EDITOR – In response to the letter entitled, Feral cats should be euthanized, not neutered, I would like to clear up some myths about community cats. Public health is an important factor to be considered when thinking of cat population control but community cats are beneficial to public health, not harmful.
Using TNR (trap-neuter-return) for community cats helps protect the community from rabies. Plans to simply kill cats rarely get rid of all cats in a community. Therefore, there are cats still living in the community that have no veterinary care or vaccines. In TNRed colonies, cats are given the rabies vaccine at the time of vaccination and studies show that community cats have excellent immune responses and can stay protected for more than four years after the first vaccination.
Additionally, the spread of rabies from cats to humans is very rare. The Center for Disease Control reports that the primary carriers of rabies are wild animals such as raccoons, bats and skunks, not cats. When community cats are vaccinated they create a barrier between humans and wildlife. Community cats are also treated for fleas by their caretakers who can give flea treatment directly to the cats or to their sleeping areas.
The author notes that it is important to focus on science. A recent study from Tasmania found that culling community cats actually led to an increase in their population. They stated that this was probably due to new individuals taking over the area after dominant cats were removed. Killing the cats is not only ineffective, but inhumane as well.
Community cat colonies have successfully been integrated in Durban. These cats have helped control the rodent and snake populations and have created a sense of community. TNR should be the preferred management strategy for community cats.
Brianna Grant
Communications Associate
Aley Cat Rescue
