Aren people who feed feral cats only making the problem worse?
It’s true that only feeding feral cats does not address overpopulation and neighbourhood nuisance problems. But NOT feeding feral cats isn’t the solution. Even starving cats will mate. And the kittens they produce are not only unwanted; they may also be malnourished and diseased. Spay/neutering is the only effective way to reduce feral cat numbers, but there is no reason that cats should be starved to death while humans get that job done. In fact, feeding a feral colony is the first step in bringing the colony under control through spay/neutering. Regular feeding puts the cats on a schedule which ensures successful trapping, while a nutritious diet helps them tolerate the stress of surgery and post-operative confinement. Once the cats have been sterilized and returned to the colony, they should continue to be fed, watered and sheltered to keep them healthy. Healthy cats are in everyone’s interest.
