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Rick Telander, in his May 17 column, rightly expressed concern about cruel and misguided “working cat” programs in which cats are abandoned to fend for themselves.
Releasing cats to “catch rodents,” as supporters describe the practice, is dangerous for both cats and wildlife. As Telander points out, cats who are not native to North America kill billions of songbirds and other native animals every year, a massive death toll that makes cats a bigger threat to birds than any other human-linked cause.
The cats themselves also suffer. All cats, even unsocialized ones, are domesticated animals who rely on humans for their every need, including food, water, shelter and veterinary care. Outdoor cats do not die of old age; in fact, most are dead by age 5. They are attacked by other animals and cruel people, hit by cars and succumb to exposure, starvation, parasite infestations and contagious diseases.