Truth or Consequences.

Truth is a terrible burden for society. Always needed in the present tense; truth often seems unsuitable to the actual problem. Most of us use denial to avoid the day to day problem of an unsuitable or inconvienent truth. We believe the consequencenses do not exist or can be avoided or ignored. Denial often substitutes an intentional type of  ignorance, prejudice, or hate in place of reason. The rational of science or fair play goes out the window when the emotions that accompany change rise to the public arena. Situational ethics generally apply in these cases. When this happens the very worst part of denial occurs. The part that does all the damage. Delay.
          When truth is ignored delay is the inevitable consequence. Delay, in the case of free roaming feral or domestic cats is causing an avian disaster. The effects will be so far reaching we may never know the full extent of the total damage until it is too late. Cats are reported by the American Bird Conservancy to be the main invasive species causing new avian extinctions and that of many other species. Google it. None of it is good. Consider the common Norway rat. We know there are more Norway rats than native rodents where cats are residing. Where there are no cats there are less imported rats and more indigenous mice. We know cats carry disease harmful to a fetus. It is one of the first things a doctor warns an expectant mother to be careful about. Cats leave diseases that can lie dormant and undetected for as long as 18 months. Right on your porch, in your flower bed, garden or where your children play. We know the bird/cat/man vortex may give us a virus that could decimate our population and ruin our economy. We know our taxes and insurance average forty percent of our house payment in Texas. We know our rights. We know we pay for these rights to hold private property, have sensible public health protection, safe public property & the protection of our natural resources. We know our elected officials answer to the voters and that many have free roaming cats or maintain feral cats. However, we also know we elected these people to answer hard unpopular questions in a well reasoned manner.
     Knowing these things we must address the problem of free roaming cats in a manner that will be comprehensive and conclusive. Policy from on high must accompany the law to accomplish the intended goals. To remove and restrict free roaming cats from public and private property where cats are not wanted or not allowed we must act boldly and decisively. We must break the long established paradigm of free roaming and discarded pets in Texas. We must change the way we own pets, breed pets, and sell pets. Licensed owners, registered pets, licensed breeders, licensed sellers and the regulation of all handlers of all wild or feral animals must come about to insure the desired results. The truth is always the fruits of policy. Our current law and policy is regrettable on many levels and unacceptable on most. The consequences of lost wildlife, endangered citizens, damaged personal property and discarded property rights are more than most can stand. The loss of public health if a serious virus is passed by the 200 million cats to the three hundred million citizens is unimaginable. The future damage is where the fat will be cut from the bone. Then the truth and consequences of our present response will show it self to be worthy or without merit.

Citizen Remedies for Free Roaming Cats.

Citizens frustrated by free roaming cats must challenge cat owners and elected officials. In order to change the paradigm of accepted free roaming cats we must change our laws and policy. It must start on a grass roots level. The number one way to stop a particular nuisance cat is to photograph it, trap it, photogragh again and turn over to the civil authorities. If they find the owner immedately file charges and a lawsuit in the best court you can. Filing on their insurance will often affect change in te behavior of insurance compnies and pet owners alike. Strong actions gets rid of one cat or one set of cats at a time. Texas must change her pet owning habits. This will have to be forced on most folks who own cats.  2 out 3 owners let their cats run loose full or part of the time. Ask for a policy statement concerning companion animals. The police or animal control officer (ACO) should know when they get a call if a there pet is registered. If the animal is not registered there's the 1st violation. If you have pictures of the cat trespassing there's the 2nd violation. Get a picture of the cats being fed on the offenders premises. Then it is their repsonsibility if they care for it. You can ask the city for a list of registered owners and file on anyone with unregsitered animals. If the city will not release this information file an F.O.I. If they still resist the Attny General will sue on your behalf. Once the city has to spend money on a lawyer they'll fold like a chair after church.  Check on unregistered pets owned by elected officials and key city, county, state or federal employees. Call them before you file or write the paper. Often you can get support if you don't file on the important offenders or write the paper exposing them. Then it's endorse or suffer remorse. If the city or county does not want to register pets you will face the challenge of informing and reforming. Texas law allows a petition to be presented and voted on in county elections to change the animal control laws. If a city is not enforcing animal control laws the county can enter the city to enforce the laws. Laws and policy are two different things. Affecting policy is hard to do. However, if enough voters petition the elected and come to council and commissioners court the elected officials will come around. Citizens must organize to be effective.

Evacuation and feral cats

Free roaming feral and domestic cats are generally not removed when it comes time to evacuate for a storm. My doctor's mom had over 70 cats when southern Brazoria county was deluged with 26 inches of rain in just over 24 hours in 1979. When Doc went out to get his mom there were cats in the trees, on the roofs of the house and sheds. Many were killed by the floating piles of fire ants and others drowned. Doc went to feed them at his Mom's request. He put feed out in trees and on the roof of the buildings on the property. The water stood for days and days. This illustrates the reason why free roaming cats should be eradicated by humane methods to relieve the suffering cats endure when living outdoors. Many owners and colony operators have the attitude that after all it is "just a cat". This disappears when someone brings up ideas of restricting free roaming cats. Perhaps the cat ranchers and owners of unrestricted outdoor cats will eventually come around to the idea that our companion animals should be euthanized rather than suffer the vagaries of outdoor life....especially when another hurricane Katrina comes our way again. .