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3/14/2018

Why Feeding Bans are Ineffective

7 Comments

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Proposed bans on the feeding of feral cats have come up time and time again as a potential solution to cat overpopulation. These bans incorrectly assume that if people stop feeding feral cats, they will simply leave the area and the problem will be over. This is not the case. Feeding bans are not only ineffective, but cruel. They suddenly cut off an expected source of food for cats and criminalize compassion. Alley Cat Rescue opposes feeding bans and is working towards ensuring more cities implement trap-neuter-return as a humane solution to cat overpopulation.

Cats are scavengers and will search to find food. If a feeding ban is enacted, the cats often will stay in the area and find a new source of food. The cats will eat garbage, scraps or other animals which do not provide cats with the nutrients they need. Malnourished cats are more susceptible to diseases and parasites. Because feeding bans do not address reproduction at all, the malnourished cats will often give birth to sick kittens who will die at a young age.

Feeding bans actually create more nuisance behaviors than they eliminate. The bans encourage cats to search through garbage, fails to spay/neuter cats and leads to the spread of diseases. Cats without a solid source of food will wander around towns more than cats who have an area where they know they will be fed at. The feeding bans also make trap-neuter-return (TNR) almost impossible because the cat caretakers cannot lure the cats to the traps with wet food. TNR ends these nuisance behaviors while also stopping reproduction.
​
Cat caretakers are compassionate people who want to help cats in their area. Compassion should not be criminalized but encouraged. Without cat caretakers feeding and TNRing cats, many more cats would suffer. Further, the enforcement of feeding bans is very difficult and resource intensive. Areas that want to address cat overpopulation should instead implement TNR. If your town or city is considering a feeding ban please reach out to your government and tell them:
  • Feeding bans punish compassionate people
  • Feeding bans do not address reproduction and nuisance behaviors
  • Cats will not leave areas with feeding bans
  • You support TNR as a humane solution to cat overpopulation

Share

7 Comments
Irene Mendoza
3/15/2018 12:00:15 am

Best documented argument I’ve ever heard about TNR and being compassionate towards homeless cats. Thank you.

Reply
Wayne
2/19/2019 03:35:08 pm

I am using this information to pass on to my management company of my apartment complex, since they are animal friendly (allow pets in apts.) and want to do the right thing, but don't know about these charity services.

Reply
Michael Calvert
7/23/2019 09:14:56 am

Our city has adopted a no food, water or shelter for feral cats. We tried convincing the city council that this was animal cruelty but they could care less and wouldn’t change their mind. Not sure what to do at this point.

Reply
Tim Boling
2/18/2020 10:12:38 am

Michael - what City adopted an ordinance to prohibit feeding feral cats?

Reply
Linda
3/3/2020 10:26:21 am

Coral Springs has this nonsense law

Sec. 4-20. - Feeding of wildlife.
It shall be unlawful for any person to feed or otherwise entice or encourage to feed any raccoon, fox, opossum, duck, or any other wild animal. Wild animals shall also be interpreted as stray/feral cats.

By definition stray or feral cats are not Wildlife, but they do not care. I am so angry.

JoEllen Garrison
2/1/2020 06:50:20 am

I would be in jail if my municipality made it illegal to care for feral cats. Is it legal to enforce laws based on willful ignorance? I would be the one to challenge these types of laws, and also to break them if needed.

Reply
Iris Rogers
12/4/2020 12:09:19 pm

I have received a summons with fine of $1100.00 because I feed cats and some of them are in the street. Court date a month from now. A person complained that they almost hit the cats in the street and its my fault they are there. Someone has already run over 4 cats recently. Want judge to reduce the fine if possible. Am looking for tips on the RIGHT things to say to him if anyone has had this experience. I love cats, participate in TNR, but also find it horribly difficult to ignore a hungry cat.

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    • Press
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      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • History >
        • Our Team
        • Partners
        • Board of Directors
        • Financial Information
        • Privacy Policy
    • Action Alerts >
      • Welfare Programs >
        • Petitions
        • California Declaw Bill
        • New York Declaw Bill
        • PACT Act
        • Spay Neuter Pledge
        • Michigan TNR bill
        • No Declaw Pledge
        • Toxoplasmosis gondii, Cats, and the Threats Posed to Pregnant Women
        • Adoptions >
          • Cats available for adoption
          • Adoption Inquiry Form
          • New Cat Checklist
          • Introducing A New Cat
        • Campaigns >
          • Working Cats Program >
            • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
          • African Wildcat >
            • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
            • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
          • The Feral Fix
          • End Deadly Eradication Methods Campaign
          • "Fix the Family" Campaign
    • News >
      • ACR Newsletters
      • Press Releases
  • Spay/Neuter
    • COVID-19 Protocol for S/N Clinic
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • Types of Spay and Neuter Procedures
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • TNR: Do It Yourself!
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Resources
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats >
        • Feral Kittens >
          • What to do if you find kittens
          • Stages of Kitten Development
          • Orphaned Kittens
          • Socializing Feral Kittens
          • Fostering Kittens
        • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats
      • Common Complaints
      • Providing Shelter
    • State Resources
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • Cat Supplies
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
      • Pet Food Banks
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
        • Testing for FeLV/FIV
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats >
        • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
        • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
    • COVID-19 Pet Food Banks
    • Cats and COVID-19
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering you cat
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues
    • Litter Box Problems
    • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
    • Meowing and Yowling
    • Urine Marking
    • Aggressive Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat on Cat Aggression
    • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • Donate
  • Store