Around the bonobos, this cat was our idea of pest control. He slept during the day, and patrolled for rats and mice at night. In Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), cats were feared and abused, because of a rumor that they carried tuberculosis in their fur. (This disease misconception came from cats' purr, the sound that people imagined came from damaged, tubercular lungs).Outdoor cats are controversial, because they are indiscriminate hunters, taking rodents as well as song birds. However, over 30 years of research has shown that it is impossible to eliminate feral cats, because the "holes" created by their removal are quickly filled by new cats moving in. The best alternative is to neuter, vaccinate, and feed the ferals, thus creating a permanent, managed colony.
In Jacksonville, the city's Animal Control is now promoting such a program, and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is following this lead by monitoring a vet-checked population of resident cats. Any animals that hunt song birds will be found homes.
Photo by D. Messinger
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