Too many individuals lack the responsibility of caring for the feline population. If only two cats are left alone and uncontrolled while not being spayed or neutered, they produce a litter of kittens and if the cycle continues from there, the total amount of felines that could result is about 80 million cats over a 10-year period of time per the American Humane Association. Many of these cats end up out on the streets, feral; thus just increasing the problems. A good percentage of the balance of the cats will still end up homeless but at least they will be introduced to shelter and/or rescue life. If the shelters are not no-kill, their lives may have been for naught.
One method of making certain that the cat population does not explode is to support the Trap Neuter Return (TNR) program that has been developed to ensure cats are healthy and happy; a positive outcome. TNR is a safe and effective method of keeping cat populations to a safe minimum – without the threat of cats having to be euthanized.
In order to prove that these numbers are not just a hoax, a link exists to a story that broke out of Las Vegas within the past couple of days that back up the severity of this issue. The account states that 200,000 feral cats that are noted as living in Clark County in open areas and that the numbers are estimated to double by this spring. Those are scary figures indeed – especially since many residents consider the felines to be no less than a nuisance that spread disease and parasites to other animals living in and among the same areas.
One residential group, the Community Cat Coalition of Clark County (or C-5) is attempting to see to it that the feral felines receive some care and concern. Keith Williams meticulously organizes and analyzes data in order to keep tabs on the increasing number of the cats as he has done for the past three years. The group also uses a sort of TNR to help regulate the numbers of feral cats in their community. If they had not done something to prevent the overpopulation of the felines, they felines would simply kill themselves off because there would be no real good way for them to survive and thrive.
Although some do not believe that TNR is effective, this community can pretty much prove that it is. The Animal Foundation in the same area will second the notion.
TNR may not be the popular route to take to keep the feral cat population at bay, but it does certainly seem to be working in many areas of the U.S. If a better method is uncovered, cat lovers everywhere would most likely be game to try it, but right now this method seems to be achieving the desired result.
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