Originally Posted by Arlyn
Wrong on both accounts.
Before you condemn a practice, you should research it.
It most certainly isn't for human purposes, it's to save cats from the stress and trauma of repeated trapping, repeated shaving and in the case of females, repeated incisions.
It is a quick visual marker that tells people that the cat has been vetted and altered.
There is no pain, as it is done while the cat is under for surgery.
It is usually done with a laser so the cut is clean and cauterized, and it heals completely within 3 days.
As for a target? No.
Intact toms have ears in far worse shape and they are not targeted any more or less than any other tom.
Do some TNR work and then tell us if you'd rather your colony's girls repeatedly trapped and sliced open or ear tipped.
DITTO -well said