Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandouts_Regular_Tab 06_03/14/2013_Frank D'Ambra McWilliams, Lori From: Frank D'Ambra [frank@poiesismedical.com� ', Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 12:17 PM ' To: McWilliams, Lori ' Cc: Couzzo, Michael Subject: Feral Cats At#achments: feral cats.pdf, Feral 8 Free Ranging Cats Position Statement.pdf Fol�w Up Flag: Follow up Due By: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 2:30 PM �, Flag Status: Flagged ' Lori, Some additional prespectives on the feral cat issue. Also attached are two articles from The WildNife Society. Please distribute to the council and have copies of all articles available to the public at Thursdays meetirig. Thank you. Feeding feral cats is cruel • BY NATHAN DIAS — Post & Courier (South Carolina) ' • Posted: Monday, April 27, 200912:01 a.m. I I have been following recent newspaper articles and letters to the editor about feral cat Golonies with some dismay. These discussions seem mostly limited to issues of the feral cats' individual welfa�e and "humane" treatment, while not sufficiently considering the whole picture — which includes human health and native wildlife conservation. Although Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) advocates and feral cat colony maintainers have admirable sympathies for fellow creatures (feral cats), I wonder where their sympathy is for the vast number of natiue creatures that non- native feral cats kill or maim? Where is their sympathy for the children who are at risk of �ontracting injury, diseases or parasites from roaming feral cats? , In order to return the debate to its proper scope, I offer the following facts. It is virtually impossible to annually capture and vaccinate a11 members of significant feral cat colonies. This is because after tl�e first time or two they are captured, feral cats tend to avoid traps. It is also due to other ca.uses — including the roaming tendencies of tomcats, as well as the difficulty of capturing some wary individuals even fox the first time. For similar reasons, it is also very difficult to capture and spay/neuter 100 percent of the feral �ats at any given colony, especially before they reproduce. Feral cat colonies pose human health risks. They� are what epidemiologists ca11 "disease reservoirs" — the colonies harbor diseases in unvaccinated members over the long term. Members of feral cat colonies spread diseases and parasites via bites, scratches, and �ecal contamination (of beach sand, children's sandboxes, vegetable gardens, and flower beds to name a few v�ctors). Such diseases and parasites include rabies, toxoplasmosis, roundworna, hookworm, and others. Fera1 cat� also harbor and spread fleas and ticks. These are some of the reasons S.C. law says, "if you feed a feral cat, you ate responsible f�r vaccinating it." Similarly, the U.S. Navy has forbidden the feeding and maintenance of feral ca.t colonies dn a11 Navy installations in order "to prevent injury or disease to Navy personnel, and eliminate adversie impacts on native wildlife." If you have a feral cat colony being maintained next door, you and your childreri are at increased risk for being bitten by rabid animals (either feral cats or the wild animals they infect). By con4parison, the Centers 1 ' la-L m � ' 3-►y -►3 ' hr��.� _ �J�fl�h� for Disease Control recently announced that canine rabies has been virtually eliminated in�the U.S. by vaccination programs, licensing, and stray dog control — as opposed to allowing people to maintain feral dog colonies. If similar actions were ta.ken rega.rding feral cats, the public health and wildlife blenefits would be enormous. TNR does nothing to protect native wildlife from fihe harm caused by feral cats. Even well�fed and spayed/neutered feral cats sti11 have a terrible effect on our native wildlife, which lack evolutionary measures to protect against these non-native predators. Local populations of na.tive birds like Painted Buntings, Common Ground-Doves, and Chuck-will's-widows (to name but a few) can be decimated by feral c�t colonies. Loca1 populations of sma11 reptiles and a.mphibians also suffer terribly due to well-intentioned p�ople artificially maintaining feral cat populations. ', Leaving food out for feral cat colonies invariably provides food to raccoons. This artificially enhances and attracts raccoon populations, increasing the risk of human exposure to rabies, ra.ccoon rou�dworm (a fatal disorder) and other ailments. ', Feral cat colonies in beachfront areas are especially harmful to human health and wildlife. In such settings, children digging and playing in the sand are at increased risk of contracting diseases or patasites. Beach-nesting and roosting birds are especially vulnerable to feral cats. To date, there is no scientific proof that TNR reduces the number of feral cats in an azea It is not feasible to perform TNR on the millions of feral cats in the U.S. ar the tens of thousands of them in the Lowcountry. Therefore, T'NR is not a fe�.sible solution to the feral cat problem. In light of these proven detrimental effects to humans and native species (that belong here'and our ecosystem depends upon), feral cat colonies should not be fed and maintained. Feral cats fhat are captured should not be