Dealing with Stray Cats: Legal and Ethical Considerations

[Ivan Seeking]

Anyone have a problem with this? Evo, did you say something once about strays showing up at your house? [I mean cats, not men ]

We have lost kitties showing up at a rate of 5/yr since the last of our dogs went to that great fire hydrant in the sky. So, since we needed a couple of new kitties, we have kept two, found the home for one, fed and watered one ferrel cat until it apparently got sick and died. Today I had to take number 5 to the pound. I felt bad since its fate is very uncertain but we simply cant' absorb any more animals. But...get this!

I realized why we get so many cats. People dump them in the hills and ours is about the first stop along the creek bed before you hit civiliation. What I didn't know is this: In Oregon, if you abandon an animal, you go to jail. So, these guys land on our property and terrorize our cats, and greatly upset the peace - this one was even getting into the house and spraying in the bedroom! - so if we can't take them in as pets, something has to be done. I can either shoot them, which is completely legal but obviously unacceptable to me, esp since these may be lost pets, or I can trap them, drive 30 miles to the nearest shelter, and pay thirty five dollars to lock them in a cage on death row. If I capture and release them somewhere way back up in the hills where they might have a fighting chance, I could go to jail.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Ivan, why is there a $35 charge to take them to the pound? I am aware of the no-kill shelters in L.A. charging pretty hefty fees to take in a critter since they are privately funded, but I thought the state paid the costs for animals that are taken to a state controlled shelter.
Hearing about the cats getting dumped breaks my heart, by the way. So sad how people can be so heartless and irresponsible.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The no kill shelters gave up on cats. The local one turned away 300+ last month alone. Pay the humane society $35, keep the cat, or kill the cat, those were my options. I don't really mind the $35 but the odds are not favorable for poor kitty. Of course, except for truly ferrel cats, I always worry that this is a lost, beloved pet.

 

[Moonbear]

It might have been me mentioning the huge number of stray cats around. Well, I don't know if they are stray or just allowed to roam everywhere, but the number hanging out around my house during the day seems to be increasing. And of course the reason here is obvious too from the loud one in heat in the middle of the morning a few weeks ago. Why is the concept of spaying and neutering cats so hard to comprehend to some people?

Though, Ivan, from that post you put up in the bio section on the bird flu, I'm rethinking allowing these cats to hang out near me. Not like they're friendly or anything, and they aren't doing a very good job of keeping the squirrels out of the garden, then again, I don't think there are many chickens around here for them to kill.

 

[Evo]

Yes, I get a ton of abandoned cats and occaisionally dogs here. There are farms, wooded areas and ponds around where I live so people assume there will be water and food for the animal.

Unfortunately a house cat isn't always able to find the water soon enough or develop enough skill to do more than barely survive. I often find them sick and skeletal, and spend a fortune at the vet getting them healthy and spayed/neutered.

I have found homes for some and once when there were three pregnant strays that each had 6 kittens, some went to the animal shelter, which broke my heart.

Here the animal shelter takes animals for free and of course welcome donations. Charging to take in an animal just encourages people to abandon their pets.

Ivan, you and TSU are good people.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Do any states have laws against abandoning animals?

 

[Moonbear]

One of the states I lived in had such a law, mostly related to abandoning them on the roadside, but now I can't recall which one. I agree, if you have to pay to leave an animal at the shelter, it does encourage people to choose abandonment.

 

[PrettyPieces]

I have heard that there is an agency, group, ... that spays/neuters ferrel cats in Oregon. Does anyone know of such a place? I have now 11 cats; 7 are ferrel. I don't mind keeping them, but I can't afford to spay/neuter 7 cats.

 

[Pengwuino]

I think you can't abandon pets on the road in CA, not at all sure though.

Why don't you try to sell them off :D I'm sure there's a lot of kids that would like a kitty

 

[JamesU]

there's a stray outside my house, we feed it and it likes to taunt my dog

 

[SOS2008]

I have a client who is an animal activist and helps with abandoned animals all the time. If she can't get them adopted by the time they are old enough to be spayed/neutered, than she spends the money for this as well as their shots. It really helps to get the animals placed. She told me there are some vet clinics that will spay/neuter at no charge for people willing to adopt. Also, pet stores (here we have PetCo and PetSmart) will allow you to bring animals in for display on the weekend to help with adoption.

In the long run, can you post signs saying people will be fined for abandoning animals? At least it would make them realize it is a crime--and maybe include a number for the humane center nearest you. Geez!

 

[Evo]

I have heard that there is an agency, group, ... that spays/neuters ferrel cats in Oregon. Does anyone know of such a place? I have now 11 cats; 7 are ferrel. I don't mind keeping them, but I can't afford to spay/neuter 7 cats.

Contact the SPCA in your area. Here the SPCA charges $15 to neuter and $35 to spay, and that includes all vaccines. I've probably taken 20 into get fixed that I caught. I bring them back and turn them loose. A lot of them live on the farms around my house and stop by my place occasionally for food.

 

[Astronuc]

Try this place - http://shelters.theanimalnet.com/Oregonpets.htm

I agree with Evo, try the local SPCA, or try the above link.

All of our pets, except one cat (we got from a shelter) and one dog (belonged to mother-in-law), have been strays. We take them in, clean them, take them to the vet for check up and shots, and then usually keep them if we don't find the owners. If we keep them, we have them neutered.

We have successfully found owners or homes in a few cases (back in Texas).

I suppose now we had lots of cats and dogs, we'd take them to the SPCA to get treatment.

 

[matthyaouw]

I don't know why people abandon pets. It's so sad. My brother adopted a cat that was found in a plastic bin bag in a park. The poor thing was barely old enough to leave its mother. It's in good hands now though :)