Cats going back to the wild after snip by NGO
(CNS): Alley Cat Allies, the international charity that founded Global Cat Day, marked on 16 October spent the day in Grand Cayman providing spay and neuter surgery for up to 100 cats and distributing hundreds of pounds of cat food to help local caregivers in a counter campaign to government’s control programme. But officials with the charity told CNS that after the cats get the snip they will be returned to “where they were found” – possibly breaching the law.
The charity was invited to Cayman to work with the Humane Society who asked owners to bring in their cats to be sterilized free of charge. But the vets are also working on cats that have been found and trapped. Alley Cat Allies confirmed that after the surgery these cats will be taken back to where they were found including by members of the public in yards and gardens but also in some cases back to the bush.
The DoE commended the effort of the charity to provide the spay and neuter services to pet owners an important tool in controlling roaming cat populations “which continue to decimate native species locally and worldwide but officials noted releasing them into the wild was a violation of the law,” the DoE told CNS.
“The public are reminded to ensure their pet cats are not allowed to roam freely into the wild where they will hunt our precious native birds, butterflies and lizards,” a DoE spokesperson said. “Releasing unowned cats to roam freely into the wild is a violation of Section 35(3) of the National Conservation Act and punishable by law. The DoE continues to support responsible pet ownership with healthy diet, regular veterinary visits and ensuring pet cats are safe by keeping them contained or indoors at all times while engaged in a regular schedule of playful activity.”
However, local charities have been at odds with the DoE over how to best control the problematic ferral cat population. And Alley Cay Allies said the government’s “devastating policy to round up and kill cats” will not address the threats to Cayman’s indigenous species.
The government-mandated cat culls have been very limited and none have been undertaken on Grand Cayman.
Government has come under attack from the Humane Society and other feline charities after it introduced regulations that call for hefty fines for the worst offenders when it comes to releasing what are considered alien species into Cayman’s delicate natural environment.
The charities have also done all they could to try to stop what many believe is an unnecessary cull which has been limited to certain areas on the Sister Islands where feral cats pose danger to certain species.
A spokesperson for Alley Cat Allies said that they believe culling doesn’t help even critically endangered species. In a press release about their visit and partnership with the Humane Society the charity said that killing cats is a failed policy that has never proven to be successful.
“While removal may briefly reduce the number of cats, it never lasts,” they said. “Other cats will be attracted to resources such as food and shelter and move in to fill the space, quickly bringing population levels back up. This phenomenon is known as the Vacuum Effect, and it is well established in research.”
Alley Cat Allies said they advocate for more people to understand that killing is not the same as conservation, and killing one species in favor of another is morally indefensible.
“Leading biologists, climate scientists and environmental watchdogs agree that climate change, habitat destruction and development are the leading causes of species loss. Attempting to pin the blame on cats conveniently ignores the reality that solutions to species loss rest squarely in our hands,” they added.
However, the number of iguana hatchlings and baby birds being killed by the large ferral cat population on the Sister Islands had brought some iconic species to the edge of extinction. Roaming and feral cats on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have been killing rare and endangered species at an unsustainable level. But anecdotal evidence has suggested that the limited cull on the Brac and Little Cayman has already had a positive impact on the hatchling numbers of rock iguanas this year
Cabinet has now approved the creation of a cat pound at the Department of Agriculture facilities on both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac as neither the DoE or the DoA has the time resources or cash to instigate a proper cull. Cats trapped by members of the public and brought to the pounds will be kept for a period of time to give owners a chance to claim them but if not they will be euthanized.
Fred Burton, manager of the Department of Environment’s Terrestrial Resources Unit, raised the issue at the last National Conservation council when he explained that new procedures for the control of stray and feral cats by the public had been drawn up in response to requests from the public, animal charities and vets about how the Alien Species Regulations impacted cats and to prevent people killing cats inhumanely.
As a result the only acceptable method of ridding an area of stray or feral cats by the public now is by trapping them in cages and taking them to the Department of Agriculture pound where the animals will be fed, watered and taken care of until they are returned to owners, adopted or put to death.
Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
Very beautiful yet often misunderstood, prejudged and unjustly despised animals, cats are. Yet, one can credit human apathy, and even anti-cat hostility, for stray/feral cat suffering, including starvation.
I grew up around feral cats — a large number of which were tabby — and developed a life-long appreciation and affection for cats. I’ve also found that, along with individual people, society collectively can also be quite cruel towards cats, especially the ‘unwanted’, if not despised, felines.
