We Treat Feral Cats Humanely While Protecting Ecosystems?

It is estimated that there may be as many as 100 million feral cats in the United States alone. These felines live outdoors and may be next to impossible to find homes for as they are essentially undomesticated. As an introduced species, feral cats have frequently been targeted for their negative effects on native ecosystems. Indeed, these carnivorous predators have been estimated to kill anywhere between 6.9 and 20.7 mammals and 1.4 to 3.7 billion birds each year. These numbers are especially alarming in light of rapid biodiversity loss and other issues facing many native species. However, feral cat populations often face unfair prejudice from humans.

Feral cats are a problem that was created by humans. Companion animal abandonment and failure to spay or neuter cats have created a large population of homeless cats. Cats are prolific breeders. Indeed, just one pair of cats and their offspring could produce a total of 420,000 cats in only seven years. That’s a lot of cats! Booming feral cat populations have led these creatures to be branded a nuisance and have led to high amounts of conflict between feral cats and humans. 

For years, mass euthanasia was the main method of population control for unwanted cats. Even today, localities around the world hold “cat-killing contests”. These contests are marketed as a way to protect native animal populations and rid communities of unwanted feral cats. However, solutions such as this fail to recognize that the cats are blameless in their overpopulation. Humans are the ones who spread domesticated cats around the world. Then, humanity abandoned them. 

Over the past several decades, Trap-Neuter-Release programs have risen in popularity. These programs, also known as TNR, seem to offer a more humane way to control feral cat populations. TNR programs trap a cat, spay or neuter it (and sometimes provide other medical services such as vaccinations), and then return it to the location where it was caught. Theoretically, over time a large enough percentage of the feral cat population will be unable to reproduce that it will cause populations to plummet. However, scientific research on the efficacy of these programs is mixed. Some studies point to the difficulty of implementing these programs on a large enough scale to make them effective. Lack of funding and a shortage of veterinarians makes it difficult to fix enough cats to significantly lower the population. 

Releasing fixed cats back into the wild also does little to reduce human conflict with feral cat populations. Unfortunately, feral cats have been linked to diseases that can infect humans. These include toxoplasmosis which can cause miscarriages and birth defects in pregnant women. Flea-borne typhus and rabies have also been linked to feral cats. People may also dislike noise and marking behaviors associated with feral cats. 

Other people are more compassionate to feral cat populations. Many people even feed feral cat colonies and provide them with veterinary care when necessary. Often, these resources are paid for out of their own pocket. Yet even people who wish to care for feral cats fear for these outdoor felines. Feral cats are at high risk for predation, harm by vehicles, and disease, and are at the mercy of the elements. 

Feral cat populations present a difficult conundrum. On the one hand, these are living creatures who deserve love and kindness. On the other hand, their negative effect on the ecosystem is difficult to deny. 

For now, Trap Neuter Release programs appear to be the most humane way to help feral cat populations. However, these programs need better funding and to be implemented on a larger scale to be truly effective. However, these programs need to be combined with other efforts. These include the adoption and socialization of some cats. Additionally, education efforts could greatly help. Keeping domestic cats indoors can help prevent them from becoming strays, killing wildlife, and breeding. It is also vital that people spay or neuter their companion animals. Experts also advise people who feed feral cat colonies to avoid leaving food out for more than half an hour. Doing so can attract predators and/or adversely affect the diets of native animals. 

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Related Content: 

• There Are Lots of Ways to Care for Feral Cats But Bringing Them Home May Not Be One of Them
• What Exactly Does “Feral” Mean?
• Cat-Hunting Competition for Kids Canceled: Debate on Feral Cat Control in New Zealand
• Petition: Help Stop the Inhumane Killing of Cats on Kangaroo Island
• Scientific Institute Receives Major Backlash After Classifying Domestic Cats as “Invasive Alien Species”

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