released. They should either be adopted and then kept indoors, or painlessly euthanized. ' Stray Cat Diseases Ezpert Interview ' Dr. Hohenhaus is Chairman of the Department of Medicine at The Animal Medical Cente� of New York, the city's largest facility for a.nimal care, reseazch and education. As such, she has first hand knowledge of the health risks strav cats face while living life on the streets. She also understands the risks good Samaritans face when they try to care for these poor creatures. ' Topic: Stray Cat Diseases Dr. Hohenhaus, are stray cats more prone to disease than the average pet? If so, why? Yes, stray cats are typically more prone to disease than the average house cat. This is due to many factors. A stray is more likely to have never been vaccinated. Malnutrition also weakens a cat's abilitly to fight off infections and illness. Cats that aren't spaved/neutered can also transfer infections/illnesse� during breeding, and queens become run down having multiple litters. Strays are exposed to a number of health'� risks on a daily basis. These include: • Exposure to other cats that are sick • Exposure to other animals that transmit disease, such as mice that carry Toxoplasmosis ' z ' , • Wounds caused from fighting • Traumas caused by getting hit by a car What kinds of diseases are most commonly found in stray cats? ', Many cat diseases are transmitted from cat-to-cat, often from mother to kitten. This can haippen through biting, or, like the common cold, by a.ix. In my opinion, Felv/FIV retroviral infections, which are �elated to cancer and immunosuppression, are some of the most prevalent diseases found in stray cat populationis.Other infectious diseases found in these populations are the same ones your cat is vaccina.ted against. Thes� include calicivirus and rhinotracheitis, which are upper respiratory viruses. These diseases make cats sick, bult they probably won't kill the cat unless it has other concurrent problems or is a severely affected kitten. Panleukopenia is another serious intestinal infection that destroys white blood cells, reducing a cat's ability to fight c1ff opportunistic infections. It's totally preventable by vaccination, but cats that get the disease rarely survi�ie, even with veterinary intervention. , Can any of these stray cat diseases be transmitted to humans? If so, what can people d0 to lower their risk? The major risk to good Samaritans in adopting a feral cat is being bitten, so it's very impottant to ta.ke great care when handling a semi-wild feline. The United States Public Health Service has identified �ive diseases which can be transmitted from cats to humans. These are of special concern far people with com�romised immune systems. The list includes: • Salmonellosis: A bacterial infection that causes diarrhea • Bartonellosis: Also known as cat scratch disease � • Cryptosporidiosis: Causes diarrhea , • Toxoplasmosis: Spread to humans via contact with cat feces • Campylobacterosis: Another diarrhea causing organism These diseases aze spread in feces so common-sense hygiene practices such as handwashing and wearing gloves should be followed when mana.ging the litter box of a newly-acquired stray cat. Any cat emthusiast with a compromised immune system should discuss pet ownership with both their physician and,veterinarian before deciding whether to adopt a cat. ', How common is rabies in stray cats? ' Ra.bies is transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal. Currently, the most important reservoir of rabies in the USA is wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats. However, 269 cases of feline rabies were reported in the USA in 2005, the most currently tabulated data. So, it is possible for stray ca.ts to transmit rabies to humans. For our readers, TTVAR stands for trap, test, vaccinate, alter and release. There are organizations all across the country that operate these programs in an effort to manage stray cat populations. Dr. Hohenhaus, how effective do you think these programs are, and how safe are they for the cats that pass through the program? ' Actually, these programs ha.ve been shown to decrease the feral cat population, but not co�npletely eliminate it. Happily, there do not seem to be any major adverse effects for cats in T'TVAR programs. . 3 � TNR Reality Check Our Missions: ' To educate the public about the negative effects Trap-Neuter-Release' (Trap-Neuter- Return) has on native wildlife, domestic cats and humans through wel�-documented facts, scientific literature and respected resources. ' To provide local governments and constituents recommendations regarding the free- roaming and feral cat issue that do not result in harmful consequence� for wildlife or inhumane outcomes for cats. ' To present helpful and interesting information related to wild animals ,and domestic cats. TNR is NOT Good Public Health Policy ' Artificially susta.inin�an abnormally h:gh concentration of animals that are not �etting re�ular veterinarv caze and to which the �eneral public has access cannot be good for public health. Disease can be more easily spread in these colonies from cat to cat, cat to wild animal, wild animal to cat, and cat and wild amimal to human. Given the tendencv for humans to come to the aid of a ca.t or kitten we should be concernei�d. We must address the management of cat colonies on the basis of what we know to be�ltrue in terms of public and environmental health. 