I thank the Tribune for reporting on an important issue (“Warning told about feral cat hazard,” Metro, Oct. 5) concerning animals and public health. The expressed concern of Milton McAllister, of the College of Veterinary Medicine at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, about a zoonotic disease, toxoplasmosis, and feral cats is enlightening. We should be doing all we can to reduce free-roaming cats in McHenry County and elsewhere. Where we may disagree is how to do it. Obviously trapping and destroying would stop animals from reproducing. But this strategy has been employed for literally decades, including in McHenry County, with little apparent success evident (i.e. the problem still exists).
Other priorities (dogs) and a lack of funding have hindered animal-control agencies from addressing free-roaming cats in any systematic manner. What has changed? Nothing. If we are so concerned about zoonotic disease, why not actively do something that reduces the number of free-roaming cats?
Trap, neuter and return takes the free-roaming cats that exist now in our neighborhoods, provides veterinary exams, sterilizes and vaccinates them, and returns them back to their original site with no government expense. It is not a panacea and it is not appropriate for every site. But every such sterilized cat is a step forward, for they will have no kittens ever. This activity is wholly supported (philosophically, physically and monetarily) by animal advocates in many areas, including McHenry County. It reduces the population of free-roaming cats, which is to McAllister’s point.
Productive toxoplasmosis prevention includes health education about cooking meats appropriately, wearing gloves while gardening and appropriate animal husbandry for pregnant women. Doing nothing but lamenting free-roaming cats is bad public health policy.
