For months I have read the discussions regarding TNR (trap-neuter-release) and I think it is time to interject a little logic into the discussion. I have been involved with TNR for over 10 years and have personally watched colonies shrink as the cats were no longer creating future generations. I have read the reasons why people are opposed to TNR and I would like to take the time to point out a few facts.

First, if a cat is neutered they cannot reproduce. Any cat that cannot reproduce will lead to fewer kittens. That being said, I have come to notice that some TNR opponents are animal control officers in areas that adopt out unaltered cats, often with almost no screening process. While some of them have no problem killing feral cats, they also do nothing to prevent more from being born. Clearly something has to be done about overpopulation, but this endless cycle of death is not working as we still face the same problems. Another statement by TNR opponents is that they have seen TNR not work in specific cases. TNR requires work and sometimes, hard decisions. It is not a "feel good" fix. Like anything else TNR only works if someone actually neuters the colony. Sighting certain colonies where the effort was not put in proves nothing.

One issue sighted is that the cats die awful deaths. I am curious what kind of death opponents consider fun. Even if we knew today that our inevitable death would be horrible, I would argue most would not choose death by lethal injection today.

Another argument surrounds rabies. Cats carry disease, as does every species. It is true there are germs out to get us everywhere. So the answer should be "kill the cats?" Why not kill everything that carries disease? Feral cats are afraid of people and if given the choice will flee before fight. The cases of human rabies contracted by feral cats in the most recent 10-year period I could find is zero. The most common animals to transmit rabies to humans are bats. If we exterminate them we will help control rabies and see a drastic increase in diseases such West Nile virus. The same can be said of cats who help control rodent populations that also carry rabies, the black plague and other diseases.

Lastly is the issue of cats killing other animals. There are studies that show that feral cats eat mostly trash and carrion. Cats are opportunistic and will eat your garbage before they hunt. It is also true that the majority of hunting attempts by predators fail. I find it odd that while opponents want to feel good about saving birds, they have no issue with slaughtering cats. This is all being argued in most cases by people driving gas-guzzling cars while eating a hamburger and not recycling. Beyond that, even if cats rather than human actions were causing the decline of some bird species, for anyone who has taken biology it is clear that extinction is a natural part of the evolutionary process. It is why you were not eaten by a dinosaur on the way to work this morning.

I agree with my opponent that we are becoming a feel-good society; however, I also think they are equally as guilty of not accepting the laws of nature and using logic to solve the problem at hand. We need to recognize that decades of trap and kill has not worked and it is time to consider something that can.
Kathryn Gabrielescu
Whiskers Rescue Inc.
Sayreville