Roaming pet and feral cats endanger human health, spreading rabies, roundworms, toxocariosis (liver parasite) and toxoplasma gondi, a parasite in cat feces (often deposited in gardens and sandboxes). It can kill AIDS patients and make pregnant women abort.

Cats are the only animal not covered by county Animal at Large laws. All other animal owners must either license, restrain and clean up after their animals.

• Cats are the single largest cause of bird mortality (Minnesota Ornithologist's Union)
• Cats kill more than SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION birds a year in the U.S. alone, exterminating 22 species (WorldWatch Institute)
According to the American Bird Conservancy:
• One third of cat owners already keep their cats indoors to keep them safe. Indoor cats can live 17 years while outdoor cats are often killed or die of exposure and live short lives.
• Accordint to an English study, Well-fed cats kill as often as hungry ones
• Cats were created by humans from a wild species. Like dogs, cats aren't wild animals.
• There are more than 100 MILLION cats in the U.S. Tens of millions are feral
• Roaming cats suffer from harsh weather, coyote attacks, diseases, parasites, wounds, — and cruel people who trap and sell them to research labs.

The American Bird Conservancy's National Cats Indoors campaign (202-234-7181 Ext 201 www.abcbirds.org) supports keeping pet cats indoors or using backyard catteries to keep outdoor or rescued feral cats and wildlife safe.

Catteries are large, roomy enclosures with sheltered sleeping areas, toys, climbing poles and litter boxes. You can build or buy them.
Backyard catteries can also save feral cat feeders time and money by:
• keeping cats safe and disease free
• controlling the number of cats each person can afford
• ending driving to cat colonies
• ending the expense of sterilizing fertile strays irresponsible people dump.

Cattery info.
Catteries: (Cat Fancy's Editor's Choice) C&D Pet Products 1-888-554-7387. www.cdpets.com/enclosure.html.
If you haven't got a cattery yet try giving your cat a CatStop
Its a bib made from soft material that attaches to the cat's collar. Kitty can still hunt, but CatStop comes between cat and bird! Safe for cats! www.catgoods.com Cat Goods, Inc. 743 Crest Lane Springfield, Oregon 97477.

Call the County Board of Supervisors (454-2200). Demand cats be subject to Animal at large laws!
If everyone kept pet cats indoors and feral cat rescue groups built enough catteries for ferals, every cat would have a home! Also, millions of birds and animals would be spared a needless death every year!
Every pet and feral cat should be rescued and treated with kindness.