An Opinion: Everyone Has One

There appears to be many opinions on how to manage the estimated 50 million feral and stray cats.  I sometimes find it hard to believe there are that many out there.  Who took the latest census on cats?  How did they come up with that number?  People are counted every ten years and even then the number is inaccurate.  But according to what I have read, there are that many cats out there.  Even if one has never seen a feral cat, it likely one is in your neighborhood.  So, I should not question, but take it all as fact.  I simply do my best to be protective of the few I can.  Until I started feeding stray cats, I never saw them.  But then again, I never looked for them.  Now I seem to see cats everywhere.

             I was standing in a check-out line at a grocery store.  I was paying for only cat food at the time.  It never fails to bring a comment from the person in the line behind me.
            “How many cats do you have?”  It is the number one question that is asked of me.  One day a lady did not stop the conversation with the one mere question.  She continued to talk after I told her I fed stray cats.
            “We don’t have any stray cats in my neighborhood,” replied the lady.
              I had a come-back answer.
              “Why don’t you put out some cat food and find out.  That is how I started feeding stray cats.”
              The stray lives in shadows-the alleyways, empty lots and condemned buildings-of almost every neighborhood.  The stray cat’s life is short and usually harsh.  He/she struggles to find food and water in an environment filled with the constant threats of disease, starvation, cruelty and predators.
               I was standing in line to go in a food bank with someone who lost her job.  There was a conversation that commenced between me and a man behind us.  He was down and out about our economy and all the unemployed unable to find work.  He went right into downing people who take care of animals.
            “I think they should stop helping and caring for animals.  The money they spend should be spent on the people.”
            “I think you’re talking to the wrong person.  I feed stray cats.” I continued in saying, “If you’re worried about unemployment, you need to think about this.  If you stopped all people who did anything to help animals, how many people do you think would be unemployed then?”
           We all have opinions and too often we give them.  I do what I think is right.  As for cats, they are God's creatures put on this earth for a reason.  My opinion becomes one of respect for the innocent cat.  I can't do much, but at least I am doing something.