28/05/2022
This is about to be a very vulnerable post for me.. and it's going to be long, but I implore you to read it all the way through.
So. There has been many studies done by wildlife rescues and conservations around the United States to document the affects outdoor cats have on our native wildlife population.
The results per the (multiple year) study provided by the Journal of Wildlife management are as follows:
- 84 different species of animal were brought to the center after an encounter with a cat.
21 species of mammals, 62 bird species.
- Over 73 percent of small all mammal admissions to the center were due to known cat-related injuries
- And about 64 percent of all bird admissions to the center were due to cat attacks.
Despite high-quality veterinary care:
-70 percent of those small mammals ultimately end up dying from the severity of wounds or had to be euthanized.
- And 80 percent of the birds also died from the attacks.
Read that again.
And understand that you, as the owner of your outdoor- going cat, are the number 1 contributer to the death of our native wildlife.
And I am honestly at my breaking point with it. Every day, all day, people call me to say "My cat brought me this animal."
And I can't say anything to try to prevent it from happening again, because the moment I suggest keeping their cat indoors, I'm a monster!
I dread every single cat-related intake because I KNOW it's more than likely going to die.
And I'm the one who has to feel the burden. Every single time.
And God forbid someone is offended by my suggestion of their cat staying indoors.
And dont even get me started on the people who think releasing an invasive killing machine into an ecosystem it doesnt belong is considered "natural."
I'm literally at the point where I want to tell each one of the callers to bring it for euthanasia themselves, or just watch it suffer until it dies.
Because part of me thinks it would encourage them to keep their cats inside- Where they belong- If they had to first hand witness a once healthy animal die of a completely preventable injury.
Yes, I realize how terrible this sounds, and as a empath to ALL living things human and animal alike, I absolutely hate that I have such animosity towards these people.
But its never ending and NOBODY CARES.
But then theres the better part of me who literally cannot let a sweet innocent animal die without pain meds while in the custody of someone who doesn't give a s**t and wouldn't do a single thing to prevent it from happening again.
So what do I do?
I shut the hell up and say "I'll do my best 🙃" with a fake smile like I don't 100% already know the poor baby will be dead by morning.
I'm in a rock and a hard place trying to maintain professionalism while also trying to protect our planet.
And I reallyyy could use your help here guys.
Because myself and other rehabilitators around the states are losing our minds to this endless battle.
Compassion fatigue is real, and this is what causes it.
Help us.
If you cant do it for our planet, or for the lives of the 1.4 to 3.7 billion birds and 6.9 to 20.7 billion mammals that die yearly to cat attacks. Do it for the safety of YOUR own cat..
If you need information on catios, cat harnesses, or other safe ways to give your cat outdoor time, ask.
If you don't understand why cats don't belong outside, ask.
If your cat is constantly trying to escape and you need ideas on ways to prevent them from door stalking, ask.
If you think you can't provide adequate enrichment indoors for your cat, ask me how.
