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Apr. 25, 2005 Cats are the No. 1 favorite pet of Americans; there are millions of felines that are pampered, loved and well cared for by their owners. I love my playful little kitten; I would do anything in the world to make sure that Ebony is happy and in good health. Unfortunately, there are also millions of feral or wild cats that kill millions of birds and other small animals. These feral cats are at best a general nuisance, and at worst a serious threat to other wildlife. The question is how do we address this serious problem? How do we manage the feral cat population? Believe it or not, the answer in some states is: Kill them. South Dakota, Minnesota and Ohio allow the shooting of stray or feral cats. Recently, Wisconsin seriously contemplated legalizing cat hunting. If you live in one of these states, don't let Cottonball or Mr. Fuzzy leave your house without a collar or I. D tag. Any cat without a collar is considered a stray and therefore fair game. It must take a real man to don camouflage, grab an assault rifle and pump a few rounds into Fluffy. I guess I'm not a macho man, because the thought of hunting pussy cats makes me ill. It's the Neanderthal mentality that deals with a vexing problem in the most brutish and simple manner. Cats are killing the songbirds in your backyard? Kill the little monsters! What about grandpa who has a penchant for drooling all over your favorite easy chair? Why not just kill him also? It's the enlightened mind that takes time to study a problem and hopefully arrive at a sensible and humanitarian solution. Feral cats can be captured, spayed and neutered and then let out again. As a last resort they can be humanely euthanized, instead of leaving it to some yahoo to go cat hunting and possibly leave behind maimed and suffering cats. I urge my fellow cat lovers to act responsibly by spaying or neutering their beloved pets. I adopted Ebony from the Lynchburg Humane Society; there are many more wonderful and delightful pets waiting to be adopted by a loving family. ------------ About the author: Robert Paul Reyes is a columnist for the Lynchburg Ledger. Email: rreyes4966@aol.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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