Post in Elite (licensed) feline owners, unite!

Mar 22 16:46 UTC

I just checked the city's link:  it's still valid, though you may need to
cut and paste it into your browser:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2008-meetings/20080404/Docs/Pet-Licensing-RCA.pdf

Despite the fact that the city's motive may indeed be a need for revenue,
there really ARE good reasons for the city to promote licensing (and hence
vaccination and sterilization) of pets, though I think the best incentive
might be a cheaper licensing cost ($30/year per vaccinated/sterilized pet
seems a little steep to me, especially for an indoor animal).

There are especially good reasons to license cats.  Cats are polyestrous,
which means they can go into heat almost spontaneously (and several times
a year).  According to an article in the Journal of the American
Veterinary Association, a 2004 study of free-roaming domestic cats
indicated that "Cats produced a mean of 1.4 litters/year, with a median of
3 kittens/litter (range, 1 to 6). Overall, 127 of 169 (75%) kittens died
or disappeared before 6 months of age. Trauma was the most common cause of
death."

I've heard that cats really do reproduce at staggering rates:  one source
I found on the web speculates that "2 uncontrolled breeding cats produce:
2 litters a year, at a survival rate of 2.8 kittens per litter. Continued
breeding will produce 12 cats the first year, 66 cats the second year,
2,201 cats in the third year, 3,822 cats in the fourth year, 12,680 cats
in the fifth year, and on and on . . . ."

Domestic cats are also prone to disease, including feline leukemia--a
disease that won't spread to humans, but it certainly will spread to other
felines.

And I agree with those who argue that it does seem silly to license indoor
pets.  However, the city's dilemma is likely to be this:  what guarantees
do they have that your animal is indeed kept indoors?  And what happens if
the animal escapes (as mine have occasionally done, though they are indeed
indoor animals)?

Liz McLemore
Bancroft