Roddy Stinson's column today (4 Dec 2007) discussed a resident's dissatisfaction with feral cats in his yard in the Canyon Rim neighborhood in Stone Oak. The column warrants a response to clarify some things and provide some additional information about feral cats in San Antonio. You can read Stinson's column online at http://tinyurl.com/2mcxuj.
The homeowner's displeasure about the cats in his yard is understandable. Nobody wants cats around their house that are marking their territory, making a mess of flower beds, yowling and squalling, and generally causing a nuisance. But this is a reality in just about every neighborhood, at many businesses, apartment complexes, college campuses, trailer parks, hospitals, etc., in not only San Antonio, but in every other city and location where people live across the country. Heck, it's a world-wide problem (and so documented for years). Nobody knows just how many feral cats there are in the U.S. I've seen figures that estimate anywhere between 70 million and 100 million feral cats in the U.S. In San Antonio alone, there are an estimated 200,000 plus feral cats (based on the number of households in the city as of 2004). My guess, because of the city's history of animal issues, is that the figure is probably closer to a quarter of a million free-roaming / feral cats in San Antonio. So, yeah, it's a huge problem.
Recognizing this problem (because I experienced it first-hand like the homeowner who is the subject of Stinson's column today), I decided to do something about it and co-founded the San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition (SAFCC) back in 2004. You can read more about SAFCC at their web site at http://www.sanantonioferalcats.org.
So, Mr. Homeowner in Canyon Rim, you're not alone. The first thing you need to realize is that the situation you are faced with is much the same as others face all across our community. In other words, it's a community problem now and we need people in the community to step up and help solve it. Don't expect city government to fix it alone. Government's traditional approaches (catch the cats and kill them at the pound or just ignore the problem) haven't solved the problem with free-roaming cats in the city in the past. In fact, the problem has gotten much worse over decades of failing to deal with it in an effective fashion. Your frustration is understandable, but you need to direct your ire at irresponsible people in OUR community who let their pet cats roam outside without having been first neutered or spayed. Also, be irritated at the people who move away and abandon intact cats or those who dump unsterilized cats on the steps of homes where people live who are known to care for (i.e., feed) the cats. THAT's how the problem started and continues today.
So, how do we deal with the problem? The most effective, and humane, method is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). For more information as to why this is the best way to confront the issue of feral cats, go to the source: Alley Cat Allies (http://www.alleycat.org).
I want to move along and address some things in Stinson's column that need clarification or amplification.
First, the reason the cats in the homeowner's yard are making noises (fighting, yowling, etc.) is mainly because they are not neutered. Spaying or neutering the cats will cut down or eliminate this nuisance.
I'm not sure which nonprofit group that 311 told the homeowner about that rents traps, but my guess is that the unnamed group was SAFCC. It's true they rent traps and they also sell the traps (for about $50 each, not $70 to $100 each). It's worth noting that most public animal shelters will also rent humane traps (I know the Humane Society/SPCA of Bexar County and the Animal Defense League do) and some veterinary clinics will loan out traps.
Regarding the cost quoted by unnamed nonprofit animal welfare group for neutering the cats, I'm not sure where the $40 figure originated. The SAFCC spays and neuters feral cats through the Gladys Harborth Animal Resource Center (on South Laredo Street) for just $10 per cat. The spay/neuter is actually free, the $10 is for the rabies shot (a feline distemper and ivermectin shot are also included at no charge).
Concerning the city ordinance about returning cats to a homeowner's property after being neutered and vaccinated, the CURRENT city ordinance does not advocate this. But the NEW city ordinance, currently in committee and being considered by the city council, does delineate Trap-Neuter-Return as the way to effectively deal with feral cats in "managed" colonies. It's also worth noting that implementing TNR will save the city taxpayers a good deal of money over having to house feral cats at the city pound for the required holding period and then euthanizing them.
Now, with the homeowner in Canyon Rim "dealing with the problem on his own," I hope that his way of dealing with it is a humane one where the cats won't be injured or abused. It's worth reminding him that a new state law that went into effect in September of this year makes it a felony to kill or abuse the cats in a cruel fashion (poisoning, shooting, etc.).
So, what can we do to help this individual? There are several things to try:
1. He can attend one of the monthly Feral Cat Workshops put on by SAFCC where he can learn to "deal with the problem" in a humane and more effective fashion.
2. He can call the SAFCC Help Line at 210-877-9067 and ask to speak to someone about his problem. If he doesn't get satisfaction from that, he should ask for one of SAFCC's board members to call him.
3. He should visit the Alley Cat Allies web site and search through the Resources section for ways to humanely keep cats out of his yard.
4. He could seek help from some of his neighbors who might want to step in and help. If he can find someone willing to take on the TNR effort in his neighborhood, it might be possible to gradually move the cat colony to another place where a neighbor could feed and manage the cat colony (after they're all "fixed").
5. And if all else fails, he can call me at 210-490-2415 and I will be happy to meet with him and see what can be done to help his situation. I would also be happy to come to a meeting of his neighborhood homeowners association and present some options for getting the problem under control in the Canyon Rim neighborhood.