1. We know from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (htt�://tnrrealitycheck.com/media/NASPHV.pd� "...no evidence exists that maintained ca�t colonies adequately reduce human public health risks or appropriately address their impact on pets or native w�ildlife". They state, "...the maintenance of free-roaming/unowned/feral ca.ts can be detrimental to public and �nvironmental health.. .". They further state that, "There is no evidence tha.t colony management programis will reduce diseases such as bartonellosis, larval migrans, toxoplasmosis, and vector-borne zoonotic diseases. �a.bies will also continue to be a risk, as such colonies are not closed". Finally, they state that, "Several reports suggest that support of "managed cat colonies" may increa.se the public's likelihood of abandoni.ng unwanted pets in lieu or more responsible options". ', 2. We know from the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians ' �� (http://www.tnrrealitycheck.com/media/AAWV.pd� that Bites, scra.tches, and feces fro�1 feral cats can be a significant risk for exposure to several zoonotic diseases to the people that care far the fer�1 cats as well as the general public". 3. We know the Association of Avian Veterin�rians (http://aav.org/association/index.php?content=feralCats) ".. . seeks to preserve species and their natural habitats, and has adopted the philosophy th�t veterinarians should ta.ke a leading role in preventa.tive care for all earth" and "supports actions by government,�1 wildlife agencies, public health agencies, and public or private organizations to ban or elirninate cat colonies on public lands in a humane manner and discourage feral cat colonies on private lands". ' 4 ' 4. The Wildlife Disease Association ' (http://www.wildlifedisease.org/Documents/WDA RESOLUTION ON FERAL CATS.�dfl also "supports actions by wildlife mana.gement and land management agencies, public health agencies and private organizations to ban or eliminate feral cat colonies". They state that, "feral and free-rangin� cats may serve as reservoirs of disease for native wildlife and the public". 5. The recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for protedtion from toxoplasmosis is to avoid stray cats and kittens ' (http://www.cdc.�ov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/resources/toxo cat owners 8-2004.pd�. FwCthermore, the CDC recently announced that the results of a study show Toxocara (roundworm) infection to bejmore common than previously thought ( http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/vetec/Veterinarv+business/Mare-than-one-in-10- people-infected-with-Toxocara-/ArticleStandard/Article/detaiU571976 ). Finally, the CDC'recently announced that canine rabies has been eliminated in the U.S. through the implementation of dog vaccination, licensing and stray dog control (not by ma.intaining free-roaming feral dog colonies). Nationwide, cats a,�counted for 54 percent of domestic animals found with rabies in 2005. In 2006, cases of rabies in ca.ts inc�eased 18.2% compared with the number reported in 2005. Raccoons top the list, but cats are the leadang, carriers by far among domestic animals. In the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2�008, the recommenda.tion is that, "Stra�ogs, cats and ferrets should be removed from the commu.�ity". There seems to be a wide array of consensus from the scientific and public health communities that cats should be removed from the environmen� This demonstrates a need to advise people'to avoid stray cats and kittens, not allow their own pets to roam, not to put pet food outdoors, and NOT �to maintain cat colonies. I ������ I � �+1��1��tk. Frank D'Ambra /ll ' Senior Vice President & COO O: 561.842J560 x502 C: 561.676.5313 frank@poiesismedical.com ' www.poiesismedical.com 250 Tequesta Drive, Suite 200 Tequesta, Florida 33469 Better Patient Care by DesignTM' I 5 I' �,,.' - �� . .�- i . � Excellence dn bVdld�ife Stewardst�ip Throe��h Science and Education Toxoplasmosis in Feral Cats: Health Risks to Humans and Wildlife Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) that poses serious health risks to humans and wildlife alike. One of the most common vectors of this parasite is the domestic cat. Feral cat colonies provide a reservoir for this infection and an opportunity for transmission between animals and humans. Cats are the primary host of T. gondii. The parasite can only reproduce by forming oocysts, the egg-like structure that allows the parasite to spread beyond its host into the environment outside. These oocysts can only be formed within the digestive system of cats. Birds, rodents, and other mammal species, including humans, can ingest oocysts of T. gondii which can then form tissue cysts. � After a cat is infected with the parasite, often by ingesting these tissue cysts, it begins to shed oocysts in its feces. Hundreds of millions of oocysts are released for days or weeks, and can persist in the soil for up to 18 months. 