Yeah, this will work... From the Billings News (MT):
Cats have been the targets of oppressive legislation across the country. Several cities have enacted cat leash laws. Several states, including neighboring North Dakota, have declared open season on feral cats. Regions of Australia have banned cats altogether.Feral cats have never been that big of a problem in Montana. When Fluffy or Muffy ventures too far from the settlements it becomes coyote fodder.
Champions of feline freedom might block the current attempt to ban cats from our city’s backyards and alleys, but sooner or later we will have a cat leash law. Dog leash laws followed the same track 30 or 40 years ago when animal control ordinances put an end to the free range Rex and Rover.
Cat leash law advocates offer two basic arguments: What goes into one end of a cat and what comes out the other.
Since cats cannot be fenced, they make it their business to do their business in the neighbors’ yard. They seem especially fond of children’s sandboxes and well tilled flowerbeds.
What goes into a cat is all too often wearing feathers. The bad news is roughly 20,000 cats in Billings killing an average of five birds apiece. That’s 100,000 birds per annum.
I should point out though that my cats are all "indoor" cats. I just couldn't face coming home to find one lying by the curb -- a victim of a car or larger animal.
It may be mostly sparrows, because they account for most suburban birds, but roaming and feral cats do have a serious impact on songbird populations. Not all of the various species can stand much more of a toll, either. And that's just in America; feral cats in ecologically sensitive areas have wiped out species worldwide. On a local level, it's not really fair for a birdwatcher (who frequently like to put out several different feeders) to have their hobby destroyed because their neighbor refuses to keep their cat in.
Cat poop is also the major transmitter for toxoplasmosis, which doesn't affect most but is a serious hazard for pregnant women and the immunocompromise. It's not harmless or even just inconvenient. Besides that, there's spray- and anyone who's been exposed to a tomcat's spray in their own yard has a right to resent their inconsiderate neighbor for the stench.
Besides which, it's bad for the cats; outdoor and feral cats spread FIP, FIV, Feline Leukemia, cat flu, and worst of all panleukopenia (feline distemper). The latter is highly contagious and watching a cat die from it is absolutely heartbreaking.
Don't get me wrong, I love cats and was miserable for the four years of college I couldn't keep one. But left to their "natural" behavior, cats slaughter songbirds, spread disease, and generally lead short, brutal lives. It's natural for dogs to form packs and chase running things, but we quite rightly punish owners who allow their dog to take down a neighborhood jogger.
I don't really expect much compliance at first, but I'm quite happy to see the start of what will hopefully lead to a general attitude change to where people will start to take as much responsibility for their cats as they do for their dogs.
Posted by: LabRat at April 30, 2005 11:37 PMOr a neighbor. We actually lost a cat to a bird-loving neighbor who made it his personal mission to trap and kill any cats that wandered into his yard. That's going a bit too far, I think.
Posted by: Deb at May 1, 2005 09:40 PMour vet estimated that there were over 1 MILLION feral cats on the Big Island alone, and the effect on the fragile enviroment is tremendous. The people spaying and nutering like crazy still cant keep up with the stupids that allow animals to breed and roam. the trap fix and feed people dont understand that having all of those cats impacts bird populations, water supply due to feces contamination, and general living conditions. Please people from Pete's sake keep your cats in. It is good for them and for you.
The law works, we need to do this.
Posted by: hokulea at May 9, 2005 11:44 AM