Capturing cats complex

While I applaud the activism of young Ms. Jones in caring about our feral cat population, her letter in last week’s Weekly News raised serious concerns.

After speaking with NOAH, I learned that they have made no formal agreement with Ms. Jones to provide the services stated in her letter. The Town of La Conner was likewise unaware of this ambitious plan and it seems at odds with the current municipal code.

Many cats in my neighborhood are collarless yet have homes and families who love them. Not everyone has their pet micro-chipped. Pet owners could easily lose a loved family member should it wander into one of these traps. Traumatized by being trapped, transported to a shelter and released again they can become feral with a new-found distrust of humans, exacerbating the problem. It’s worth noting that cats will dig in flower beds and gardens, but they are far more likely to be someone’s pet than feral.

Of largest concern is the sentence “I have tried to resolve this problem on my own in the past”. Does this mean she has brought cats in to be altered and released them? Were they brought to the Humane Society? Who determined they were feral? Was my beloved, fuzzy orange and white Gryffindor (neutered and vaccinated, no chip) among them?

A herculean effort must be made to determine that any cat trapped is truly wild and not someone’s pet, and that all state and local laws are followed. Which is why it should be left to professionals. Perhaps Ms. Jones can channel her laudable desire to help into raising funds for NOAH or the Feral Cat Coalition instead of taking this complex and possibly heartbreaking matter into her own hands.

Lysa Sherman,

La Conner