Cat And Bird Compromise In Cape May
CAPE MAY - After nearly a year of conflict that pitted cat lovers against bird lovers in one of North America's prime bird-watching spots, the City Council yesterday approved a plan to move feral cat colonies 1,000 feet away from the beach.
The move was made to protect endangered birds such as the piping plover and the least tern, which nest in the sandy ruts on Cape May's popular beach.
Federal environmental officials threatened to withhold beach-replenishment money if the city refused to protect the birds.
"It's important to protect our beaches," Councilwoman Linda Steenrod said. "At the same time, it's important to protect life. That means all life. I think we have a good compromise."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had wanted the colonies banned within one mile of the beach, which would have eliminated wild cats in Cape May. The compromise calls for creating a 1,000-foot buffer zone at known bird nesting grounds, while letting the city continue its trap, neuter and release program.
That program has cut Cape May's wild cat population from 450 to about 100 in the last decade.
Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies, a national advocacy group, said Cape May's cat-control program was a worldwide model.
"To hold beach-replenishment money over the heads of a city that has done everything right is simply misguided," she said.
About 40 cat lovers picketed outside City Hall before yesterday's vote, chanting: "Feral cats won't go away. Revise the plan and let them stay."
Melissa Holroyd, who has trapped 53 wild cats since November and paid to have them neutered, said the compromise was a good one.
"This is such an emotional issue here," she said. "I can feel my heart racing right now, but continuing to trap, neuter and release is a step in the right direction."
Deputy Mayor Neils Favre received 600 e-mails against the cat-relocation plan on a single day last month, he said. He said the compromise left the door open for city, federal or state wildlife officials to revisit the plan.
Federal authorities have said they believe the compromise still allows wild cats too close to nesting birds, but are willing to try it for a few months this spring and summer.
"We're still protecting the endangered wildlife on our beaches and still getting our beach replenishment to continue," Favre said.
posted by birdchick at 7:07 AM
25 Comments:
Oh that's right, I forgot that these Cape May cats don't have the ability to WALK.
My thoughts exactly! Of what value is a 1000’ buffer to the birds when we’re looking at protecting them from feral cats? That is the most ridiculous compromise I’ve ever heard of!
How long would it take a cat to walk 1000 feet; a 500 seconds? Nah, more like 250 seconds…at a stroll! Two hundred fifty seconds is about four (4) minutes! (shakes head)
Okay, I admit it; as much as I like cats, I do not like feral cats. I consider them worse than vermin…but then I like and value most vermin; they feed the predators, no?
Perhaps we should bring in some mongoose; they’d eat cats, wouldn’t they?
Remember the dogs I encountered at Sax Zim Bog? Maybe we could trap, neuter and release them in Cape May...and make sure they're 1000 feet from the feral cats...
Although, I do have to admit I am intrigued by the claim that the population has gone from 450 to 100? Can any Cape May people back that up? Is that true?
Heh, heh, heh. I knew I like how you think!
1000 feet is ridiculous. The cats roam much more widely than that, which means no protection for the birds. A mile would be a much better buffer.
I would like to see those 40 people who love feral cats "put their money where their mouth is" and each take two of the 100 ferals into their homes.
But Birdchick's dog idea is fantastic too.
Actually, the best would be to find out who the idiots were that dumped the cats when they no longer wanted 'pets' to begin with...
So here's my new thing. I like making bold statements. If you feed birds and you DON'T trap cats on your property or you allow your cat to roam free, you are creating an attractive nuisance and are evil. (okay you're not evil, but you do need to be doing more). My friend wasn't aware that he had ferals in his yard until he found a turd in the kid's sand box - nice, eh? Then he trapped 15 cats over a three month period. And he's not in a city, he's in a semi-rural county in Georgia. This is an epidemic folks. Feral cats are EVERYWHERE. Birders need to step up and speak out and DO SOMETHING. We (bird listserv owners) dread the cat-thread coming up on our listservs, but maybe we DO need to speak about it. I mean the White-crested Eleania in TX may have been taken by a feral. Those lots they purchased on South Padre Island and provide oranges for migrants are teaming with feral cats. They have created a cat hunting ground, with easy pickings. WAKE UP. Get a Hav-a-heart, start bringing ferals to the shelters. WE should be just as active in trapping as the TNR people. There, I feel better now.