For example, it was reported a few years ago that neighboring Surrey (B.C.) had an estimated 36,000 feral cats, very many of which suffer severe malnourishment, debilitating injury and/or infection. And I was informed a couple years ago by Surrey Community Cat Foundation that, if anything, their “numbers would have increased, not decreased, in the last 5 years.”
Yet the municipal government, as well as aware yet uncaring residents, did little or nothing to help with the local non-profit trap/neuter/release program, regardless of its (and others’) documented success in reducing the needlessly great suffering. ….
That TNR program is the only charity to which I’ve ever donated, in no small part because of the plentiful human callousness towards the plight of those cats and the countless others elsewhere.
Also, 59 cats and kittens were rescued from a feces-filled Surrey home not that long ago. While the Peace Arch News, to their humane credit, rightfully deemed this worthy of frontpage space, Surrey’s Now-Leader newspaper didn’t give these afflicted animals any newsprint. Were these felines and their suffering worth so little?
I now realize that only when their overpopulations are greatly reduced in number by responsible owners consistently spaying/neutering their felines, might these beautiful animals’ presence be truly appreciated — especially for the symbiotic-like healthy relationships they offer their loving owners — rather than taken for granted or even resented.
Apparently, there is a subconscious yet tragic human-nature propensity to perceive the value of animal life (sometimes even human life in regularly war-torn or overpopulated famine-stricken global regions) in relation to the conditions enjoyed or suffered by that life. With the mindset of feline disposability, it might be: ‘Oh, there’s a lot more whence they came’.
https://theconversation.com/dont-blame-cats-for-destroying-wildlife-shaky-logic-is-leading-to-moral-panic-138710
There are a lot of cats around my area and ever once have I seen them with a lizard in their mouth.
There are so many veterinary clinics on this island,why don’t each one of them do a free spay and neuter day or half day per year? That would help to control the pet population. They can give back some free time. Veterinary care is not cheap on island – some places in the world offer pet insurance – pet owners don’t have that option of getting pet insurance on this island.
Also, with all of this construction and bulldozing down trees – the birds will soon have no where to sleep.
Yes, and lawyers should give free legal advice, and mechanics free tuneups! Come on.
Free vasectomy clinic while we’re at it.
Too many stupid old rich ladies in the Cayman Islands. Kill the feral cats.
As is often the case, the hateful echo chamber emerges on CNS to advocate for the eradication of all cats and the enforcement of keeping pets indoors. Let me make something clear: the true Caymanians regard those who support criminalizing individuals for feeding a cat as a heartless group. Rest assured, we wouldn’t mind if everyone involved, whether they are Caymanian or expatriate, were immediately deported from this island. We are determined to see the senseless law introduced by NCC and DOE overturned. Let the cats roam free!
80% of people should not own any animals. They treat them poorly, abuse them, dogs takes ties up to a tree with no shade, no companionship….there should be a test before someone is allowed to have an animal.
Caymanians have a HORRIBLE track records of abuse towards animals. There should be a rigorous process on people owning animals until the stray problem is resolved.
Even full-time RCIPS officers can’t muster the responsibility to properly steward and home their highly-trained animal partners.
I don’t know a single cat owner that doesn’t put their cat out, often for the night.
I have 2 cats – they have never been out further than our screened in porch.
Not long ago, cats left out by newcomers had a short lifespan. They would almost certainly be shredded by Cayman’s packs of wild dogs, owls, rats, chickens, devoured by ants, and/or pancaked on the highway. Being lucky recently, because of effective DOA dog control measures, doesn’t convert into an invitation to abandon a different house pet outside. Multiple agencies are cautioning the public not to do that!
I know one who doesn’t. Kudos to the person!
We’ve had several cats over the years, and none of them are allowed to go outside for a variety of published reasons. We take extra care when opening doors to make sure the cat stays inside. Caring about the health and welfare of the loved animal being high on the list. Some folks can’t read, won’t listen, or don’t care. A show of their hands doesn’t validate an incorrect position.
So the only legal way to deal with a feral cat is to kill it? And you think everyone should pitch in? Good luck with that. Just another poorly thought out law.
We can kill it, put it in a zoo, or you can take it home (and not let it out).
It blows my mind that people would rather protect an invasive species over conserving the natural indigenous animals. I really don’t understand the logic.
Kill all the damn cats!!
