Impact on Wildlife

Many conservationists and biologists argue that feral cats have a severe impact on the wildlife population. As a result, many advocate the removal and euthanization of feral cat colonies. (see “Wildlife Policy Statement - Feral and Free-Ranging Domestic Cats” at http://www.wildlife.org/policy/index.cfm?tname=policystatements&statement=ps28). However, we respectfully point out the following:

• The “trap and kill” method used to remove feral cats does not effectively solve the problem. Instead, it causes a vacuum that results in new feral cats moving in to the area. And new, unmanaged feral cats may carry disease, which is ultimately more dangerous than a vaccinated, healthy population.
• A managed feral cat colony will be fed and cared for, eliminating the cat’s predation of wildlife for survival, which is inevitably a large part of the problem
• Here in Illinois, we do not have a fragile ecosystem that would call for such an extreme measure. Instead, we would suggest that feral cats be considered wild animals like the raccoons, possums, and other creatures roaming around. They are predators to some animals, but are also the prey of others. Nature generally strikes a balance.

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