Um... yeah, great compromise. *headdesk*
I agree with Steve. Feral cats are a huge problem, and cat lovers always seem more vocal than birders, as in this case, and end up getting their way. I'll just never understand how an introduced predator takes precedence over protected birds and their habitat.
klia
"Although, I do have to admit I am intrigued by the claim that the population has gone from 450 to 100?"
Well, cats that live outside tend to die of disease and misadventure. They do not have the long lives of indoor cats or even housecats that are allowed to run free. So combine that with a sustained campaign to snip the kitty-making machinery and your numbers are going to decline.
I agree with folks that the 1000' buffer seems a little crazy but you have to admit that the town is trying to deal constructively and HUMANELY with the problem. It might be worthwhile to acknowledge that instead of simply ranting.
anonymous, why do you say HUMANELY? Is it humane to re-release an exotic predator that will in it's life KILL (and usually not quickly) perhaps 100s of small mammals and birds. I'm sorry, but I just don't buy the 'humane' arguement.
To me, neutering an animal rather than euthanizing it is a more humane choice. I understand that birds and small mammals are still going to die. But with fewer cats, fewer such deaths. And that's a good thing. It's not the best thing, but it's a good thing. Why not try and work with the community to make it a better thing --say capture, neuter and shelter as someone else suggested here-- rather than take pot shots at the efforts undertaken by said community, however imperfect? You might get closer to what you want to achieve that way.
Whoops, Steve, I see that was you that suggested shelters.
Check out this article that shows how 2 cats can produce 80 million.
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/09/Pasco/How_two_frisky_feline.shtml
If the TNR program could guarantee that it has 100% of the cats covered then it would work. It can't do that though. It's virtually impossible.
This is stupid. I for one am boycotting Cape May. There are plenty of other great birding places.
I have a backyard wildlife habitat and I *do* trap and take cats to the Animal Control center, and don't lose any sleep over the fact that they're likely to be euthanized. I still miss the rabbits they slaughtered before I knew we had a problem (and fortunately, my biggest problem is selling her house and has moved!)
I agree with Andrea. Cat lovers upset by that idea need to adopt those cats and keep them inside.
I think Sharon's idea of letting the dogs handle it IS genius.
They could also be exported to China of none of the local buffets is buying. :-D
If no one is willing or financially able to feed these newly desexed cats then that's incredibly cruel to release them again. Euthanasia is the kindest option.
Leaving them at a shelter is a good alternative, but most shelters end up euthanizing unsociable animals & even nice creatures because they run out of room or money.
Hungry cats equals poor birds.
I live in Cape May, and I can tell you there is more to the story. We really DO have fewer cats. The census 11 years ago when TNR began was 487. Its now 112, and there are records to back it up. Personally, I can see the difference with my own eyes.
What didn't hit the wire was this tidbit. There never WAS a problem with the cats and the birds. Check the actual Plover nest daily records for back up of that fact. Plovers are increasing in Cape May since TNR. The TNR colonies are located downtown, where the average range of a feral cat is max 525 feet (good grief, yes, I can cite the study).
This whole thing came about from a dispute between 2 city department heads. What we actually had was a group of 3-4 cats being illegally fed under a downtown pier, which ticked off...uh....someone, who called in Fish and Wildlife with some incredibly exaggerated claims. Well, lets just say it got all blown out of proportion. The whole town is saying "What the !&#*!?? "
As for the 1000' buffer, that is only from the heavily trafficked tourist recreational beaches which are raked daily. No Plover in its right mind would nest anywhere near that madhouse! The nesting beaches are protected by 1/2 mile. But there were never cat colonies near those beaches anyway. No one in Cape May ever suggested we should risk ANY endangered bird, no would we tolerate it. The press stirred up a controversy that was never there. Our local birders understand that, but unfortunately, the press needed a jucier story and "suggested" the conflict. Geez. So everyone please put the daggers away. There is no war.
