"If there is an animal that enjoys living with man in equality, an animal which never
attacks man unprovoked, that is the Cat. Yet, if there is an animal that have been the
most victim of man’s prejudice, superstition and irrational hate, that is also the Cat."

The population of the so called feral cats has been increasing everywhere in the land where people’s love for pets has been a blessing for many cats, and a curse for those who taken by imitators who do not share the same love for them, but just a curiosity and a superficial attraction. The moment the animal victims do something natural to its instinct, they kick them out and abandon them to their destiny, and which is worse, after teaching them to be depending on human beings. Thus the lives of stray cats turns into a horrible life, full of miseries they do not deserve, they live a horrible life and more than often they die a horrible death.

They face terrible enemies, from wild dogs that rip them to pieces to monster children who draw evil satisfaction torturing them. So there is no surprise that animal lovers react with horror when they perceive that almighty officials act as if they were playing god with the vulnerable and defenseless creatures, especially those whose solutions for problems, despite despicable precedents rely on the extermination of the innocent.

Animal lovers are upset because the news released at its May 30, 2003 meet-ing at Kissimmee by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission passed a policy regarding feral and free-ranging cats. After the public opinion reaction, they complained that “It is apparent from recent articles and letters in the media, as well as from feedback directly to the Commission from the public, that some people have a serious misunderstanding about that policy.”

It is not difficult to realize why this “policy” might have been misunderstood. The “how” is conspicuously either absent or vague. They said that what the Commission approved May 30 was just that – a policy – “to protect native wildlife from predation, disease and other impacts presented by feral and free-ranging cats (that is, the “enemy”).”

People do not feel too comfortable about the sincerity of ecologists that are in the State payroll because there may be conflicts of interests. I also have my doubts on how honest one can perform following his avocation, if he is paid by an institution of any sort — but especially a political body.

This anti-feral cat sentiment is nothing new. I heard this litany of protecting the wild life from cats more than five years ago from one environmentalist. Many see this new FWC policy as the preparation of a plan to do away with colonies of feral cats.

What is shocking is that these colonies were created by the abandon of man. Man is responsible and man should take a better approach than extermination. If these poor cats represent a threat to some wild life, rodents and birds in particular it is because they are following their natural instincts. Many people has doubt don’t want to be prejudiced. How come people who love alligators and snakes and fight to protect their rights are the same people who deny the same rights to survive to animals that were forced back into the wild by callous people and now wanted dead by biased ecologists.

Florida Wildlife And Conservation (by the way, they should have been more careful when choosing their acronym) insists:

“What this policy will NOT do:

The FWC will NOT initiate a campaign to eradicate outdoor cats.”

But the edict of the policy sort of ideologically encourages it.

“The FWC will NOT act against home owners for letting their cats outdoors, although we will recommend against it.”

Again, it provides ideological fuel for other that are waiting for such an encouragement to do something.

“The FWC will NOT be patrolling the streets looking for feral and free-ranging cats.”

Or maybe because they lack the necessary funds.

“The feral and free-ranging cat policy will have little, if any, impact in urban and suburban areas, except where serious threats to imperiled species exist. In those cases we will work with local interests to find solutions.”

Yeah, a solution they may provide is making feral cats an endangered species and they would protect them.

The commission says it is going “to work with local officials to adopt out or relocate cats that prey on endangered birds and small mammals.” But the commission is not ruling out euthanizing (killing, that is) strays as a last resort. Talking about arrières pensées.

Check their page: http://floridaconservation.org/feral_cats_review.htm

In Florida, we already had an opposite reaction in the past, In fact when the scandal of the cruel manner Chinese were slaughtering cats and dogs to use their furs (especially dogs’) for coats and gloves, and cats’ for toys who innocent pet lovers bought at pet shops for their own pets, having no inkling what they were made of, I repeat, when that scandal broke loose, the Florida legislature was said to make an effort to prevent that slaughter in our state, as reported by Capital News’ Sarah Walker: “Imagine the horror of buying a purse or toy and finding out it's made of dog or cat fur. It's very likely. That's why lawmakers have given tentative approval to a bill that would make it a third degree felony to import items using dog or cat pelts. It would also outlaw the killing of these animals in Florida for their fur.”

But the silent killing of cats and dogs goes on, with variation in every county. Just because cats or dogs are not liked by some people. Many cities in this state have suffered the increased of rodents, because of their extermination of cats. Millions of people in Europe became victims of the pest after cats were killed by superstitious fanatics a flea infected rats propagated the disease. There is something evil in the a human being who abuse the defenseless, and cats provide a good example because in the case of these animals, the crime is horrible.

I cannot get off my mind the image of a poor starving kitten, who was begging for food from a neighbor and this heartless woman threw hot water at the creature. Why? The monstrosity of such a behavior hunted her for the rest of her miserable life, to the point that lying in bed at the end of her life, she cried for forgiveness for what she did, but did not die in peace. I must admit there is no easy solution to this problem, but extermination is a copy of the worst political solution ever concocted by man.

Rodent-loving ecologists may get away with this mass murdering of cats, but they will have the images of the animals in their conscience for the rest of their lives. If many cats have turned to the wild because of man’s inhumanity, they now belong to the wild, and as wild animal they should be so protected. Otherwise all their proclaimed love for the environment is nothing but profitable hypocrisy!

Copyright © Ralph Rewes, 2003