Cats or rats
To the editor:
Normally I wouldn’t respond to something that I was reprimanded for, however, I was accused of not knowing the facts before “tossing” around accusations. So here’s the facts – I have been to the Tropical Isle Trailer Park on several occasions, and with the help of Steve Boyette we removed eight of those “diseased, flea infested vermin cats” you so politely spoke of. Several had to be put down because they had feline leukemia, a few were pregnant and the social stray cats were fixed, given shots, flea treatment, wormed and then placed in the animal shelter for adoption – as opposed to dumping them on someone else’s property for others to deal with.
Would I prefer Animal Services be called in? Yes, if they are sickly, feral and unadoptable, they will be put down in a humanly manner – if they are social, they can be put up for adoption. Which is much better than starving or being torn apart by a coyote. And by the way, “Heaven” is not a bad place when you consider the alternatives for these “diseased, flea infested vermin cats.” (I am sure they would much prefer a better lifestyle if given a choice, but some humans made this choice of lifestyle for them.)
This being an agricultural island, we have a need for outdoor cats for rat control alone and contrary to what many many think, cats don’t eat rats, they only kill them. Many palm and fruit grove owners on this island keep stray cats on their property for just this reason. These cats are well cared for; they have shelter and are feed every day just to insure they stay on the grove property. Can you imagine the rat problem we would have if it weren’t for these cats?
As far as being disrespectful to this woman, I don’t even know who she is. The residents there told me the story of her trapping cats and relocating them, which they said, you told them about her and you gave her the trap to use. Now why would they make up a story like that?
I have taken care of more than 300 cats on this island with the help of true “animal lovers’ who call me with their problem of stray cats. What Steve and I did at your trailer park, I do for others all over the island. It’s not a cat problem, it’s a people problem and the cats suffer for it.
By the way Joe, you should be thanking Steve for calling me because if he hadn’t you would have had an awful lot of sick and pregnant cats running around. In my book that makes Steve the hero and true animal lover – he did “the right thing,” all the residents and Tropical Isle benefited from this.
Edith Schulte
Bokeelia