A file photo of a Marshall homeless cat.
(Photo: John Grap/Enquirer file)
MARSHALL, TEXAS – It appears that there is a large population of feral cats in the city and one resident is not taking lightly to the inhumane things that are being done to some of these cats!
That resident is no other than American actress, entertainer, businesswoman and film historian, Debbie Reynolds.
Recently, a litter of newborn kittens was “buried alive” and Ms. Reynolds got wind of it.
She wrote a letter to the person or persons who were responsible for this horrendous act and it was published in a local Texas publication.
The letter stated as follows:
“Shame on whoever killed and buried the tiny newborn kittens in the park in Marshall. I hope at least you killed them first and didn’t bury them alive, although with the dirt up their noses it appears you may have done just that.
We were aware they were there and would have taken them out of the park when they were six weeks old.
Like it or not, Marshall has a feral cat problem, perpetuated by people who constantly and illegally abandon their domestic cats in the parks. Most of the time the abandoned cats are pregnant females who give birth before they are found.
While these cats have been a source of contention with the city for years, consider what kind of a problem there would have been had we not spent thousands of dollars over the years trying to control the population. We have removed approximately 30 domestic drop-offs and at least 5,560 feral kittens, socializing, neutering, vaccinating and placing them in homes.
Currently, the feral cats in Marshall are being cared for in a way so as to reduce and eventually eliminate the colonies. (We do have other things we’d like to spend our money on besides people’s abandoned pets). They are trapped, neutered, treated for fleas and worms and vaccinated for rabies.
Usually one from the litter or colony will be tested for feline diseases, of which we have never found them to have. All cats and kittens that can be removed are removed and rehomed. Those that are too feral are returned to where we found them. Quite often, we end up trapping and “fixing” neighborhood cats that are allowed to wander.
In the 21st century, progressive countries like those in Western Europe, and progressive cities like New York, are humanely caring for their feral cats. Disneyland has over 200 feral cats that live in the park, and many of our major universities — Stanford, Auburn, Texas A&M , and Arizona State, to name a few — have feral cats on their campuses. Last year, the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids contacted a feral cat group and asked if they would come in and trap, neuter, return, and then care for the cats that were living at the airport. How progressive it that?
I sat in a café in northern Paris last summer and was charmed to see a “street” cat walk into the café and get a little treat from the owner. That would never happen around here. We’d have had the cat killed and checked for rabies and the café shut down and sanitized.
Intelligent and compassionate people know that killing is no longer acceptable. It’s time to move forward, into the 21st century.”
We here at the Best Cat Page would like to second each and every word written by Mr. Reynolds letter. She told it “just like it is.” And we are quite sure all of the followers of our page will agree with her, too!
Wake up, world … the feral cats aren’t what’s wrong with the world. The cruelty and heartlessness shown to them, however, is!
