I have an old rescue cat staying with me called Snowflake. She's called that because she was found in last year's snowstorms lying by the side of the road, emaciated and almost dead. She was brought to the cat charity I foster for and returned to health.
I say 'returned to health' because she's very old and arthritic and can't remember where to do her business in a litter tray. (We find her stuff behind the piano.)
The charity has 60 cats waiting to go to foster homes. So I find it annoying when people at work breed their cats and try to sell kittens through our office bulletin board for £50 a kitten.
Here's Belgium's solution to the problem:
Belgium plans to neuter most cats as feline population explodes.
Almost all Belgian cat owners will be obliged to have their pets sterilised and registered by 2016.
The Belgian government has come up with a radical way to deal with the burgeoning cat population – to sterilise all but a select few of the animals within five years.
If it is passed into law, the country will embark on a phased neutering of all cats except exotic pedigrees at the start of next year, and there will be a ban on using corner shops, noticeboards and small ads to get rid of unwanted litters of kittens.
The feline population in Belgium, a country of 11 million people, has increased to an estimated 1.7 million, and the culling of cats has become a daily routine. According to the health ministry, more than 13,000 were killed in animal refuges last year, more than one in three of the country's 37,000 strays.
"We are confronted with a dramatic situation," said Jan Eyckmans of the Belgian health ministry. "So our minister asked the animal welfare council to come up with ideas."
3 comments:
I think that's a good idea. I have a collection of cats abandoned by others. One was completely feral but now he's the most lovable of all, though also the naughtiest. I've had him over a year and he still eats anything. He even ate ALL of our Christmas mince pies because I took my eyes off them for a minute--that's all it took. I feel really sad when I think of his former life out in the cold forraging in people's rubbish bins for food.
Miowch!, cat eugenics, now that's a controversial topic! ;)
Vive la Belgique! Excellent plan. I, too, get furious with people who breed their pets, when there are thousands of sweet little homeless litters languishing in under-funded shelters, awaiting nice loving homes. Both my cats are rescues, and nobody could have two nicer happier pets. I've never paid money for a cat---why? They seem to just show up!
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