I've been reflecting on some aspects of rural life with cats and was curious to hear what other members' experiences were like.
Where I live, having cats outdoors is pretty normal. There's infinite cat populations around and very finite resources. Animal Control reportedly is overwhelmed with dogs and basically could care less about cats. The Humane Society is chronically full. Good luck even getting them to reply to your email or call you back if you want to bring in a stray.
I keep my cats collared all the time. I microchipped them, but a lot of people don't bother bringing in strays to the vet and the shelters could care less, so their microchips aren't likely to save the day if they get lost.
Plus, vets may not always scan them. One veterinary hospital admits that they don't always bother to scan stray cats.
As a cat foster mom, I'm painfully aware of the fact that each cat I take in likely would've died on the street. Only the lucky cats get to go to the shelter.
Sometimes I wonder what the solution is for areas like ours. Should our county start a publically funded TNR program?
In the meantime people around here mostly have to TNR ferals at their own expense. I have friends who are up to 6 cats now, thanks to a feral mama cat having a litter in their barn. My friends are very caring people and are scrimping and sacrificing to get all the unexpected ferals TNR'ed.
But not everybody can do that. So the tragic saga of too many cats and too few homes continues.
Where I live, having cats outdoors is pretty normal. There's infinite cat populations around and very finite resources. Animal Control reportedly is overwhelmed with dogs and basically could care less about cats. The Humane Society is chronically full. Good luck even getting them to reply to your email or call you back if you want to bring in a stray.
I keep my cats collared all the time. I microchipped them, but a lot of people don't bother bringing in strays to the vet and the shelters could care less, so their microchips aren't likely to save the day if they get lost.
Plus, vets may not always scan them. One veterinary hospital admits that they don't always bother to scan stray cats.
As a cat foster mom, I'm painfully aware of the fact that each cat I take in likely would've died on the street. Only the lucky cats get to go to the shelter.
Sometimes I wonder what the solution is for areas like ours. Should our county start a publically funded TNR program?
In the meantime people around here mostly have to TNR ferals at their own expense. I have friends who are up to 6 cats now, thanks to a feral mama cat having a litter in their barn. My friends are very caring people and are scrimping and sacrificing to get all the unexpected ferals TNR'ed.
But not everybody can do that. So the tragic saga of too many cats and too few homes continues.
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