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The feral cat situation here is very sad...I am not sure in all of Myrtle Beach, but I have found that in my neighborhood, the so called "feral" cats are really not that "feral"..let me explain...well, our HOA put a stop to me helping these innocent creatures...and NMB wasn't much help either...I volunteered to help trap them to be neutered or spayed...but they told me they do not have the resources....unfortunately, the HOA felt it best to have the city pick these beautiful babies up and have them killed....I cried for weeks....I stopped putting food and water out because the Animal Control would monitor my home and watch for them...I was putting them in more danger.....but it is still a sad subject for me.....I wish there was a good solution
On the Community Associations Website they also recogonize TNR as the 'gold standard' for dealing with feral cat populations in HOA's.
It appears to me the solution is to educate your HOA board and community! Here is the link.
Hard to ignore a 20 year study AND recommended solutions from an International Organization dedicated to building better communities.
On the Community Associations Website they also recogonize TNR as the 'gold standard' for dealing with feral cat populations in HOA's.
It appears to me the solution is to educate your HOA board and community! Here is the link.
Hard to ignore a 20 year study AND recommended solutions from an International Organization dedicated to building better communities.
I myself find it hard to ignore that people have little concern for our native wildlife . Feral cats are a non native invasive species that survives by preying on animals and native wildlife. The "gold standard" of tnr is just a feel good measure that is absurd when compared to biological wildlife management. The true cost to our native wildlife will never be know but many studies suggest billions of natives animals become prey to feral cats every year. Think about when kittie brings that little tweety bird (most likey a native Carolinia chickadee)home as a prize. Now multiply that by tens of thousands just in our area. Whether the cats kill for sport or food it is still slaughtering our native wildlife. Would you be upset seeing my son shoot 3 chickadees with his pellet gun but pat little felix on the head for a job well done? There is nothing natural about this as they are a non native invasive species and thier prey has not evolved to defend themselves or changed thier natural habits. Personally I enjoy cats and have had them as house pets . They belong in the house and not the wild. I wonder if the same tnr supporters feel the same way about feral hogs. Should we let "nature " take its course and have feral hogs destroy 97% of sea turtle nest of some beaches? What do ya think about wild dogs ? Is this just a thing were cats get special consideration or is it all non native species?
Last edited by Seabass11; 02-24-2013 at 09:57 AM..
We don't rid ourselves of alligators because they will eat a bird, a fish, or even a raccoon or deer. As we know sometimes much more then that! ( a human, a dog)
Wild animals will eat to survive, and I can't blame a feral cat trying to sustain his life. Many are just your regular home cat that has been dropped off early in life by a farm. They could have been a home cat if it weren't for that circumstance.
I have watched their personalities, and all were different. Most would eventually embrace your company and enjoy whatever you did for them.
We enjoyed our birds too. But, we let the natural process proceed.
I have not dealt with wild dogs but from what I read it is not the same at all
in respect to cats. Wild dogs seem to form packs, and have an aggressiveness, that would scare most of us to come upon. It is a completely different ball game concerning dogs.
We need to treat the feral cats with compassion and respect. They were dealt a bad deck of cards. The least we can do is try to care for them in the best we can.
I was extremely upset a week ago when I read a letter to the editor. It was drastically against feral cats in the Myrtle Beach area. In the letter to the editor it called for their elimination completely.
Having rescued many feral cats in my home state of Pa. I know there is a better way. It seems this writer was against saving these cats in any form or all.
Can I just say that these cats are not all wild. Most have the ability to become house cats. I have seen this with my own eyes. Most like to pal up with dogs. I have also watched this unfold.
In my area it all started with a pregnant mother cat. She was hungry and in need of nourishment. Seeing her up by the wood line my heart took hold. We fed her and gave her water and milk. Over the years she would be around but she was one to stay a distance. She had been a stray for way too long.
We fixed her and the babies but not before finding a batch of kittens in the battery well of the motor boat.
Four more to deal with. We captured them all, and we captured others that came our way. Everyone was trapped and fixed. Each ear was clipped to let us know this occurred. They also had rabies shots.
In the winters when we would head south we hired a "Pet Nanny" to feed them and give them milk and water. There was a warm area for them to get into in the shed. One thing I could not do is starve a four legged animal.
As time went on many would befriend our small dog. I was able to get some frontline on them and one decided to be our best pal. That "feral" cat came into the house. Came up and sat by us and purred. I held it as I let it out that evening and it kept on purring. I thought then...What does feral mean?
These cats can have a life. They can be socialized and be like any other cat. In the least we were required to
set the cats free to the environment they came from. So that we did.
The article in the Sun News insisted that there was no use for feral cats. All I can suggest is that they
are trapped, fixed, given rabies shots and let back to the environment they came from. The writer worried about song birds. Well, the birds learn too to stay up and away. There is room for all our animals and birds on this earth.
