| What is a Feral Cat? |
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What exactly is a feral cat? Read on and you will learn more about a problem which causes much suffering -- and costs you money! Feral cats are the wild offspring of domestic felines and are primarily the result of pet owners' abandonment or failure to spay/neuter their animals, allowing them to breed uncontrollably. Feral cat colonies can be found behind shopping areas or businesses, in alleys, parks, abandoned buildings, and rural areas. They are rather elusive and typically do not trust humans. Many people assume their animals will survive when they move away and leave them behind. Contrary to popular belief, domestic animals do not automatically return to their natural instincts and cannot fend for themselves. Already, U.S. animal shelters are forced to kill an estimated 15 million homeless cats and dogs annually. The alternative to humane euthanasia for almost every stray is a violent end or slow, painful death. Many throwaways die mercilessly outdoors from starvation, disease, abuse – or as food to a predator. The solution is TNR – a program known as Trap, Neuter and Release.
I sit beneath the bushes as she fills my dish each day, |
