# What is the relative morality of trapping feral cats vs shooting them **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 29, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381 "2009-06-29T19:25:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381/21 "2009-06-30T15:03:54Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > That would be great, except part of the problem is that feral cats are actually using up the resources of the indigent animals, like foxes, racoons, etc. Those indigent animals, so shiftless! I bet THEY are socialists, hoping to suck up resources that those capitalist cats are more efficiently utilizing. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381/22 "2009-06-30T15:05:01Z")
I really have no opinion one way or another, but are there any cites that address the effectiveness of neuter and release? I’m just curious to know if it actually works. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381/23 "2009-06-30T15:18:03Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Those indigent animals, so shiftless! I bet THEY are socialists, hoping to suck up resources that those capitalist cats are more efficiently utilizing. > > Sorry. Gah! Stupid spell check. Indigenous! I meant Indigenous! (All though indigent _is_ more funny) ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381/24 "2009-06-30T15:21:35Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I really have no opinion one way or another, but are there any cites that address the effectiveness of neuter and release? I’m just curious to know if it actually works. We have an intensive neuter&release program in our hometown. It sort of works. However, for it to work you need an constant effort of volunteers to catch and neuter cats. (professionals are to expensive). We have that in our town, but it is a constant struggle to attract and keep volunteers. And if you let it slide… Urban areas offer unlimited food (household garbage) to cats, and unchecked, the population of cats is back to old numbers within a year or two, three. My province has done some research about “feral cats” hunting wildlife near urban area’s. They have caught and tagged cats that hunters swore were feral, to find out more about their spread and movement across the terrain. Surprisingly, the majority of such feral cats lived with people as pets or as semi-pets on a barn. That study concluded that there are very, very few true feral cats, and that the majority of the hunting (killing for sport of song birds and endangered smaller mammals) is done by pet cats taking a walk to the wild side. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381/25 "2009-06-30T15:31:07Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I really have no opinion one way or another, but are there any cites that address the effectiveness of neuter and release? I’m just curious to know if it actually works. The American Bird Conservancy has collected extensive studies providing genuine data, not merely assertions and apocryphal accounts. Their web site is [here](http://www.abcbirds.org/). Bottom line-- no, TNR does not realize the claims made for it. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381/26 "2009-06-30T16:34:11Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Charming. However, since the question was one of morality, bear in mind it is never moral to arbitrarily destroy someone else’s property. Wonderful. Then I’m sure you’ll agree that **Crafter\_Man** is just protecting himself from the immoral behavior of the pet owner who allows his property to arbitrarily destroy another’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-relative-morality-of-trapping-feral-cats-vs-shooting-them/501381.md?page=1)