‘TNR’ not the answer for feral cat population

Contrary to the claims of trap-neuter-release (TNR) proponents, homeless cats to not “naturally die off” — they die painfully and prematurely, usually from unnatural causes (“Albany Humane Society brings ‘TNR’ to Albany,” 5-28-18).

Here at PETA, we have seen those unnatural deaths firsthand, and they aren’t pretty. We have seen homeless cats with faces eaten away by acid burns, spines crushed by cars, legs and tails stripped of skin by predators, and bodies ravaged by feline AIDS. The average lifespan of an outdoor cat is just 2-5 years, compared to 12-15 years for an indoor cat.

In addition to being inhumane, trapping and re-abandoning cats is also ineffective. TNR has been shown to cause homeless cat populations to increase because more people are likely to abandon cats if they think the cats will be “cared for” and because the food set out for “managed” colonies makes un-trapped cats better able to reproduce and attracts more cats (as well as foxes, raccoons and rats).

After experimenting with TNR, Parry Sound, Ontario, had second thoughts because, as a council member noted, “The number of feral cats appears to be increasing — as does the noise, smell and general nuisance.” The Town of Ulster, N.Y., abandoned its TNR program because “[i]t didn’t capture a sufficient number of cats to make the residents … happy.”

The truly humane and effective way to address the homeless cat crisis is not abandoning cats but instead requiring that all cats be spayed, neutered, vaccinated, licensed, microchipped and kept indoors.

Teresa Chagrin

Norfolk, Va.