PS … Most of the Cape May "feral" cats are really not fitting of the name. They have names; they are fed everyday and cared for medically by people who love them (and yes, take them inside to live, too). After they are spayed or neutered, they not returned to their spot without an assigned caretaker. You can see them on some of the porches, or sleeping in the gardens. Sometimes the gulls take their food, but they are usually too lazy to care. Cape May's feral cats are more like couch potatoes.
As for TNR not solving the problem, you are right, Patrick, it can't. There will always be idiot people who think they can just toss away a pet like so much garbage, right on the side of the road with the used coffee cups and hamburger wrappers. People come here for the summer and get a cute kitten, then when its time to go home, they leave kitty behind and we're left to deal with these frightened pets. There will always be well meaning but short sighted people who feed these unfortunate animals and pay no attention to the breeding. Animal Control couldn’t keep up with it! So TNR breaks the breeding cycle by getting those same volunteers who would harbor a breeding colony to participate in managing and decreasing the population. Those people would never participate with a “trap and kill” policy, but they would definitely hinder it.
I don't know about any other town, but this program has worked very well in Cape May to solve a huge problem.
Please don't lynch me.
Would TNR proponents be will to declaw the feral cats they release? It's much harder for a feral cat to kill a bird without front claws.
Even if the plovers aren't at risk, there are quite a few other species that call on Cape May during migration (and many young birds each spring that fledge and are easy pickings).
Cashartle, I appreciate hearing your local perspective. It's the only way to have a decent conversation about such an emotional issue, so thank you. I am a lurker here and usually read Birdchick's posts but rarely go into the comments section. I actually regret that I did that this time, and that I offered my opinion (I'm the "humane" anonymous, and BTW there are such things as no kill shelters) but this conversation has gotten so unpleasant (to the point of a racial slur in one post above) that I think I'll retreat back to lurkdom -- it's a kinder place.
Hi Steve, I can't honestly answer you about the no-claw thing, as I do not set up the programs. But as for nesting birds in Cape May, again, I want to stress (for those of you unfamiliar with our town) that the nesting birds are located in the rural areas north and south of the town which are not in Cape May. The TNR program is in the city itself, and has been very effective at getting those feral cat numbers down. There are no colonies in the nesting areas. There is no migratory bird nesting (to my knowledge) in downtown Cape May.
Anon, I think the unfortunate part of this kind of issue is that we must accept that there will always be people who favor birds over cats or cats over birds, no matter what argument is presented. The responsible thing is to work towards a solution so NONE are harmed. Neither side wants to have a creature that they hold dear dismissed (or worse) by someone who does not share their values. Rather than fight, lets work together to educate people about the horrible situation with the feral cats and create some results that serve everyone. We have the goal in common even if our values are different.
You have a point, but re-releasing a cat means that you are going to be directly responsible for the deaths of native birds/mammals. I'm guessing the feral cats in Cape May city mostly get the nestlings of birds like mockingbirds, thrashers and wrens, although in the fall neotrops are sometimes found in small trees & shrubs throught the city (I lived up the road in Ocean City for a time, so I'm familiar with the area to some extent). I've seen good numbers of ferals at the Beanery before and that is(or was) a neotrop hang out.
Hi Steve, Yes, the rural area of West Cape May (by the beanery) is a favorite dumping ground for unwanted pets. I know this all too well because I live a couple of hundred feet from there. A woman down the street from me is always taking them in; cats, dogs, rabbits ...you name it. People think that because there are some woods and some water, their pets will find paradise. Not true because of the coyotes for one thing, though I do see much less of them now than I did two years ago.
