Trap-Neuter-Release?

The Denver Post had a column on this new policy to reduce feral cat populations. Do you like the idea? Personally I would rather the cats have a free, shorter time on Earth than spend the rest of their life in a cage. PETA opposes this. I think, mainly because feral cats kill birds and other small animals.

http://www.denverpost.com/Opinion/ci_25 ... ay-to-deal

I am split on this issue....and it's basically a NO WIN situation...unless you have a barn, acreage
and keep feral cats to reduce the mice population (a BASIC ranch need)....the prospect of
caging the animal until it finds a suitable home is QUESTIONABLE as best.

I speak from experience on this.....I have adopted a semi-feral cat from IMHS ( it was NOT
disclosed up front)...we have had "Stella the Stealth cat" for almost 5 mo....she has come
a VERY long way (from when we got her)_ BUT, ONE FOOT of distance is her comfort zone,
we can NOT touch her, pet her, hug her, REASSURE her in any PHYSICAL WAY, but allow her
time, space, patience and love...HOPING SHE WILL COME AROUND and allow us to touch her.

Thanks for adopting Stella. I have seen both cats and dogs go through mental hell at even nice shelters, too loud and too stressful.
I know the life of an outdoor cat can be brutish and short, but I have also owned outdoor only cats who have lived 10 and 15 years.

I believe in neutering feral animals so they don't breed. Trying to "tame" a feral animal and turn it into a pet usually doesn't work, unless the animal gets used to humans as a young age.

If the cat has been feral its whole life, then putting it in a shelter is cruel.

Uncontrolled cats should be killed whenever captured. They decimate birds, chipmunks, and small animals. They cannot be stopped from this behavior except by keeping them inside the house or by killing them.

Arlen, you're a compassionate barrel of laughs.

As compassionate as a cat.

Arlen wrote: Uncontrolled cats should be killed whenever captured. They decimate birds, chipmunks, and small animals. They cannot be stopped from this behavior except by keeping them inside the house or by killing them.

Not exactly. I had a Siamese who never understood the whole prey/predator thing. A couple times when he was lounging around chipmunks would run over his back escaping the dogs. Didn't even look up.

So-o-o, here's the rest of the story....NEAR as I can tell, because I did a background search on
"Stella" (not her name given from the shelter).....at one point in time Stella, may or may not
have been in a "home" (if so it was at a very early age,since she was approx 2 years old when
we got her).....something happened, she was abandoned,escaped and was on her own outside
in Steamboat...my understanding is she was caught, spayed and released...then at some point
n time she wandered into an office building in Steamboat and animal control was called to catch
her. She ended up in the Steamboat animal shelter and was there for several months, then IMHS
transfered in and she stayed there for more than 6 months....THEN,we saw her picture advertised
and was told she was "shy and reserved" and needed someone with patience, that it might take
several WEEKS before she would come to us......as we were getting ready to take her home,
someone remarked that she had a NOTCHED EAR and that was indicative of a stray that had
been caught,spayed and released.......after we got home with her, I called to get MORE INFO
from IMHS and was told about the transfer from Steamboat.

I then called Steamboat and talked with a REALLY NICE person who remembered this animal
and she gave me the REST OF THE STORY......