A small group of caring volunteers in Middlesex, New Jersey has been maintaining a colony of cats in the community for 8 years. The colony lives in a field behind a church. The volunteers bought and set up a shed for housing the cats, trapped them all, had them vaccinated and neutered, and returned them. They now feed them regularly. Over the years, the colony has reduced in size due to adoptions and deaths from 24 cats to just 10 today.
The 10 remaining cats are all senior kitties and colony caretakers would like them to live out their days in peace. But suddenly it’s a hair-on-fire emergency to haul the cats off to the pound to be killed:
“For eight years, it has been an extreme health risk,” Middlesex Mayor Robert Sherr said, drawing groans from those who last week attended an emergency meeting of the borough’s board of health.
It’s been an EXTREME HEALTH RISK for 8 years! Gah! Think of the children!
But health officials say the cat community is unsafe, particularly with a preschool operating in the rear potion [sic] of the church.
“If I was the parent of a child at the preschool, I would be upset,” [Borough board of health president John] Madden said.
Yes, just imagine. Your wee tot might see a cat from a distance. And of course, seeing a cat is a good way to get RABIES!
And then, the inevitable:
“Managed cat colonies are not a humane solution for the cats because they still face a multitude of hazards, including cars, poisoning, animal attacks, inclement weather and human abuse,” acting county health director Katherine Antonitis said in a statement. She said rabies infections are more prevalent in cats than dogs.
Rabies! RABIES!
As to how many kiddies have been infected by rabies from these elderly cats over the past 8 years – well, I guess it must not be too many or they would have mentioned it. Church staff have reportedly had to cover the kids’ sandbox, which I’m sure is a terribly exhausting ordeal to suffer through each day, but isn’t that just good practice for any pre-school?
I know it’s a code red extreme health risk situation here with the grumpy old cats but has anyone checked to see how many kids at the pre-school have actually gotten sick from the cats vs. how many have gotten sick from getting coughed on, sharing toys, and eating food off the floor? Maybe the borough should convene another emergency meeting.
By the way, does every man, woman and child have access to health care in Middlesex, NJ? Cause if not, I wonder if the board of health might have any more pressing items on its agenda.
Sounds like Alley Cat Allies needs to “inform” these folks about the truth! What a bunch of dolts…
Hah. I played with barn & other community cats growing up – but when I got ringworm? It was from a playmate, who also gave it to her poodle.
It was hardly an emergency, either. Annoying, but then, so’s athlete’s foot, and I don’t see anyone insisting we cull the herd at the Y to prevent *that.*
Ignorance is not bliss. Never has been, never will be. Let’s edumicate ’em. Rabies? That is so 30 years ago. Literally.
Any good TNR program will rabies vaccinate a cat at the time of surgery, and I’m pretty sure that there has still never been a documented case of rabies in a cat that was vaccinated at least once.
“Managed cat colonies are not a humane solution for the cats because they still face a multitude of hazards” …the biggest of which is being hauled off by animal control to be murdered just because they are alive and they got caught.
Word.
Surely the cats aren’t the only animals living close to the preschool? I would have thought that any wild animal that could have rabies would pose a risk (in fact, if the cats are vaccinated they’d pose less of a risk than the other critters). Lions, tigers and bears oh my! Better keep the kids inside and really be on the safe side!!lvvc
If animal abuse is linked to the abuse of humans as the majority of research appears to show, what I want to know is why aren’t they using this opportunity to teach children about compassion and caring for animals and the environment? The only lesson they’re teaching children by killing cats is that animals are disposable and may be killed for our convenience and that humans are the centre of the universe. No wonder our world is going to hell in a hand basket.
Bah sorry about my little bit of extra letters there, my feral boy (now tamed) thought he’d help me type lol
Another public official that needs educated about TNR! I hope the volunteers can educate the mayor and animal control.
Ignorance and arrogance will never solve the feral cat problems..research, humane and kind actions and proactivity can…what are they teaching the preschoolers by killing these helpless and aging cats? Killing is a solution?
the health dept is on a tear to hurt cats. disgusting. we need to get some of these rabid health dept employees to get a broader view of risk to people. alot of the risk to people comes from the health dept itself telling everybody to vaccinate and take endless drugs, all of which have been approved by the fda for poilitical reasons. the health dept needs pulling back. they are way out of line. they get too much tax dollars from the public.