Problems Associated with Cats in Bermuda
BFAB regulary deals with memebers of the public who are having problems with cats - both domestic & feral. There are problems that are common to all cats, as well as specific problems with feral cats. In general, a large percentage of the public are happy to have some cats around in order to control rats and, in some instances, because they are attractive to tourists.
Many of the problems that, in people's perception, cats cause are actually a result of anti-social or unhelpful behaviour on the part of humans. Common cat problems include:
- cats ripping up garbage bags that are ot in trash cans and making a mess at unsecured dumpsters;
- abandoned cats looking for a new home, stealing food put outside for pet cats;
- trespassing cats that disturb dogs, causing them to bark;
- aggressive behaviour and spraying to mark territory by cats that have not been fixed ;
- digging up flowers and vegetables in gardens and farms ;
- health risks from faeces - especially for people with suppressed immune systems;
- overpopulation - particularly in cases where people feed cats but do not spay or neuter them.
Some feral cat problems include:
- unattractiveness due to lack of food and/or poor health;
- posing a health threat to pet cats through injuries due to aggressive mating and fighting as well as the spread of infections such as FIV;
- dumping of cats and kittens in other neighbourhoods.