Anyhow, West Cape May is a separate city entirely from Cape May and was not involved in this controversy.
I googled "are cats evil" on a lark and found this:
http://www.dbhome.dk/carlo/cat.htm
My personal favorite sections:
Are cats for true Christians?
Is it appropriate for a Christian to own a cat, in light of their past pagan religious affiliation and the medical information that is now coming to light? -J.R., U.S.A.
The demeanor of a cat is seen by many honest-hearted observers as reflecting some supernatural, unnatural proclivity towards malice or evil. And, it is a well-known fact that cats are impossible to tame, teach or raise in the truth. The cat has a rebellious, independent spirit. While the animal itself may be unaware of this tragic condition, it serves only its true master - Satan, the Devil.
Additionally, cats practice many unclean habits not befitting a Christian household: coughing up fur balls, licking inappropriate body areas on their own bodies (inappropriate handling) and even, in some cases, on the bodies of their human owners (wrongful motive?), urination on the floor, vocal and blatant promiscuity (unknown to any other species, all others being endowed with Godly chastity and decorum) and widespread sexual misconduct without the benefit or sanctity of holy matrimony, even orgiastic practices, substance abuse of catnip (an intoxicating herb) which produces conditions akin to drunkenness, stealing food from the table, producing ungodly sounds, excessive playfulness and the employment of devices not known to have been used by Jesus, the conducting of its unholy business under the cover of the darkness of night, and so on. What sort of example does this give our young ones endeavoring to faithfully serve Jehovah? The Bible clearly shows that 'neither fornicators .. nor thieves .. nor drunkards .. nor revilers .. will inherit the Kingdom.' (1 Cor. 6:9-11)
It must not be forgotten that the feline is a killer. It eats mice and their kind, which is forbidden to Christians and their pets (Lev. 11:29, Isa. 66:17). But, far more serious, is the matter of the wanton consumption of the undrained corpses of the victims of this nocturnal creature; eating bodies filled with God's sacred blood is not a matter to be trifled with (Gen. 9:3,4; Lev. 3:17; Deut. 12:16,23,24; Acts 15:20,28,29).
The question of how to dispose of one's unwanted cat is a serious matter. ...........The cat is a dependant. In harmony with this, surely it is the parent's obligation before God to ensure the feline pet is treated as one would an unruly child who repeatedly refused to obey its parents, or of one who committed apostasy. Unfortunately in the case of human offspring, one is limited by the laws of the higher authorities of the land as to what scripturally-ordained punishment may be meted out, as compliance with both sets of laws is necessary in such areas. This may not always be the case in terms of felines, where the fact that we are not living in theocratic countries may not prove such an impediment to what God requires of us, as manmade law may not afford such unmerited protection to cats as it does to humans. God's soldiers would be mindful to apply, where the case merited it and local custom did not prohibit it, the principle of Deut. 21:18-21 which states that: 'In case a man happens to have a [dependant] who is stubborn and rebellious, he not listening to the voice of his [guardian], and they have corrected him but he will not listen to them, his [guardian] must also take hold of him and bring him out to the older men of his city and to the gate of his place, and they must say to the older men of his city, 'This [dependant] of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he is not listening to our voice, being a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his city must pelt him with stones, and he must die.'
Loose cats are a problem. I've had the paint on my new car scratched up because a neighbor let her 3 cats roam wild. Fortunately, where I live this is illegal and animal control removed the animals from her control (or lack thereof). However, I now have to decide whether to sue her for a new paintjob or if I can trust her to pay for it on her own accord. I don't like neighborhood feuds, but whether loose cats harm birds or not, they harm peoples' cars, gardens, and are a public nuissance that should not be tolerated. These animals are not native animals, and yes, I will continue to send any that come onto my property to a kill shelter so that the negligent owners never get them back.
Post a Comment
<< Home