Feral Cats Put To Sleep at Animal Shelter

Not long ago my kids took me to see Maui. I think I was more interested in the animals and forest than anything else. We actually found a zoo there run by 2 Americans who took in all sorts of injured or homeless animals and birds. They had about 1,000 cats living there, right in among the goats, horses, dogs, exotic birds. It was truly amazing to see this place thriving from volunteer funds and perhaps, government grants of small measure. It was non-profit organization.

We have a great photo of one of an owl family which they will be released as soon as their injuries heal up, or the babies grow some.

Also I have a photo of a park like location near the ocean in Maui whereby you can observe from a pull off an entire hill side of feral cats amongst the equally feral chickens. Each cat, there must have been several hundred, had a chicken which the cat followed the chicken around like they belonged together. It was weird to see this. What I deduced was, the chicken would lay eggs and that cat would then eat a few of the eggs, At any rate, cats and chickens seemed to live well side by side. As well, there was a trash can where tourists put their left over food, and the cats were diving into the barrel I noticed.

They were thin, granted, but alive. Here in Arizona, Tri-Cities area, where 3 borders are close together we have a feral cat problem. There are no wild chickens to help out the cats. They cannot catch pigeons that easy.

I have a cat colony of 10 coming to my door for grub. If I leave the door open, they walk right in like the own the joint! Also had a pigeon walk right into my house and leave a dropping.

Too bad there wasn't a cat around then! The very nerve. I liked the pigeons at first, just until they began screeching their toenails across my tin roof; a sound not unlike the scraping of a nail across a chalkboard. I can't figure out if their trying to do like an ice skating thing and sliding off the sloped roof. Whatever. They won't come now that there's 10 cats here setting up housekeeping.

I feed them rice mixed with kibbles. The rice is cheaper than the kibbles and they eat a lot. I ran out of kibbles once and just set a bowl of rice down for them. They dove into it like it was fillet Mignon. Go figure. I don't have an income. I live on less than $500 a month.

My mobile home is slowly falling apart, still I won't fix it up, I need the money for the cats safety and food. I cannot afford to have them all fixed and so there will probably be another litter or two to deal with next year. I cannot take them to animal control. They told me they would just kill them as there's no facilities for their care there and few get adopted. Every year 1,000's of cats are killed in every state which does not have the program of TNR in place; trap, neuter, release.

Twenty Eight states do have this program for feral. Not Arizona. Yet. I'm on a mission for my particular colony of 10. I made a petition just today and I'm hoping I will be able to spark some government officials interest in my mission, thereby receive funds to fix these guys. I have others in this town who have cats living under their homes. It's not that my problem is an isolated one.

I have spoken with animal control. Their answer was I can get only 2 of the cats fixed for free. If I claim to own the 10, I am considered not legal and there is no feral cat program other than bringing them in to be killed.

I was told not to feed and water them and place mothballs under the home. It's too late to do anything like that. They know me now, I know them, we're like friends. We're in this together.

A cat does mostly 3 things: eat, sleep and play. They sleep a great deal. They are a joy to watch play. I don't understand why anyone would consider them a nuisance.

Please sign my petition. I'm hoping to save some lives. The NLR program has reduced the feral cat population by as much as 77% in some parts of the United States, and it has been ascertained it is costing the taxpayers more money to kill the cats, than it is to fix them and let them live out their lives, either on their own, or into a caretakers habitat.

It is not humane to kill something that is already alive. Prevention is the only course to take. Mother nature will bless your helpful response. I will see to it personally! God bless the beasts and the children, those who cannot speak for themselves.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Save-6-Toes

<url>http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Save-6-Toes</url>