Interview! Chad Nelson, Advocacy Director at PawsWatch Rhode Island
June 30, 2018
Interview! Ellen Quinlan, Executive Director of Darbster Foundation
July 7, 2018
I recently have been having a lot of conversations around the issue of birds and cats and how they impact one another. I have to be honest — I really didn’t think of this as that “hot” of a topic while working on TNR, adoptions and spay/neuter for owned cats back in the 1990s and early 2000s. I simply assumed that the “bird folks’ would be okay with “cat people’s” efforts to reduce the overpopulation of outdoor cats in a humane way, via TNR. I really never considered that other solutions might be offered/presented.
I have had conversations with many representatives of bird organizations over the years. Once that they realized that we weren’t working to increasethe outdoor cat population, and that we feel that the real problem to be solved is the fact that feral cat colonies are begun by cats being abandoned — well, then, all of the ruffled feathers and puffed up tails seem to calm right down.
The key here is placing responsibility where it belongs — with the people. This isn’t a problem about cats or birds — it is all about the peopleand the challenges they face with regards to caring for their cats. What causes a person not to get their cat spayed/neutered? What causes a person to leave a cat behind when they move? What causes an owner to let a cat outdoors and then, if the cat doesn’t come home, to wait an average of seven days before even worrying? Are we harming cats by making them indoor only? They need stimulation, exercise and excitement — can we provide that in an indoor-only lifestyle?
I would propose that we all get on the same page as bird lovers and cat lovers and look to the source — us — to provide the necessary support to our communities in order to create a balance between the needs of our cats (both community and owned) and our birds.
We need programs that continue to support the needs of the people caring for the cats. That includes spay/neuter, wellness support, rescue and education about what happens if you let your cat out. We love our cats andour birds — and I think that if we keep working towards the shared goal reducing the numbers of cats we have on the streets, then we will be fine.
