411 Wigfall Street

Edgefield, SC 29824

February 6, 2022

The Editor

Edgefield Advertiser

Edgefield, SC 29824

I am writing with three purposes—to express a strong objection to the poisoning of cats in my neighborhood, to warn neighbors of the problem, and to mention benefits to the community when someone befriends feral cats.

Two of our cats have died, one a poisoning case affirmed by a veterinarian. My neighbors and I want to express our shock and condemnation. The blood work done on the cat seen by the vet clearly indicated poison; the unexplained corpse of another cat, found in my back yard, seems another example. We don’t find dead cats on our street. When poison appears, we have to ask, Who? This creates suspicion on a previously happy and peaceful street. We are horrified and utterly condemn this behavior. It’s cruel to make available to animals something dangerous that looks like food. Who would do something like this?

Another thing worth noting is the benefit to a town when citizens trap, neuter, and return ferals to their environment. The TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program is widely approved by such organizations as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACCA), plus hundreds of TNR groups around the country, as well as concerned individuals who help as they can. Neutering and returning feral cats to their usual area seems the only way to humanely control a town’s cat population. It certainly has been effective on my part of Wigfall Street. I appreciate our Animal Control and local vets!

Not everyone likes cats. Not everyone is ready for a pet, and both viewpoints are understandable. Those who do may be pleased to learn of numerous benefits in having a feline companion. An online search lists better health, for example. A feline pet appears to lower the owner’s blood pressure, causes a 30% better chance of avoiding a heart attack, reduces stress and loneliness in a person’s life, and helps him or her have a sense of purpose in caring for the cat. This final benefit seems to encourage better care of oneself and other people. All this comes from studies scientifically performed and recorded. A final benefit, also backed by the evidence of survey findings, surprised me: Women seem to see the men who are cat-owners as “nicer.” Who would have thought?

Whether or not a person likes cats or chooses to have one as a pet is certainly their option. However, dislike or deciding against a pet affords no license for cruelty! To put out poison for the animals nearby is wrong. It could be a danger to small children playing in a yard and it could kill wild life, of which Edgefield has its share. It is illegal to kill endangered species. Who can be sure that the listed types of frogs, salamanders, and woodpeckers will not be affected by poison left on the ground? I live by a creek and see plenty of wildlife.

Thank you for helping us make this concern public.

                                                                                                            Sigrid Fowler

Representing a neighborhood group

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