|
|
CATS AS PART OF NATURE’S FOOD CHAIN IN KOOCHICHING COUNTY
It has long been my opinion that cats, particularly the 100’s of feral (house) cats roaming the streets and byways of International Falls and surrounding Koochiching county are part of nature’s food chain. This concept may bother many people and it is meant to. Next time you let Miss Kitty outside to roam and she does not come back…perhaps she was a meal for a fox, wolf, hawk, owl or eagle. Maybe this is nature’s way of paying back for all the song birds that these same cats kill each day, often entertaining to the owner. I hear people say their cat brings them a bird or 2 most days and they laugh about this. Multiply those birds times the many cats that are doing this, and it is no surprise that song bird populations are decreasing. On the other hand, maybe this is great for the Eagles, our nations bird and symbol. |
| The Borderland Humane Society has taken in 39 cats since the beginning of March when the weather first started warming up. Of these 28 were kittens under 6 months of age from abandoned or stray cats and 3 mama cats. These 28 kittens include 4 abandoned at a public restroom, 3 abandoned at a vets office, 5 found in Ranier with the sickly mother, 7 born in BHS custody from a pregnant mom found frost bitten, and 2 kittens taken from a notoriously neglectful cat hoarder, indiscriminate breeder. The others were various strays found either by people or were at the pound. This does not even take into account the many feral cats breeding all over the place that are rarely seen by humans. Nor does this count the many taken in by just plain good people and taken care of, nor does it count the nuisance cats poisoned, shot, run over, trapped where they can’t escape until they starve.
I love cats and I happen to think the best place for them is on the arm or back of the couch, spayed, neutered and up to date on their vaccinations. The problem in our community is that many people are irresponsible about having these needed veterinary items taken care of and so when the cat is in heat or wanting to Tom around, they let them outside to breed. As the cat starts to scavenge for food it will show up at a neighbors and well meaning people start to feed them. Then they do not return home and stay where the food is, becoming a new stray. When people who do not spay or neuter their cats continue to let them breed litter after litter, in-breeding and other problems occur. Kittens born outside away from people turn feral if not socialized to people at a young age.
We have taken in over the past several years many cats with birth defects…problems with teeth, their mouths, ears, hearts etc. While some are adoptable, some are not and either die or have to be put down. Of 3 mama cats found with the above mentioned kittens, one had to go to a rescue center, one had to be put down due to illness, and one became adoptable but is still in our care as few people want adult cats.
If you have a cat that is unfixed please get it spayed or neutered ASAP. Do not put this off but make it a budget priority for the sake of the animals. The BHS has $50.00 spay/neuter vouchers available to help people defray this cost. Thus far this year we have spent $3280.00 toward spaying and neutering of OWNERS CATS AND DOGS. Of this 46 were cats and we still do not seem to be impacting the environment due to the long term pattern of people indiscriminately letting their cats breed and then giving the kittens away to friends and relatives who also do not have them fixed. The solution: charge at least $10.00 for kittens you privately adopt out. If people can’t afford $10.00 they probably will not have the money to have it properly cared for. Get your animal altered and please do not use up the BHS money for this program if you can afford this procedure on your own. Please leave those monies for those really in need of financial help who are trying to become responsible pet owners. If you know of someone breeding and taking in cats indiscriminately, please report them to law enforcement.
Submitted by Kathie Fluke, Treasurer BHS |