2 ' 3 The persistence of oocysts in the environment increases the probability of transmission to humans or wildlife. Cats with toxoplasmosis typically show no signs that they carry the disease. Humans can contract toxoplasmosis through contaminated soil or direct contact with cat feces. Oocysts can also make their way into the water suppl Feral cats and cougars were implicated in a water-borne outbreak of toxoplasmosis in British Columbia. Today, many people cite rodent control as one reason to keep a cat, but may not know that infected rodents can bring T. gondii into their cats, homes, and bodies. e . �� 5:�,„ - Q A A= ua s� � A � ��l �� v m° �� o � Tnsue O Cysta '�► ° � - - �- � e �� 4 � � ; � � ��� � Fepl Q OoCYBffi� Q � O � i�itV•n•.v:.v api u!<govWpa� Toxoplasmosis gondii is transmitted by oocysts from cat feces into the tissues of humans and ather animals. Photo Credit: CDC. Updated Jan. 2011 I' In rodents, the parasite can form cysts in the muscle and other tissues. When cysts form in tfie brain, the cat urine is transformed from a repellent to an attractant. This switch produces abnormal behaviors that make rodents more likely to be preyed upon by cats, transferring the parasite to the cat where it can reproduce. The fetal nervous system suffers when exposed to T. gondii: Neurological and ocular diseases are common outcomes of congenital infection with T.gondii in humans. People infected after birth, especially those with weakened immune systems, can also develop serious complications. Although many people and animals infected with T. gondii do not exhibit the symptoms associated with acute toxoplasmosis, the latent form of the disease can also have behavioral effects in humans. The parasite has been linked to higher rates of car accidents, schizophrenia, and altered personality in affected humans.� Toxoplasmosis from cats, both domestic and feral, can have negative impacts on native wildlife. Cats were implicated in outbreaks of toxoplasmosis among southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris) in California, where contaminated freshwater flows into marine habitats.� Resistance to euthanasia of feral cats by some groups has led to growing populations and could result in more oocysts in the environment, raising the risk of transmission to humans. Oocysts are likely to be more concentrated around feral cat colonies or residences with outdoor cats. Elmore et al. (2010) cited a North Carolina study that found that toxoplasmosis is more common in feral than pet cats. Although cats are typically only infected once before gaining immunity, the huge number of outdoor cats is enough to maintain a large volume of oocysts in the environment. Reducing the number of feral cats is an important step in toxoplasmosis prevention. � ° ' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2010. Parasites and Health: Toxoplasmosis. Available from: http://www.dpd.cdc.�ov/dpdx/HTML/Toxoplasmosis.htm. 'Dabritz, H.A., and P. A. Conrad. 2010. Cats and Tozoplasma: implications for public health. Zoonoses and Public Health. 57: 34-52. � Frenkel, J.K. 2000. Biology of Toxoplasma gondii. Pages 9-25 in P.Ambroise-Thomas and E. Petersen, editors. Congenital toxoplasmosis: scientific background, clinical management and control. Springer-Verlag, Paris. 4 Elmore, S.A., J.L. Jones, P.A. Conrad, S. Patton, D.S. Lindsay, and J.P. Dubey. 2010. Toxoplasma gondii: epidemiology, feline clinical aspects, and prevention. Trends in Parasitology 26(4): 190-196. 5 Bowie, W.R., A.S. King, D.H. Werker, J.L. Isaac-Renton, A. Bell, S.B. Eng, S.A. Marion. 1997. Outbreak of toxoplasmosis associated with municipal drinking water. The Lancet. 350:173-177. 6 Dabritz and Conrad 2010. ' Elmore et al. 2010. 8 Miller, M.A., W.A. Miller, P.A. Conrad, E.R. James, A.C. Melli, C.M. Leutenegger, H.A. Dabritz, A.E. Packham, D. Paradies, M. Harris, J. Ames, D.A. Jessup, K. Worcestor, and M.E. Grigg. 2008. Type X Toxoplasma gondii in a wild mussel and terrestrial carnivores from coastal California: new linkages between terrestrial mammals, runoff and toxoplasmosis of sea otters. International Journal for Parasitology 38(11):1319-28. 9 Dabritz, H.A., E.R. Atwill, I.A. Gardner, M.A. Miller, and P.A. Conrad. 2006. Outdoor fecal depasition by free- roaming cats and attitudes of cat owners and nonowners towards stray pets, wildlife and water pollution. Journal of the American Veter-inary Medicine Association 229: 74-81. 16 Dabritz and Conrad 2010. Updated Jan. 2011 i o ������ � �� � THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY � o �, . �,� �� �� � 5410 Grosvenor Lane • Bethesda, MD 20814-2197 Tel: (301) 897-9770 • Fax: (301) 530-2471 E-mail: tws@wildlife.org Final Position Statement Feral and Free-Ranging Domestic Cats Feral and free-ranging domestic cats are exotic species to North America. Exotic species are recognized as one of the most widespread and serious threats to the integrity of native wildlife populations and natural ecosystems. Exotic species present special challenges for wildlife managers because their negative impacts on native species are poorly understood by the public to the point that many exotic species are perceived as a natural component of the environment. Some exotic species have advocacy groups that promote their continued presence, and few policies and laws deal directly with their control. Perhaps no issue has captured more of the challenges for contemporary wildlife