Feral Cats Attacks Texas Man

I am surprised in a small way to see this happen. I have caught numerous 20+ pound feral cats. They look like they are on steroids. I have no doubt they could kill small livestock.  I thought it would be another ten years or so before we started hearing about super ferals attacking humans. Despite the nature of the encounter here we got it happening right here in Texas. If it had been a elderly person or a child the ending may have been muy Muerto. Here is a link to a channel two story depicting a man attacked by a feral cats. http://www.click2houston.com/video/27832112/index.html. I have been attacked walking my dog numerous times by cats both singularly or in groups. Generally this is a diversion to let a young or pregnant cat get away 1st. despite the fact there was no threat. My Airedale made short work of these encounters but she is getting old to be chasing cats. Cats live on a high social order and they will protect the group. If we ever figure what cats are truly good for and teach them to do it, we should have good workers. Cats having a simple genetic structure we could probably put them in much simpler job than dogs if we ever train them for workaday use. In the mean time I suggest we all call Rep. Dennis Bonnen and ask him how a state wide problem can only be addressed locally. He says he is not on "that committee" when asked about anything he does not want to talk about. He never wants to talk about birds. Rep. Dennis Bonnen ,when asked to commit to a stand on trap neuter and release or the widely accepted scientific approach of the American Bird Conservancy's Cats Indoors program, he can't make a decision. The  American Bird Conservancy's program to restrict free roaming cats is called Cat Indoors. This program is endorsed by Brazoria county's own Andrew Sansom, former director of Texas Parks and Wildlife and the rest of the avian scientific community.  Like Hightower says, even dead things can go with the flow. That is what Lake Jackson & Texas has been doing.....making do with an outdated and unfair law that allows cats to roam under an exemption to the law.  In the richest bird area in America Lake Jackson and Dennis Bonnen side with the cats.  

What Would Andy Do?

     Long ago a timeless classic was created called The Andy Griffith Show. Among the many memorable episodes in  the one titled "Opie the Birdman" Barney gives Opie a slingshot. Andy soon comes upon a bird Opie has killed. Andy wonders aloud in sad amazement that "the neighbor's cat has killed one of Aunt Bea's song birds". He tells himself he'll have to tell the neighbor to keep their cat indoors. Opie raises the nestlings & all is well in Mayberry. In wonderful Mayberry fledglings are hardy & no cats run loose. Even by the 60's, Sheldon Leonard and his writers knew cats were a likely suspect in any bird death. We all know that cats running loose equal dead birds. These days the millions of free roaming feral and domestic cats kill hundreds of millions birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and other species in the U.S. each and every day. As a nation our society must now take stock of the fact that cats are a huge menace to our environment. Habitat depletion is the #1 reason for all new extinctions and invasive species are #2. Cats are our number one invasive species in the Texas killing anything they can in our environment. It is estimated by the American Bird Conservancy (abcbirds.org) the U.S. may have as many as 200 million cats. If we do not have that many cats now, we soon will. ABC estimates 120 million cats are feral and the other 80 million are owned or semi-owned. Cats are simple animals with about half the chromosomes of dogs and a small frontal cortex. It is estimated about 60% of all companion pet owners have cats & 60% of those owners have multiple cats. Only one out of three owners keep their cat indoors. Sheriff Andy Taylor would be weep to see the state of our bird decline in America. Birders of America should band together to protect the 800 plus song bird species in decline. Birders need to write their elected officials and demand sweeping changes in our policies for avian protection. We must demand bird friendly laws be enacted and enforced. Policy should support the laws that require restrictions for free roaming cats, licensing for breeding and sales. Mandatory registration is a must. We hobble our officers in the field if we do ont have registration. A big percentage of animal nuisance calls lead to felonies. Seesm how aperosn treats hteir aniamsl is a direct indicator of how they treat other folks or behave in general. Our other companion animals will benefit and many species will be protected when we break the paradigm that allows free roaming cats as the rule rather than the exception in our society. So remember the words of our favorite sheriff. Keep your cat indoors and push the appropriate elected people to protect our birds. I bet that's what Andy would do.

Lake Jackson Subsidizes Cat Owners

After years of complaints by desperate neighbors the City of Lake Jackson has began to subsidize cat owners. In a recent move the city fathers removed 46 cats from a home. The home of an elderly couple and their grown son was damaged by the two dozen cats living inside the home and the other cats roaming outside the home. The house was deemed uninhabitable by the city and the couple was moved to a temporary residence at the expense of the city. The cats were taken to the local  SPCA who put down the sick cats & gave the other cats to folks who let them roam free by law.The inside cats were treated and wait to be returned to the owners so they can re-start the process of passing parasites and disease to the neighbors pets & children or damaging private property at will. Boat owners look out-your cover is in danger. Lake Jackson is home of numerous bird sanctuaries, wildlife refuges, the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, the Brazosport Birders and the Texas Sea Center. City officials have decided cat owners are a a lot scarier citizen than scientists or birders. The mayor recently said in council he has never seen a free roaming cats in his neighborhood full of high dollar homes on the lake lots wooded areas of Lake Jackson Farms.

Texas Bird Conservancy

Mission Statement: The Texas Bird Conservancy's Mission is to protect and serve avian interests in Texas. 

Our Goals:

1) Capture or eradicate all free roaming feral and domestic companion animals.

2) To serve the interests of avian conservation in the state of Texas by promoting bird friendly policies.
3) To provide an avenue to a Avian Sanctuary Designation for every bird friendly city and county in Texas.
4) To help develop Animal Control Auxiliaries in every city & county in Texas.

5) To promote a universal policy of open records for all pet registrations through out Texas.
6) To act as a voice for environmental law officers in Texas concerning feral and domestic pets.

7) To have feral cats put on the invasive species list.

8) To promote the scientific study of feral cats and their impact on our environment.
9) To support efforts to have civics as a required subject in Texas schools.
10) To work closely with trap neuter and release groups.
      

Programs:

1) Texas Bird Conservancy-Main body of members who compose the main support of our group.

2) Badges for Birds-An alliance of Animal Control Officers, Game Wardens & all other law
   enforcement  personnel interested in supporting bird friendly changes to our laws and policies.

3) Bikers for Birds-Bikers for birds brings together bikers who believe in property rights and want to
    protect our birds from free roaming cats.

4) Mothers for Change-Heart breaking stories from Mothers who have lost their unborn children or their
    childs health to diseases spread by free roaming cats. Stories will be sent to our lawmakers.
    the public, and to influential groups to save the unborn from free roaming cats.

6) Texas Bird Conservancy Sponsorship program for cities and counties in Texas. To serve notice to all
    entering a Conservancy's Sponsors area that the sponsor supports avian conservation.

7) Science for Avian Conservation-Avian professionals, avian experts and conservation groups who  
    support bird friendly law and policy.  

8) Texas Commerce for Avian Conservation-commercial awareness group for Texas  

     Bird  Conservancy. Birds mean big money in Texas.
9)  Texas Bird Conservancy civic recognition program for all local entities who support of the Texas     
     Bird Conservancy.
10) Texas Cat Alliance-network of bird conservationists and trap neuter and release groups who work
      together to protect birds and  cats.

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. .