Municipalities like Sayreville are unwise to adopt a feral-cat feeding ban.
Feeding bans cause cats to suffer and starve to death. A more effective, benevolent and nonlethal course would be to encourage trap-neuter-return (TNR), which stops cats from breeding through sterilization and makes it possible for cats to live out their lives in managed colonies that decrease in size as the cats die naturally in their habitat.
Indeed, Sayreville already has volunteers conducting TNR; the feeding ban logically undermines these efforts, as TNR requires scheduled feedings.
Failed strategies for controlling the feral-cat population are not unique to Sayreville. Throughout Middlesex County, municipalities deal with feral cats by employing a combination of catch and kill, feeding bans, antiroaming, cat licensing and petlimit laws — ineffective strategies that continue to yield high sheltereuthanasia rates and exploding cat populations. TNR is the key to reducing the high “euthanasia” rates, while controlling and reducing the feral-cat population through sterilization rather than starvation.
As a Middlesex County resident, I hope that our towns will adopt ordinances that encourage rather than deter TNR so we can spare cats’ lives and improve our shelters.
People cannot be expected to own every stray or feral cat they take pity on and feed. Rather than instituting a feeding ban and continue to fund proven failed methods, money would be better spent on low-cost spay/neuter and helping those who care about cats care for cats through TNR.
Donna Hildreth
Cranbury