Jan 28, 2017 5 min read

I am writing this in response to Page Williams’ Jan. 15 letter concerning the cats at the Washington County Fairgrounds. After reading her letter, it seems fair to argue that not only does it lack verifiable substance, but it also contains informal fallacies and counterfactual information, and betrays a lack of knowledge with regard to Washington County itself.

First, one might wonder why an individual from Texas is concerning herself with the fairground cats? Based on her letter, it seems that Williams has little knowledge of either TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return to caretaker) or its Washington County advocates.

Williams use of the informal fallacy of hasty generalization to characterize those individuals committed to TNVR as an under-informed, confused, intimidating minority, driven by misplaced altruism, is not only a logical fallacy but laughable. Her jump to judgment flies in the face of the facts. The individuals managing colonies and engaging in TNVR in Washington County may be more accurately described as doctors, Vietnam War veterans, farmers, nurses, state employees, business owners, school teachers, and a variety of others driven by a commitment to justice for the feline victims of human irresponsibility. They are Washington County residents who donate both their time and money in an attempt to aid those who cannot speak for themselves.

A minority, she claims? Just ask Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan, who stated she received more calls from people concerned about the well-being of the fairground cats than the property tax reassessment.

My own article on TNVR is nearing readiness for submission to the Journal of Animal Ethics. The paper’s focus is on the Colony Cat Project, a three-year, privately funded TNVR project undertaken in Washington County. The study data suggests that TNVR, done properly, does in fact create managed colonies in which the cats living in those colonies live long, healthy lives. Based on the data obtained, Williams’ claims of sick, unhealthy colony cats are without merit. In fact, cats in properly managed colonies, those conforming to accepted standards of management, receive veterinary care as needed, are well fed and provided shelter. Anyone who doubts this claim is free to contact any of our local veterinarians who work with area colony cat caretakers on a regular basis.

Additionally, the study data suggests that for every 1,000 cats receiving TNVR in a given year, $600,000.00 of private funds goes into the local economy. This in contrast to the $75 to $100 cost to taxpayers in our area to trap/kill a single cat.

Williams’ claim that there is no research that supports TNVR’s success at population reduction, fails to take into account much of the recently published research. She further chooses to ignore the documented evidence that trap/kill is not only inhumane, but has also failed miserably at feline population reduction, while at the same time costing local taxpayers considerable sums of money.

Williams also deploys the rabies card. Yes, Pennsylvania has been among the top states for rabies in the last several years, and we need to step up our enforcement of our vaccination laws. However, the latest available data from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture suggests there were seven reported rabies cases in Washington County in 2015. One of which was a cat, but not a colony cat. Williams fails to take into account the Centers for Disease Control data that suggests 90 percent of rabid animals are wildlife, and bats are among the leading carriers of rabies. I know of no causal correlation that can be made between feeding colony cats and attracting bats. Actually, TNVR addresses the issue of rabies, because the “V” in TNVR that stands for “vaccinate” requires colony cats be vaccinated against rabies and distemper.

Williams’ also seems to lack the knowledge that TNVR is practiced globally, and that many countries that practice TNVR are also rabies-free countries. This fact suggests that rabies may be in fact controlled in the wildlife population provided proper policies are in place.

I respectfully request that before anyone considers jumping on Williams’ cat-demonizing train, they please consider that for at least 5,000 years, the cat has served man as both rat patrol and morale raiser. TNVR, while not perfect, is globally accepted as the most humane method of addressing the homeless cat population; a problem created by human irresponsibility

Clearly, the current heroin epidemic is the major public health concern facing Washington County, not the 40 well-cared-for colony cats residing at the county-owned fairgrounds. In fact, the colony cats at the fairgrounds attest to the success of TNVR. Their numbers have been greatly reduced from the 200 cats that populated the fairgrounds in the 1990s to the 40 cats currently cared for by their dedicated caregivers, many of whom who have cared for the cats on a daily basis for more than 18 years, donating both their time and money. Rather than classifying these caring individuals as misguided, under-informed individuals, we should applaud them for their compassion and the contribution they have made to make the fairgrounds a better place, not only for the cats but for its visitors. No longer do 200 often-sick cats inhabit the fairgrounds because private individuals and organizations cared and addressed an injustice. This speaks well of Washington County and its residents.

Faith Bjalobok is a McMurray resident and an assistant professor of philosophy at Duquesne University.