Regarding the Friday article, “Pets beware,” coyotes have been living in Snohomish County and counties beyond longer than the domestic cat has been introduced to the North American continent. Before mass paranoia breaks out that beloved felines are going to be killed and eaten by what some people may think are vicious and ravenous animals, let’s rethink the major causes of death for cats in Snohomish County and across America compared to a minimal unconfirmed number supposedly killed by coyotes.
First, approximately 5.4 million cats are killed by cars each year in the U.S. Second, people need to get their cats spayed and neutered since 3-4 million cats are euthanized annually in shelters across the U.S. because of overpopulation. Third, cat vaccines should be current since a large number die from disease. There is also domestic dog attacks, cat poisonings, abusers of cats and cats used in laboratory research.
Before we start worrying about coyotes killing our cats, we should concern ourselves with overpopulation of people taking much of the land that coyotes and other wild animals once roamed. Why don’t we give coyotes credit for being one of the most adaptable animals in the world who are probably more afraid of us than we are of them? Coyotes have endured years of torture from steel leg hold traps, neck snaring, poisonings, being hunted and killed for trophy and for their fur.
Several responsible animal shelters in the area will not adopt cats to people who will let their cats outside. The average life expectancy for an outdoor cat is 3-5 years and 15-plus years for an indoor cat. The solution is easy: If you want your companion animal to live a long and healthy life, then that life should be safe and indoors.
Shauna Rowe
Everett
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