I have watched these cats have fun playing with toys, laying in the sun, and cavorting with each other.
There is no reason to kill these animals. Not a good enough reason at all.
What are your thoughts?
We have been adopted by 8 feral cats on our farm. They do far less damage to our place than stray dogs. We are not happy doing it, but are more likely to shoot a stray dog because they are more aggressive and dangerous to humans.
We have lived with feral cats in our woods, behind us, for eight years. To me and my family, it is like having a little zoo behind the backyard fence. One of the females has a litter about twice a year. Some of the very prettiest kitties have come from her. I have heard from neighbors who have adopted some of them over the years and I believe every now and then the county animal control traps some. The males come and go.
This "kill all feral cats" thing started in Australia, I believe. I keep hearing of all the precious wildlife these feral cats are supposedly killing but not once, from these feral erasing advocates, have I heard the benefits of the feral cat in our nation.
For one, they keep down the mouse, rat and snake population. I have seen this in many places, not just our area. That, in my opinion, is enough reason to keep them around.
I haven't heard once of any attacks by feral cats on other animals or humans but sure have by wild dogs.
We have been adopted by 8 feral cats on our farm. They do far less damage to our place than stray dogs. We are not happy doing it, but are more likely to shoot a stray dog because they are more aggressive and dangerous to humans.
Your post is beautiful. Bless you!
Be sure to trap and have them fixed. Usually there is an organization that chips in. It only cost us personally $20 per cat.
Trapping is not hard. Some places will lend you out a trap. We would do a few and as it closed on one cover it and place it in the garage until we got more. Using real tuna fish helps. Let the oil drip right to the front of the trap. Then place some towards the back of the cage.
I saw when we didn't keep on top of it too many kittens were born. Finally, all were caught and fixed.
The farm down the street did the same. The lady from the one organization asked the farm owners to please go along with the process and she helped trap the ones there.
Bless you! I know it can get expensive to take care of 8 feral cats. But, in their eyes you will see how grateful they are. The shy one, the funny one, the clown and the playful guy...all with their own personalities and charm. They surely deserve a place here on earth.
We have lived with feral cats in our woods, behind us, for eight years. To me and my family, it is like having a little zoo behind the backyard fence. One of the females has a litter about twice a year. Some of the very prettiest kitties have come from her. I have heard from neighbors who have adopted some of them over the years and I believe every now and then the county animal control traps some. The males come and go.
This "kill all feral cats" thing started in Australia, I believe. I keep hearing of all the precious wildlife these feral cats are supposedly killing but not once, from these feral erasing advocates, have I heard the benefits of the feral cat in our nation.
For one, they keep down the mouse, rat and snake population. I have seen this in many places, not just our area. That, in my opinion, is enough reason to keep them around.
I haven't heard once of any attacks by feral cats on other animals or humans but sure have by wild dogs.
Just saying.............
Interesting that you mentioned this. There was a grey cat two houses over that would come and fight with the ferals. ( as they nestled in a chair by the house) This cat who had a home and family killed at least two of the ferals. He'd come, fight,and we'd be left with the remains. It was usually one of the most gentle of the ferals and I found it quite sad. I'd watch this cat chase the mother cat and her young ones. Yet, the grey cat was nice to people. It didn't want other cats in his area I suppose.
Just like the missing birds I tried to tell myself this is the circle of life. We can only do our best and that's about all.
On the Community Associations Website they also recogonize TNR as the 'gold standard' for dealing with feral cat populations in HOA's.
It appears to me the solution is to educate your HOA board and community! Here is the link.
Hard to ignore a 20 year study AND recommended solutions from an International Organization dedicated to building better communities.
Thank you....I did try to get someone to educate our HOA board and they just were not having it...my HOA is right and they do not listen to anyone.....I failed at this as well....believe me I tried and tried.... You know you can only educate those who want to be educated unforunately.......
Thank you....I did try to get someone to educate our HOA board and they just were not having it...my HOA is right and they do not listen to anyone.....I failed at this as well....believe me I tried and tried.... You know you can only educate those who want to be educated unforunately.......
I believe there is a large differnce in educating people with peer reviewable scientific data and providing them with ones personal opinions. I once heard the saying " just because one thinks it or says it does not make it so". I guess one could come to the conclusion that trapped feral cats should be released back into a natural ecosystem where they are a non native invasive apex predator . But I think first I would have to discount the opinions of every state DNR,Division of Fish and Game, division of natural resource , US Fish and Wildlife Service, just about every peer reviewable paper by a wildlife manager and basic nature ecosystem of North America first. Cats are not native to SC and belong in people's homes and not the wild. There is nothing natural about them in the wild
Lots of reasons for leaving the cats there and let nature proceed as it was originally.
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You know you can only educate those who want to be educated unforunately.......
