DEAR DR. FOX: I am writing in response to your many articles about feral cats. Before resorting to the term “cat plague” (which is unsettling, coming from a veterinarian), we might look at our own species. For it is humans who are the source of this problem.
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Humans are the ones who carelessly throw their un-neutered, unwanted cats out into the woods or by the side of the road to fend for themselves -- just because they have grown out of the cute kitten phase, they cannot be made to obey like a dog or they have scratched the furniture a little.
These beautiful, intelligent creatures are then left to their own devices to survive -- and yes, that does include relying on their admirable hunting skills. Humans also hunt (even for sport, when they do not need to), and compared to cats, are a much greater threat to wildlife with their encroachment on the animals’ natural habitats.
So shame on us. Put the blame where it belongs. Instead of a "cat plague," how about we call it a “stupid-people plague”? -- S.H., Neptune City, New Jersey
DEAR S.H.: I agree with you about putting blame and responsibility on all of us humans for the plight of animals, wild and domesticated, and the deterioration of our planetary ecosystems. But free-roaming, multiplying cats are a plague on wildlife -- a term used by ecologists and conservationists -- in many parts of the world, as well as a public health hazard. Domestic cats are an invasive species -- rarely a benefit.
Blame and shame go nowhere without education and regulation. Local ordinances should prohibit people from allowing any animal off their property, and every municipal or county board of animal welfare should include at least one veterinarian. People who let their un-neutered cats roam free, or abandon them entirely, should be prosecuted.
But this is a rocky road when local animal shelters release hundreds of cats (considered "unadoptable") annually, leaving them to fend for themselves after being neutered and given an anti-rabies shot. Ethical inconsistency and inhumanity go hand in hand.
I am not alone in seeing the human population, from an ecological and planetary perspective, as a far more serious threat than domesticated cats (and some dogs) that have gone back to the wild. Humans are an infestation indeed, along with all the farmed animals raised for our consumption.
Better planetary stewardship for the good of all life calls for greater personal responsibility. Your “stupid-people plague” statement goes way beyond this cat issue. I have spent my professional life trying to address the evident disconnection of empathy and respect for other animals and nature, which I have witnessed since my childhood.
Such disconnection is evident in the failure of communities and governments around the world to improve human health and well-being and to conserve, protect and restore biodiversity. This is vital for the physical and spiritual health of most people. But such regional, political and cultural concerns of allied conservation is anathema to many countries.
While working with my wife, Deanna Krantz, in India, we saw the impoverished ecosystems of dystopian slums where cats leapt over people sleeping on the sidewalks at 2 a.m. to catch and eat rats. During the day, starving dogs, pigs, goats, cows (including calves) and chickens foraged in garbage piles for any kind of nourishment, many dying from the plastics they consumed. For more details, see my book “Animals and Nature First.”
The tragic suffering of these times is a call to accountability and responsibility for the fate of the Earth. We can choose to become either the worst of all plagues, or worthy stewards of the planet!
(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.
Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)