SLAMBOARD

I am of the opinion that responsible pet owners should spay and neuter most of their cats and dogs. I don’t know if this has anything to do with the PSA that Bob Barker made after every airing of “The Price is Right” but I do know that I heard him say have your pet spayed or neutered hundreds of times. My mom watched the show regularly and it was on during the siesta that we always took during hay making season.

But what about neutering stray cats? My daughters spent last summer regularly volunteering at an SPCA on Gozo. One of this organization’s goals was to neuter and spay ALL of the feral cats on the island. I thought that this goal would someday make for an interesting metaphor. That day has not yet come. Unlike many other SPCAs in the world, the one in Gozo has a very well-contained and quantifiable problem, but it still a big problem. I recently read a letter sent to the editor that was written by a visitor to the island. She praised the efforts of the SPCA and went on to say that the health and relative happiness of the feral cats on the island influences her decision of where to vacation. I am presently living in another country with a less healthy feral cat population and I can see how that can impact people who are extra sensitive to the plight of cats.

I am under the impression that the SPCA’s main reason for neutering feral cats is so that the reduced population will translate to better welfare for the remaining individuals. While doing a bit of research I discovered that wildlife conservationists make a strong case against feral cat populations. They also want cat owners to keep their pets indoors. Cats kill small birds and animals and they will do so even if they are provided with adequate nutrition by well meaning individuals. Without a neutering program, feral cat populations will usually increase in number rather than health when people supply additional food.

I have some compassion for feral cats and my daughters have lots of it. If you feed stray cats, please take some time to read through FeralCatProject.org. It is primarily a site promoting participation in (and donations to) Trap-Neuter-Return programs and it has a lot of resource material.