Kathy Hill prepares wet cat food in the back of her car as she feeds feral cats in an alley in the Swansea neighborhood in Denver on Dec. 24. Denver Animal Shelter is partnering with Metro Denver Cats Around Town to build shelters for feral cats around the city. (Seth McConnell, The Denver Post)
Re: “Shelters for feral cats worsen a bad problem,” Jan. 11 editorial.
Thank you for your editorial on feral cats. Although we’ve owned cats for more than 40 years, I have no illusions about the impacts of these animals on our native wildlife. They kill an estimated 500,000 to 2 billion birds annually.
Trap-neuter-release programs have not proved effective in reducing feral cat numbers, except in very limited circumstances, and I was dismayed to see Denver initiate such a program. People often think that, because some measures are being taken, it’s OK to turn their cats loose – they’ll be “taken care of.” The reality is they’ll be “taken care of” by coyotes, foxes and great horned owls.
The City and County of Denver needs to set up a truly effective program to deal with feral cats, including adoptions, and accept that sometimes euthanasia is a humane and necessary, though unpleasant, option.
Pauline P. Reetz,Denver
This letter was published in the Jan. 18 edition.
Your editorial about feral cats is very disturbing. Kudos to the people who care for these creatures and try to provide some comfort and security for the animals that may have been abandoned by owners and left to fend for themselves. They create their own colonies for survival, and they do create more kittens. Do you propose rounding them all up and euthanizing? How long will it take for new colonies to develop when irresponsible “owners” just abandon their cats and leave them to fend for themselves?
Cats cannot be blamed for their fate or procreation. Let’s have a lot of compassion.
MaryJoel Meyer,Lakewood
This letter was published in the Jan. 18 edition.
Thank you for your comments opposing shelters for feral cats. Native wildlife – birds in particular – are not genetically equipped to defend against non-native cats. The trap-neuter-release programs only make the problem worse since feral cats continue to kill birds whether they’re hungry or not.
Including the comment that PETA refuses to endorse these programs was especially effective. The other study you mentioned about “allowing wild cats to roam…is less humane than euthanasia” is also very telling. If people supporting these programs truly loved cats and understood the terrible consequences they assign to feral cats, they would not permit this to happen.
Susan Craig,Colorado Springs
This letter was published in the Jan. 18 edition.
Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
