University of Nebraska study on feral cats stirs controversy

LINCOLN, Neb. — A report that recommends killing feral cats as a way to control the animals, including a primer on how to shoot a cat, is stirring emotions among bird and cat lovers.

The University of Nebraska at Lincoln's study (PDF) found that neutering or spaying is ineffective at eliminating feral-cat colonies, though useful in reducing colonies' expansion.

One official from the American Bird Conservancy calls the report "a must read" for communities with a feral-cat problem.

But critics note that the wild cats help control rodent populations, and say habitat destruction, herbicides and other issues are a bigger threat to birds.

They also question the report's finding that feral cats' killing of birds costs the U.S. $17 billion, when accounting for how much bird watchers, hunters and others spend on the hobbies.

RELATED:
Pennsylvania airport with feral-cat problem announces plans to trap, neuter and release cats
A catfight over neutering program (January story by Times reporter Kimi Yoshino)

-- Margery A. Beck, Associated Press

Photo: Feral cats eat in a Torrance parking lot in 2008. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Suzie Meierdierks]

As a taxpayer and fellow Nebraskan, I find it disgusting and embarrassing that the UNL Extension Service Division recommends killing feral cats and describes how to kill them in the NebGuide “Feral Cats and Their Management” http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/ec1781/build/ec1781.pdf. The study, which is published as a NebGuide, is currently a hot topic on websites.

I don’t see it mentioned anywhere in the NebGuide or on page 3 of the August 2010 edition of The Nebline http://lancaster.unl.edu/nebline/2010/aug10/aug10.pdf that human activities have resulted in the major loss of habitat and the decline in the number of birds in the United States. (A much earlier example of human activities affecting the population of birds occurred in the late 1800s when people and bald eagles competed for the same food.) The authors blame feral cats for the “significant” losses to the population of native birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. [I do have a question for the authors: Do feral cats kill rabbits? If so, that might be part of the solution to “Managing Rabbit Damage” described in the adjacent paragraph in the August issue of The Nebline.]

An article on the Alley Cat Allies website reads: “The major cause of bird species loss—indeed, all species loss—is habitat destruction. Habitat modification, fragmentation, and loss is caused by a myriad of human activities, including logging, crop farming, livestock grazing, mining, industrial and residential development, urban sprawl, road building, dam building, and pesticide use.” See the article and bibliography for “Humans: The Number One Threat to Birds” http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=325.

In the “Special Note” section at the end of the NebGuide, the authors indicate that they are advocates of “research-based information.” Apparently, what viewpoint you want your research to support determines what “research-based information” you want to include in your study. The public should check out “Setting the Record Straight: Anti-Cruelty Laws Protect All Cats” at http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=303 and “Violence Has Many Victims” at http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=304.

Under “Acknowledgment” in the NebGuide, the authors say extensive reviews of the manuscript were provided by both pro- and anti-feral cat perspectives. Were any of the reviews made by “pro-feral” individuals seriously considered, or were they simply disregarded because the authors already had decided what would be included in the NebGuide? I did not find any “pro-feral cat” comments included in the NebGuide.

Were the 22 UNL students asked to consider new solutions to the feral cat population, or were they encouraged to find references that supported the work of one of the study’s authors published in 1994? [See Fitzwater, W.D. 1994. House cats (feral). Pages C45-C49. In S.E. Hygnstrom, R.M. Timm, and G.E. Larson (eds). Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States.]

The goal of TNR is not to eliminate colonies of feral cats but to humanely and effectively reduce the feral cat population. If feral cats are spayed or neutered, there are no unwanted births of kittens in the colony. If a feral cat has kittens before she is spayed, the kittens should be taken from the mother at about 6 to 10 weeks of age and socialized so that they can be adopted into homes. If an irresponsible individual dumps a cat in a colony, the caretaker of the colony will trap the newcomer, take it to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered if the cat has not already been altered, and have rabies and standard distemper combination vaccinations given to prevent the spread of diseases. If the cat is not feral, it can then be put up for adoption.

As for toxoplasmosis, a cat typically excretes oocysts only after the first time it is exposed to T. gondii, and then it does so for only two weeks. An outdoor hunting cat is often exposed to the disease as a kitten and is, therefore, less likely to transmit the infection as he ages. If a pregnant woman is in an area where there are feral cats, she should wash all home-grown, uncooked vegetables thoroughly and wear gloves when she works in soil. If she does not wear gloves, she should wash her hands thoroughly after working in soil.

Once cats are neutered, they limit their territory because they are not out looking for mates. In addition, the incidences of spraying and fighting are also reduced.

The NebGuide indicates “Predation by cats on birds has an economic impact of more than $17 billion per year in the U.S. The estimated cost per bird is $30, based on literature citing that bird watchers spend $.40 per bird observed, hunters spend $216 per bird shot, and bird rearers spend $800 per bird released.” How do hunters fit into this? Does this mean it is OK if a hunter kills a bird but not OK if a cat kills a bird? Spaying/neutering, vaccinations and other medication, and food for feral cats also have an economic impact to the U.S. economy.

No tax dollars are currently being spent on TNR in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 2005, the city of Lincoln provided $3,000 for a pilot program involving TNR of feral cats. Part of this money was used for start-up costs, including the purchase of four live trapping cages and large dog carriers used to overnight cats recovering from surgery . Eleven cats from one colony were TNR’ed during the pilot program. Without gathering the facts about the pilot project and its start-up costs, a newsman sent out an inflammatory report that it cost the city $300 to TNR each cat. The traps purchased in 2005 with part of the $3,000 were used to help TNR 178 feral cats in 2009 and 130 in 2010 as of November 1, without any additional city funding.

Other large campuses in the United States practice TNR. They include Stanford University, Auburn University, the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Arizona State University, Texas A&M at College Station, North Carolina State, and many more. I am very pleased that within the past 2 years, students and staff at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have worked hard to establish a TNR program on campus. “Husker Cats” has TNR’ed more than 100 cats and adopted out many kittens during its short period of existence.

The so-called study completed by the Extension Service Division is receiving a lot of attention across the Nation. The “pest management” tactics that they recommend for feral cats are out of date and unacceptable in today’s world.

/s/
Suzann Meierdierks
Lincoln, NE

[Carol Schumacher]

How can a university located in a nation like the USA support such outdated methods?
Gandhi already said " The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated"
it's extremely disturbing