management than the impacts of feral or free-ranging domestic cats and their impacts on native wildlife. Domestic cats originated from an ancestral wild species, the European and African wild cat (Felis silvestris). The domestic cat (Felis catus) is now considered a separate species, and is found on a117 continents, with 600 million cats worldwide and 148-188 million within the U.S.. Domestic cats have great reproductive potential. Individuals become sexually mature as early as 6 months of age, and reproduction can occur throughout the year. A single female may produce as many as 3 litters each year with 2 to 4 kittens per litter, with the capacity to successfully raise as many as 12 offspring in any given year. A growing body of literature strongly suggests that domestic cats are significant predators on small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Feral and free-ranging cats also serve as reservoirs for several diseases, including rabies, toxoplasmosis, bartonellosis, typhus, and feline immunodeficiency virus, that can have significant effects on the health of humans, wildlife, and other domestic animals. Because humans often feed free-ranging cats, they can reach population levels that may result in abnormally high predation rates on wildlife and increase the spread of diseases. Domestic cats have tremendous impacts on wildlife and are responsible for the extinction of numerous mammals, reptiles, and at least 33 bird species globally. Effects of cat predation and disease spread are most pronounced in island settings (both actual islands and islands of habitat), where populations of wildlife are already low or stressed by othe� factors. Effects are also significant in natural areas where cat colonies become established. Competition with native predators, disease implications for native wildlife populations, and pet owners' attitudes toward wildlife and wildlife management also are important issues. Extensive popular debate over absolute numbers or types of prey taken by feral and free-ranging cats is not productive. The number of cats is undeniably large. Even if conservative estimates of prey taken are considered, the number of prey animals killed is immense. The supplemental feeding of cats does not deter them from killing wildlife; often they do not eat what they kill. Likewise, population-level impacts of diseases associated with cats have only been established in a few wildlife species, such as southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis), but negative individual Excellence in Wildlife Stewardship Through Science and Education I impacts clearly occur in an extremely wide range of species. Humans introduced cats to North America, and humans are ultimately responsible for the effects these animals have o� native wildlife species. ', The policy of The Wildlife Society regarding feral and free-ranging domestic cats is to: 1. Support and encourage the humane elimination of feral cat populations, inclu�ding feral cat colonies, through adoption into indoor-only homes of eligible cats and hu$�iane euthanasia of unadoptable cats. ' 2. Support the passage and enforcement of local and state ordinances prohibitin� the feeding of feral cats, especially on public lands, and the release of unwanted pet or fe�al cats into the wild. ' 3. Oppose the passage of any local or state ordinances that legalize the maintenalnce of "managed° (trap/neuter/release) free-ranging cat colonies. 4. Support educational programs and materials that provide scientific informatidn on feral cats and the negative effects on cats from living outdoors, and call on pet ow�lers to keep cats indoors, in outdoor enclosures, or on a leash. ' 5. Support programs to educate and encourage pet owners to neuter or spay thei# cats, and encourage all pet adoption programs to require potential owners to spay or neuter their Pet• 6. Support the development and dissemination of information on what individuajl cat owners can do to minimize predation by free-ranging cats, and to minimize potential Idisease transmission to humans, wildlife, cats, and other domestic animals. 7. Pledge to work with the conservation and animal welfare communities to edu�ate the public about the effects of free-ranging and feral cats on native wildlife, inclulding birds, sma11 mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and endangered species. 8. Support educational efforts to encourage the agricultural community to keep ffarm-cat numbers at low, manageable levels and use alternative, environmentally safe rodent control methods. 9. Support efforts to reduce risks to the health of humans and other animals pos�d by diseases and parasites of feral cats, including but not limited to removal of fre�e-ranging cats and elimination of feral cat colonies. Encourage researchers to develop, c�btain, and disseminate information on the impacts of feral and free-ranging cats on nativ�e wildlife populations, relative to predation, competition, and diseases. 10. Recognize that cats as pets have a long association with humans, and that res�onsible cat owners are to be encouraged to continue caring for the animals under their cointrol. Approved by Council August 2011. Expires August 2016. , Excellence in Wildlife Stewardship Through Science and Education ! ;