The cat is not responsible for killing protected species in Cayman – that is what cats do – they are predators – it is the owner who should be held accountable and prosecuted for their negligence and stupidity in letting them roam.
It seems like it is mostly feral cats killing the birds – these are not owned by anyone sadly.
I guess feral cats are native to CI. The definition of feral means the animal or its ancestor was property of a homo sapien at one point of time.
There are collared cats at our complex that torture animals for sport and leave their gruesome prizes all over the common area. We should cancel the PR of their owners if they hold such contempt for our laws, protected species, and multi-agency efforts to keep all pets inside. If newcomers don’t like the laws on the books, the community guidance, or the reasons for them, then clearly Cayman is not going to be a good long term fit. Adios.
At our complex it is the Caymanian owner’s cats who roam free. Everybody else has them indoors.
A feral cat if fed with cat food by a human, will not hunt animals for food. Cats are innately lazy creatures and will go to the easiest source of food. The best thing we can do is feed feral cats, then trap and neuter them.
This is not as clear cut as you make it out. Feral cats (and domestic cats) often kill other animals whether or not they’re sated from the kibble you may leave out for them.
https://www.earth.com/news/domestic-cats-go-hunting-out-of-instinct-rather-than-hunger/
trap, neuter – and not release them.
There, fixed your sentence.
Also, please tell my housecat to leave the lizards that get in alone as he’s got food in his bowl. He doesn’t listen to me.
There is no point in neutering unclaimed feral animals…once caught, they should be assigned their number on death row awaiting either a miraculous last minute adoption, or their final appointment. Adoptee can make the booking and pay for neutering. Cayman can’t continue to daydream, self-righteously warehousing endless unclaimed animals in the pound for years. There is no reserve capacity in these small islands for this level of neglect. Every animal born into care should be chipped and registered with DOA. Practising licensed vets should be regulated to ensure this animal registration policy, without exception. Offending loose chipped animals should carry a heavy conservation-level penalty for the assigned owner. Suddenly, there are no loose cats anymore.
Whoever signed off on this at the Humane Society should be ejected from the leadership team. Working counter to the CI Animals Law, Conservation Law, and DOE should be prosecuted.
Yes! Why are we not informed who it was?
The current Board of Directors consists of pro-bono volunteers David Lewis-Hall (President); Cassandra McAfee (Treasurer); Eric Hoskins; Julie Cumber; Lisa Volekaert; Saskia Salden; Zoe Rigney (Secretary).
a step in the wrong direction….again and again. who is in charge really is what I ask?
blatant destruction of natural habitat even for low income housing, unnecessary docks in north side to keep people elected.
infrastructure that can’t manage 10 years ago and now 85000 people and one third caymanians.
sickening really. what about the future. what about the children. does anyone really care anymore.
so tired…and no where to go. even in my own country.
Exactly, cull the cats. Give people more attention. End of story.
Can’t understand why a charity would be asked to come here and do work that would ultimately undermine OUR environment and OUR endemic species. Has the owner or chair of this charity been sanctioned? Arrested? Because if yes, then maybe they would stay their butt where they come from. Cull the cats . Simple! Cats are not an important as humans.
To 18/10 @ 7:21 am
Do cats eat humans? Why do their lives value less than the birds or iguanas? At least the cats keep decreasing the rat population.
You are funny.
The nonsense spouted by ‘Allie Cat Allies’ aka ‘enemies of indigenous species’, that cat populations cannot be controlled on an island is ridiculous. Even very large island archipelagos such as Svalbard in Norway have eliminated cats and stopped the decimation of local wildlife.
Dear CNS, please investigate if DOA has traps that are available, so we can begin humanely catching these roaming cats and the process for dropping them off at the pound? It is so sad watching the roaming cats kill our local birds and lizards and it happens everyday where I live. It appears that most of the cats are not feral – they just belong to really irresponsible and selfish people who don’t care about our native wildlife. Maybe if their cat ends up in a trap and then is taken to pound then people will start to take this issue seriously. Right now it seems like there are a lot of cat owners who really don’t care. I think their attitude is disgusting. It is depressing and frustrating.
https://youtu.be/lDFitx45rsE?si=NNj5tVkQswBnDZYx
Alley Cat Allies? As in, the cat people so crazy that even PETA think they’ve gone too far? Oh dear…
https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/trap-neuter-return-monitor-programs-feral-cats-right/#:~:text=Some%20groups%20and%20individuals%20advocate,being%20admitted%20to%20animal%20shelters.
