The contraceptive drug known as FeralStat (megestrol acetate) used to be available to individuals and groups as the most practical and inexpensive method of controlling stray and feral cat colonies. It was working, but is no longer available. Even the FeralStat website has disappeared.
Why are birth control methods for cats so controversial? What is the controversy?
On the one hand, we have a large number of people complaining about the overpopulation problem, so clearly we would like to see fewer cats produced.
On the other hand, there is great disagreement as to how to achieve this. Some would like to see all cats eradicated, period, a concept explored in a recent article cited on my blog (see below). The reality is that it is not feasible, even if it were possible.
Since we humans have interfered with the natural order of everything, the balance has been disturbed and we find ourselves looking for ways to control those things that we have “imbalanced”.
If we kill predators we don’t like, their prey populations often multiply, causing new problems. So someone feels that it should be eradicated too. Poison is the typical method of choice. Then the predators we like eat the poisoned creatures and die too. You can’t get rid of the coyotes and cats and keep the eagles if you poison their shared food supply.
Destroying the links one by one in a chain that we don’t understand is inefficient and highly destructive, because the chain is not linear… it’s a complicated network.
Another concept that none of those in charge of the killing seem to be able to grasp is this: if the killing worked, why hasn’t it worked yet?
For decades, community animal control departments have attempted to “control” stray populations, especially cats, simply by killing them. So why do we still have them?
One explanation could be that we have three factions at work: those who love cats, those who hate cats, and those who don’t care.
Cat lovers are a diverse group, ranging from those who steal food from local stray dog colonies because they feel sorry for them, to those who work hard to implement catch-and-buy campaigns.
As for cat haters, they’re not all inhuman monsters that trap and torture the unfortunate victims we hear about on the news. Many cat haters simply don’t care what happens to them, as long as “someone” gets them out of their yard or neighborhood. It doesn’t work, of course, because more show up, no matter what.
Where do they come from?
There are various sources of new stray and feral cats, such as people abandoning their cats when they move out, thinking they will be fine, due to the myth that cats “go feral.” They do not. But they give birth to many who will be wild to begin with, since they have no human contact. Of those who live long enough, more are born and now you have a wild population.
Another source of stray dogs is unneutered pets that roam at night and belong to people who believe that cats need their freedom and who also believe that it is not good to disturb them. So they come out and multiply all night.
But the most important question today should be: “How can we truly and humanely control them?”
The most important first step for pet owners is spaying and neutering…the battle cry for quite some time. If all pets were altered, at least they wouldn’t be able to reproduce if they ran away or were abandoned.
But stray and feral dog colonies are an ongoing problem for which local agencies rarely provide assistance. Most of them still have the mentality to kill, a concept that has been proven not to work.
Many communities have dedicated volunteers who work hard to manage these colonies, trapping, treating and neutering thousands of cats each year. But that is extremely difficult and expensive work without government grants or programs to help. Loose-knit and underfunded, how long can this voluntary approach last?
A more useful idea is that of oral contraceptive products. It’s much less expensive, less risky because you don’t have to handle the cats one at a time, and it’s easier to implement because it’s not complicated. One person can manage a fairly large colony alone.
But a new controversy has arisen: Some (not all) veterinarians are against low-cost birth control by any method because they feel it reduces their income with routine care. In fact, two vets specifically told me they “don’t do spay days” because it means less income. Therefore, they also oppose contraceptive drugs.
However, this is not the objection that is posted. Most prefer to say that the drugs are risky because the long-term effects have not been charted, and that victims could die a painful death from tumors or other side effects later on.
Oh please! Long-term effects? How many stray dogs have a long-term life? And how many now die a painful death, from starvation, injury, fatal disease, and giving birth to non-viable young at 5 months of age? And if officials just want to kill them, why would they care if they have side effects from birth control drugs years later? If they were really worried, why not work on the formula to make it safer? If they are waiting for permission or money, it will never happen.
Of course, drug birth control is not the optimal answer. Certainly side effects can be a real concern. Another is the difficulty of vaccinating against rabies, which is usually done during spaying or neutering, although an oral vaccine could also work in the field. In addition, the wounded and sick may not receive the care they need, even though it is easier to capture them.
However, surgical sterilization is also not the optimal method. In a “sterilization day” atmosphere, I have witnessed overworked staff rushing to see the day’s patients, skipping actions that ensure a completely sterile environment or attention to detail at the end of a long day. In my own experience, many of the cats did not survive this “routine procedure.”
For now, however, birth control medications may be our most useful and cost-effective alternative until better options are developed.
So here is my call to action:
We need to contact veterinarians and pharmaceutical companies to re-launch drugs that have been available for over 30 years. Please go to my website to find out how to contact them.