...and I feel sick.
I mentioned the other day my feral crew of approximately twenty cats at work (well, seventeen, since I took three kittens home. One with a bad eye needed antibiotics, but she was lonely so I grabbed her sister, then yesterday I took them up to visit their mom, who missed them not at all, though their brother was ecstatic to see them so I took him back with me).
Yesterday, there were only ten waiting for breakfast, then today, only six. Someone at work mentioned that they poison the feral cats on base about once a year, to keep the population down, and they had posted the "DO NOT FEED THE CATS" signs just last week, so he figured it was time again. What the hell? Is there a time warp tunnel from the Dark Ages around here?
Military bases are historically chock full of abandoned pets, with soldiers not wanting to go through the trouble or expense to take them once they move, especially overseas. I contacted the Veterinary office on post last week about a feral release program and they told me they would take the cats in, put them up for adoption, then put down the cats that didn't get taken. What part of FERAL do they not understand? No one will adopt these cats. I've fed them every day since November, some of them trust me enough that I could catch them, but I can't live with their blood on my hands if I take them in.
I decided to talk to my Veterinarian, to see if he would give me a discount so I could get the females spayed then return them back to their homebase to roam and hunt rodents, but I never got the chance. They're being murdered by thirds. every. single. day. My boss suggested I verify the information before I continue my obsession. Like our government won't LIE to me?
I'm tired of explaining to rednecks that have shot at birds and squirrels their entire lives with BB guns that this is CRUEL. I'm tired of expecting co-workers to have compassion. I'm tired of not having enough money or space to save them all. I'm just...tired.
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11 comments:
Growing up in the country, my grandpa I later suspected routinely thinned out the cats. I know it sounds horrible; I won't deny that. Strays would show up, multiply and mutate into some poor inbred version of a cat with no eyes or some horrible freak of nature. He didn't talk about thinning the cats until just a year or two before he died. I don't know what he used but I'm sure it wasn't poison. At least you saved three. Saved kitty cats are the best because they know how lucky they are.
Oh sweetie...I am sorry you are feeling so defeated and worn. I wish I had a solution.
Those kitties that got lucky enough to come home with you will pass down stories of your heroine-ism through the generations. Unless you have already had them spayed and nuetered, that is. Then they will just tell the neighboring cats. ;)
...feel better, Indi...
Can you contact PETA or even ASPCA? I'm so sorry you have to go through this. People can be so ignorant. How about the media? Does your vet have any ideas?
I love that you brought home their brother. I have 12, I know Jock has more than that. You'll be ok, and I know those little ones are happy to have a chance at life. I say, if you have favorites, grab them. Even if it's to keep them protected until after they are done poisoning. This is just so depressing and makes me so mad. Let me know what I can do. BIG HUGS, Steph
Good Lord Above, I'm sitting here shocked. I would do what steph said...call someone. I understand the over population and all that crap...it still does not make it humane to poison them...call animal control and ask them if it is ok to poison a cat, see what they say, the the local news just might have a story.
ok, that came out wrong...i meant the local news would have more of a leg to stand on for the story.
I'm not an animal lover, Indie, but I'm sorry you're hurting. If it's important to you, it's important to me.
i have my cleo but i'm not a fanatic about animals but I couldn't let one go hungry much less hurt it.
You're a good soul, Indie.
Quindigo -
The world is a better place with you in it - that I KNOW FOR A FACT.
(((Quindigo)))
Warmly -
Stephen
I am proud to know you.
Knowing about this makes me incredibly angry. Aurgh! We didn't hand over Snicket because with his FIV we knew he'd be put down. And we have other ferral cat that's been showing up on occasion that has gotten sneaky enough to actually come inside when we aren't in the room to eat some of our kitties' food.
ugh. this sucks.
just a few months ago i was visiting my sister in lincoln, NE, and she was talking about a relatively new program they have to address feral cat population. they catch, spay, immunize, and release. before that, they had poisoned cats to keep the population down ("they" is not my sister. "they" is...i don't know...local government, i guess.). but there was some big study that said that actually had a counterproductive effect, b/c other pest populations (that the cats kept in check) grew out of proportion, and the cats that were left worked overtime to repopulate, which resulted in a lot of inbreeding, which resulted in more disease. so... somewhere out there is record of a study that indicates catch, spay, immunize, release is the most effective approach to controlling feral cat populations.
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