Exactly. Why don’t they come get the cats and take them home with them?
You know if PETA is against Trap-Neuter-Abandon it’s not good!
Alley Cat are hypocrites if they think they are not favouring one life over another by enabling cats to hunt and kill native species. “Morally indefensible my a$$”
Cats are a major contributor of biodiversity loss across the entire planet. No one is saying that’s the ONLY cause. Of course habitat loss is another major factor. Of course it is! But to say cats shouldn’t be controlled because it’s not the only problem is obtuse if not stupid.
Keep your pet cats indoors. Unowned cats rehomed or removed.
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/animals/2020/09/the-232-animals-in-this-photo-were-killed-by-house-cats-in-just-one-year
I really feel the destruction of the natural habitat is a greater threat to the wildlife on the island. Where will all of these saved animals live once we have concreted everywhere?
Who was performing the surgeries? Were they registered to practice vet med on the island?
Your biggest concern about this is work permits? SMH.
Yes. It is yet another of the crimes potentially being committed with NO ACTION by our robust law enforcers.
That it is expatriates doing this makes it worse.
So they are being prosecuted then, right?
To prosecute people – or at least get it to the DPP – you need to have strong evidence. It doesn’t look like the organization is releasing the cats so proving that someone is releasing a cat/s onto property that isn’t theirs is tough.
That said, anyone who is witness to people releasing cats – likely from cat carriers – into wilderness/bush, please take video and pictures with faces and license plates and send to doe@gov.ky or whatsapp 916-4271
Bullshit. You interview people suspected of involvement under caution.
You build a case!
Our robust law enforcers are incapable of relying on video evidence. What was trainergate?
How in God’s name did the police ever convict anyone before we had cameras?
These property of humans are causing total destruction on Brac natives. I guess only human settlers and their property have right to exist in Cayman Islands.
cats are not the only species over populating the Earth
Yes, I agree Homo sapiens are the worst amongst animal species to cause over population. I guess pets are the next best thing to have legally as property than having slaves.
yes, mosquitoes too
Prosecute them!
Prosecute them for neutering cats? What harm have they done exactly?
Enormous harm to the natural environment AND have committed criminal acts AND may have worked without licensing and permits.
They have broken the law.
Releasing an invasive species into a unique and greatly threatened natural environment, and doing so with contemptuous disregard for the laws of these Islands.
The DOA need a budget to trap and destroy all the feral cats and chickens. Amend regulations to require all house pets to be chipped and licensed by DOA (don’t those laws already exist?!?). Heavily fine those responsible for chipped animals found running loose, and ban them from keeping pets for 10 years. There is no vacuum effect when the consequences become real and proportionate to the laws already on the books. Keep your pets inside, or be fined and loose those privileges. Any vets that are not correspondingly documenting and reporting litters they attend, should forfeit their T&BL as a practitioner. We have serious animal control problems that we should want to fix as a society.
Or organize an annual purge day for cats and chickens on Cayman Islands. I heard cat carcasses make good fertilizer and I would love me some cayman jerk chicken. Yum yum.
Humans aee also members of the animal kingdom.
Which organization on island is promoting family planning?
..produce only what you can pay for and have time for…also notice I didn’t use the A word in there. To produce humans of quality not quantity. Quality does not mean rich elite either.
We need to license people before they can become a parent…now that will keep the politicians and the overly religious leaders busy.
Too many abused and neglected humans. birds, cats and dogs
just enforce animal welfare laws…problem solved for free.
Not before the planning and election laws relating to billboards are enforced.
These cat lovers love their cats more than other creatures and the environment. Incredibly selfish and irresponsible.
Did they do the same to the damn chickens?
Thank you to this NGO for providing this service for cats, which have been around since the early settlers landed in the Cayman Islands.
It will be interesting to see how many people voluntarily bring in cats to these kill shelters. It might be possible that the iguana-and-booby-birds-above-all-other-animals contingent will be the majority of those trapping and taking feral cats to the facilities to be killed.
IMHO, these “shelters” are simply another way to cull cats and just trying to make it sound humane.
If people are truly worried about the fate of iguanas and booby birds, they need to lobby for a stop in the development that destroys habitat. Just easier to blame cats, I guess.
Cats decimate local native wildlife. It’s irrefutable.
Humans also do the same. They both need fixing.
There’s an app for that.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4738182/
Classic case of being in denial of cat owner syndrome. Homo sapiens and their vice. Funny species I must say.