LETTER: Las Vegas and stray cats

Thank you for your comprehensive article about the homeless cat issue in the Las Vegas Valley (Jan. 20 Review-Journal). Many of us who love cats are especially concerned about too many stray cats and the efforts to bring the number down in a humane way. Trapping, spaying/neutering and vaccinating are the only way to reduce the number, but unfortunately the need is so great that a lot more resources must be allocated to the effort.

C5, Community Cats Coalition of Clark County, has many volunteers who trap, spay or neuter, vaccinate then release these cats where they were trapped. And yet they cannot keep up with the need.

There are actually many more of us who do what cat-feeder James Mah does and protect these cats and yet feel overwhelmed at the sheer numbers of these poor creatures.

Your headline said “carefree,” but these cats do not lead carefree lives even if they are spayed/neutered. Unless they are in the care of responsible people, they are left to fend for themselves in an often hostile environment. They must constantly look for food and water, and avoid dogs, unfriendly people, vehicle traffic and, unfortunately, coyotes. When given a safe space from a caring person, they can thrive and they do not fight, spray, howl or engage in other behaviors that we don’t like. They can even become quite tame.

I encourage everyone who has cats, feral or otherwise, to have them spayed or neutered and vaccinated. And keep them inside if you can, or make your yard a safe space for them.