Feral cats lead a reclusive life and may get infected by several microorganisms. This can unintentionally spread to humans who come into contact with these creatures. Although it is not the cat’s fault, the spreading of disease from feral cats to humans can be prevented.
Adoption programs, vaccination for humans and cats, and being responsible humans are all part of the strategies that can be taken to reduce the effects of feral cats. Learn more in detail about the effects of feral cats on public health and safety and what can be done about it.
How do Feral Cats Pose a Threat to Public Health and Safety?
Although not done intentionally, feral cats pose health and safety problems for humans. By dispersing parasites and illnesses, destroying gardens and property, and creating a disturbance in the neighborhood, feral cats may have a direct influence on humans. Many of these problems can be tackled easily with the right measures and some human efforts.
Cats are also known to spread the plague, ringworm, hookworm, salmonellosis, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and cat scratch fever. They are also considered the most frequent carriers of the disease in domestic animals. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s really fairly unusual for cats to transmit illnesses to people. This rarity increases when considering wild cats, who often stay away from people. Vaccination against diseases such as rabies can effectively prevent this highly unlikely situation.
Moreover, some people may feel threatened in the presence of feral cats thinking they pounce and attack them. This can make people anxious and cause them stress. However, feral cats almost never attack humans. In fact, they avoid humans as far as possible. If you feed them, they may even become friendly toward you, but they do not have the instincts to attack humans unless provoked.
How to Reduce the Effects of Feral Cats on Public Health and Safety?
Feral cats do not intentionally want to cause harm to humans. So, blaming them for disease transmission and public safety is not the right thing to do. Taking responsible measures to prevent and reduce the effects of feral cats can effectively maintain public health and safety. Below are some of the ways to reduce the impact of feral cats on public health and safety.
1. Don’t Abandon Your Pets
It is common sense that you should never euthanize or abandon unwanted pets by throwing them into the wild. In most situations, this leads to the pet’s death through exposure, malnutrition, or predation. Those who make it become a significant element of the feral cat population. As the cats start living in untidy conditions, which they are not used to, they become prone to a variety of diseases. Instead of taking such a dire measure, you should make an effort to put your cat on adoption, collaborate with a neighborhood rescue organization, or give your unwanted cat to a nearby animal shelter.
2. Adopt Instead of Buying
In shelters and on the streets, feral cats number is in the millions, and they keep increasing day by day. So, when you want to own a pet cat, why spend thousands when you can have them for free? You can adopt a feral cat from a neighborhood shelter or rescue organization when you are looking for a new pet. Support initiatives to advertise adoption programs in your neighborhood, even if you don’t want to own a cat.
3. Mandate Vaccination Programs
Vaccination programs for feral can help prevent numerous diseases they are blamed for causing in humans. These programs can effectively help reduce the effects of feral cats on public health and safety. Not just for feral cats, mandating vaccination against potential cat diseases that can spread to the human population can keep us in a safe zone. Moreover, feral cat disease prevention kits such as tick prevention supplements like PetArmor CAPACTION Oral Flea Treatment for Cats can be mixed with food to have positive effects on disease prevention.
Conclusion
Being a responsible human is the first step towards preventing and reducing the effects of feral cats on public health and safety. Feral cats don’t spread diseases and cause harm because they want to, but it happens anyway. Taking the right measures can avoid such situations and help in peaceful co-existence with these creatures.
