New York State should outlaw free-roaming cats
A Change.org petition is calling for the legalization of bodega cats. Credit: Getty Images / iStock
Feral cats are a threat to humans and birds
New York State legislators should make free-roaming cats illegal, just like dogs, instead of banning declawing [“NY bill would ban declawing of cats,” News, May 3].
Cats carry a parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis, which is linked to human miscarriages, flu-like symptoms, blindness and possibly mental illness. In the United States, outdoor cats kill about 2.4 billion birds a year, according to the American Bird Conservancy.
Yet, when I tried to have cats removed from a community garden, I discovered that animal control agencies won’t remove feral cats under state law. Cats can roam free, and cat fanciers delude themselves that spay and neuter programs decrease the number of feral cats.
Frances Whittelsey, Huntington
