I’ve just received my copy of the 2011 Kittens and Cats Annual, which includes ‘show cats’, health articles and, disappointingly, both the RSPCA and the AVA calling for people to surrender unowned and semi-owned cats to councils and championing the ‘Who’s for Cats’ program – despite knowing council pounds and some cat welfare agencies run to a 90% kill rate for stray, 100% semi or untame animals, almost guaranteeing free-roaming cats who are impounded will be killed.
But the good bit? They also have included an article on the Secret Cat Society, Community Cats and international TNR and humane cat management programs submitted by myself. So while the ‘leaders’ of cat welfare in Australia are still championing death for unowned cats, this publication has kindly given us a couple of pages to advocate for new programs which are both successful in managing cat numbers, and have that moved beyond the now redundant thinking that you can ‘kill healthy animals, to be kind to them’.
Do me a favour if you can?
Buy a copy
And write to the publisher to say thank you on behalf of those cats who seem to be beyond the compassion of major animal welfare groups here in Australia.
I know a single article doesn’t seem like much, but free-roaming cat advocates being given the respect of being seen in a mainstream publication (right alongside those groups championing for the destruction of the unowned cat) is a great boon. We have to start somewhere recognising those working hard and advocating across the country to bring about a humane future for these animals.
