Feral cats can be socialized. Those that do not tame down are the exception, not the rule.

Nancy, where is your scientific proof that TNR reduces disease transmission? Please cite your studies. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians has stated that there is no evidence that colony management programs will reduce diseases.

http://tnrrealitycheck.com/media/NASPHV....

Also:

http://www.wildlifedisease.org/Documents...

TNR, according to the AVMA, does not result in a statistically significant reduction in the feral cat population.

PETA does not condone TNR as a humane method for feral cats.

As for what the goals are for 'bird and wildlife advocates' speak for yourself. If the goal is not to have cats predate on native wildlife, the cats need to be removed or contained. That does not happen in TNR. If euthanasia is unpalatable, then encourage true compromises like sanctuary and fenced-in colonies and socialization-adoption that truly protect both cats and wildlife.

How do you know there are fewer cats in TNR? Maybe there are more as a result of TNR. Not every cat is trapped. Food attracts migrants. People dump pets. Caregivers add to their own colonies. Cite scientific proof.

http://tnrrealitycheck.com/references.as...

Cats do not defend their territories. They do not prevent other cats from joining the colony. Other cats find the food, people dump cats at colonies, and caregivers relocate cats from one colony to another.

TNR is ineffective and dangerous for wildlife and the environment and public health.

Cats kill much more than just mice and rats. The end does not justify the means.

http://tnrrealitycheck.com/

http://tnrrealitycheck.com/barn_cats.asp...

Feral cats are domestic animals - not wild animals. Wild cats are bobcats and panthers.

About toxo and marine life:

http://www.magazine.noaa.gov/stories/mag...

Funny, THOUSANDS of studies, and yet not one citation.

Do you know how NOT to insult people, btw, feral?

Feral cats are not wild animals. Wild cats are bobcats and panthers. Feral, stray, owned, whatever, they are ALL domestic cats. And how interesting that the TNR folks want to have their cake and eat it too. So, if a feral cat by definition is a wild animal, then why do we not have open season for them? Aahh... see this is when they back pedal and say, no! They are NOT wild animals. And, btw, I am not suggesting shooting feral cats - I AM pointing out that many TNR people will say whatever and do whatever just to keep the cat alive.

Cats are not 'non-toxic' rodent control. They kill a bunch more wildlife than just rodents. And they are the only species to shed toxoplasma gondii.

Pesticides, wind mills and cat predation are ALL serious causes of wildlife death. You let a cat loose? You degraded habitat. There is no ecological balance between a non-native invasive predator and native wildlife. The reason we do NOT need to trap and euthanize all those raccoons is cause their numbers don't come anywhere near that of cats.

The out of control population of the domestic cat vastly outnumbers all native predators put together.

Pix 21 - lets see this national data. Give a reference. Just a visit to the CDC website will show you just a sampling of the many diseases cats carry and transmit.

TNR has never been proven to work and is not so humane IMO.

Lokiloki, thanks for injecting some sanity here. By the way, cats are mesopredators - not apex.

Ferals can live, but they should be contained and away from wildlife. Wildlife has it hard enough - cats will never go extinct - lots of wildlife is endangered, threatened or under special concern status. They need all the help they can get and should not have the additional stress of the presence of free-roaming cats.