Cats Indoors! Claim:
“Parasites such as worms, ticks, and fleas also affect people. Cats can acquire plague from a flea bite or from eating infected small mammals, and the most frequent route of transmission to humans is via the bite of an infected flea. Although rare, almost all human cases of pneumonic plague, its most lethal form, have been linked to domestic cats.”

The Truth:
Rats are the most common carriers of plague. When the majority of cats were killed in the 14th century as part of the European “witch hunt”, the rat population escalated and between 25-50% of the world’s population was wiped out. The Black Death has been described as “the most brutal demographic catastrophe humanity has ever known.”

Today, the World Health Organization registers thousands of new cases of plague each year. “Far from being a disease of Old Europe in the Middle Ages,… sad to say, the plague is perhaps a disease of the future.” (Source: “Why the Plague?” edited by Jacqueline Brossollet & Henri Mollaret)

Cats Indoors! Claim:
“More than 20,000 people per year are affected by cat scratch fever, acquired from infected fleas. Over 90% of human cases are associated with either a cat scratch or bite. This disease can cause encephalitis in children and can kill people with compromised immune systems.”

The Truth:
Cat scratch fever is associated with feral cats. It is transmitted through scratches or saliva and the chance of close encounters with these typically fearful felines is negligible.

Cats Indoors! Claim:
“Outdoor cats are also more likely to spread toxoplasmosis through their feces to humans. If contracted by pregnant women, toxoplasmosis can cause miscarriage or blindness, retardation, or seizures in their babies.”

The Truth:
On January 27, 2004, the US Humane Society began contacting more than 31,000 obstetricians and gynecologists nationwide with information to help them and their patients understand the facts about the risks of toxoplasmosis, with the message that pregnant women need not give up their cats. The truth is, toxoplasmosis is acquired through ingestion of infected feces. A woman who enjoys eating cat feces or who does not practice basic hygiene probably should not be having a baby anyway.

Cats Indoors! Claim:
“Cat licensing is a cat registration and identification system administered by local governments to protect both cats and people. Cat licensing benefits cats, their owners, and the general public just as dog licensing has protected dogs, their owners and the general public for decades.”

The Truth:
According to the San Francisco SPCA: “The only way cat licensing will reduce the number of stray and abandoned cats is if it is enforced by rounding up unlicensed cats and taking them to the local animal control agency where the vast majority will be killed. And this, we fear, is exactly what will happen. Many individuals and groups openly advocate for cat control measures like licensing as a vehicle for round-up-and-kill measures. And even animal control agencies that disclaim any intention of initiating round-up-and-kill programs will have to respond to complaints about cats from these individuals and groups, which will inevitably result in cats being rounded up and killed. Without round-up-and-kill measures it seems apparent that cat licensing will only work to increase, not decrease, the number of homeless cats. Faced with citations and penalties for not complying, cat caretakers who can't afford the new license fees will be forced to surrender their animals to the local shelter or abandon them to fend for themselves. Neighborhood cats, cats in doorstep colonies or multi-cat households, cherished pets owned by seniors on restricted incomes, feral cats with caretakers on limited budgets. These are the kinds of cats who will be most at risk and for whom a licensing mandate could well be fatal. Of course, for the stray and abandoned cats already in the community, licensing will do nothing.”

Cats Indoors! Claim:
“Managed cat colonies- the wrong solution to a tragic problem: Colony feeders must constantly trap new cats and kittens. Feeders are often overwhelmed by the cost and responsibility. According to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare report, “The Fate of Controlled Feral Cat Colonies”, the most common complaint from members of cat action groups was that they had too few people or too little money to adequately manage their population of cats. TNR clearly is not in the best interest of birds and other wildlife or the cats, and even overwhelms the ability of well-meaning people who genuinely want to alleviate animal suffering. It also undermines efforts to encourage responsible pet ownership by keeping cats in public wildlife areas.”

The Truth:
Cats Indoors! devotes pages on their website in an attempt to discredit trap-neuter-return. Even the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservancy Commission retracted statements denouncing the effectiveness of TNR in their Feral Cat Issue Statement, but the American Bird Conservancy continues its relentless and unfounded attacks.

Caregivers who manage successful colonies are aware of new cats as they join and must trap and sterilize the new members. Colony cats protect their territory, so their numbers stabilize quickly. It is true that many colony caregivers have too few people and too little money.

This is a problem that could be solved in a way that would benefit all. For example: government workers, who currently trap and kill feral cats, could be re-trained to care for the colonies themselves. Costs should be about the same, perhaps even less for the management program. The numbers of feral cat colony members will gradually be reduced and costs will decrease as well. Shelter employees and volunteers could also be recruited to assist in colony management. Local shelters are likely to have more time, money, and manpower available when their facilities are not overburdened.

Cat owners should not be forced by the government to keep their pets indoors. Tax dollars would be better spent on education programs concerning the responsibilities of pet ownership, the importance of spaying and neutering as well as the benefits of TNR for both communities and cats.