NO MORE KITTEN SEASON.ORG
CATS
The Problem
It's been said that there are 70 million stray cats in the U.S. It has also been said that there are 30 million. Nobody knows, because they are hard to find and count. One county in WV has an estimated 10,000-15,000 strays and that's a lot of cats.
How Did This Happen?
Humans and cats have co-existed for about 10,000 years. Cats would kill rodents for us and we would shelter them. They are now a separate cat, not to be confused with their wild ancestors. They are Felis catus or Felis domesticus - the domestic cat. These are cats we protect and provide for and we enjoy their cuteness and cuddles.
House cats are not wildlife, but pets. Some will do okay, on their own, but many will suffer and die outdoors, without our protection from weather and starvation. They will never be a bobcat, lynx or mountain lion.
Cats need to be fixed and vaccinated, but so many kittens continue to be born to mothers that cannot protect them from the rough outdoor life and they suffer and die, often unseen. Humans have been unconcerned and irresponsible and the stray population grows. Meanwhile, neighbors and bird watchers complain about cats making their dogs bark, their gardens messy or their songbirds die.
The California Veterinary Medical Association stated in 2015 that the "suffering is of sufficient magnitude" that it is of "epidemic proportions". They are correct.
Euthanasia is the cause of 80% of cat deaths each year and should be considered an emergency, a crisis, an outrage. Where is the panic? Where is the feeling that this disaster of feline mismanagement must be stopped, at all costs? If it were a contagious disease, the veterinary field would be pulling out all the stops, sending out warnings about the magnitude of the losses!!