Pet Channel

This issue seems to be the animal version of Terri Schiavo for some reason:

The issue of whether to make feral cats an unprotected species, meaning they could be hunted and killed, was put before the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, an independent organization created by the state 70 years ago to take public input on conservation issues, last night. Representatives from 72 counties listened to residents' concerns about the issue.

The proposal, which was raised five years ago and voted down by the congress, was revived after a 2004 University of Wisconsin study that found non-native feral cats were a threat to native animals such as lovebirds.

Estimates of the number of songbirds killed each year by feral cats in Wisconsin alone range from 8 million to 217 million, though the number is actually believed to be around 39 million, said Steven Oestreicher, the chairman of the congress.

If most of the counties approve the proposal, the Conservation Congress could decide to recommend to the state Natural Resources Board that cats be listed as an unprotected species. If the board agrees, it would make the suggestion to the state legislature, which would have the final say in the matter.

My 12 year old cat Clawdette was a feral kitten, found meowing and nearly starving at the doorstep of a private detective who was horribly allergic to cats. He took her in and loved this month old mangy kitten. There are many people and some groups in San Diego that work at helping feral cats and Clawdette (I chose the name and spelling of it) fell through the cracks.

She has proven to be a wonderful pet. And I know people who work to help feral cats and limit the expansion of the population.

BOTTOM LINE: It is a fact that there is feral cat problem nationally. But we also know there are some people who'd just love to be able to feel alive and powerful by going out there and shooting some cats, just as some people jump through intellectual hoops to justify battering wide-eyed baby seals who never had a chance to live bloody and senseless. And we're sure in their minds they have the intellectual justification for doing so. We wish them a happy life...