CROSSROADS Outdoor cats affect wildlife: trap and neuter can help

By Cindy Leikam Redstone Review

LONGMONT – Last year, 382 of Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s wild patients came through our doors due to cat attacks. Of these, 161 were birds. It is no secret that cats can contribute to the decline of wild bird populations; which has been the case in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and other islands with species that did not evolve alongside feline predators.

But wildlife populations in North America have also seen the impact of outdoor, free-ranging cats, whether they are feral, stray, working cats, or pet cats allowed to roam outside.

These free-roaming felines can be classified and defined as ferals (wild, not habituated to humans, often the offspring of abandoned pet cats, not usually cared for by humans), strays (habituated to humans, former pets, abandoned or lost), working cats (used for rodent control against native wildlife has become so dire that the world’s largest cat-proof fence has been built in Central Australia. The feral cats and foxes were removed from the enclosure, and native species have been reintroduced in this protected, cat-free zone.

The obvious solution to this problem is to reduce the number of outdoor cats through education and population control. Educating cat owners about the danger to wildlife, and to their pets – like getting hit by cars or preyed upon – can deter folks from allowing their cats to wander outside. Encouraging alternatives like cat patios, pet backpacks or strollers, and leash training can also help protect our native species. Providing affordable access to spay and neuter services can help to reduce the population of cats, indoor and outdoor, keeping unwanted pets out of shelters and off the streets.

Working cats are an integral part of pest control on farms, ranches, warehouses, and industrial areas and can’t be kept indoors. Spaying or neutering and providing regular meals can reduce predation on wildlife. Providing regular meals to working cats also helps reduce casualties, while the presence of cats can still deter rodents. A similar approach can be taken with feral cats and stray cats. When feral colonies are allowed to reproduce unchecked, they can quickly wipe out entire areas of birds, small mammals, and reptiles.

Trap, neuter, and return programs exist in nearly every major city, but more are needed in rural areas with fewer resources and less access to veterinary care. Some rural communities don’t have animal shelters to drop off unwanted pets, leaving folks to abandon them outdoors where they reproduce unchecked, killing countless wild animals.

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Marylou Stevens Webb, March 29, 1951 –August 10, 2023 in barns, shops, garages, warehouses, ect, cared for by humans to some extent), and pets (owned and cared for by humans, allowed outside and unsupervised).

Lyons resident Marilou Stevens Webb died on August 10. She was born in Longmont on March 29, 1951, to James Edgar and Dorothy Pearl Stevens of Lyons. She attended school in Lyons where she met the love of her life, Robert Gene Webb. They were married on June 9, 1967. A first son, Robert James, was born in September 1967 and a year later their second son Richard (Richie) Gene was born in November 1968. They made their home in Lyons on 5th Avenue and later moved to their current location on the Old South Road outside of Lyons.

Marilou Webb decided to start raising goats along with Richie shortly after moving to their new location. The goats first came to them with the local 4H groups and then turned into a huge love affair for the project. They went on to show in various local and state fairs plus the National Goat Shows where they met many wonderful people along the way. Marilou Webb had a deep love for her many animals; she cared for her dogs, cats, goats, horses and chickens.

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Gene Webb, her mother, Dorothy P. Stevens and father James E. Stevens. Survivors include sons Robert James Webb and Richard Gene Webb, daughter-in-law Prudence Rene Webb.

Marilou Webb fought a courageous battle with cancer for the past 7 years doing everything she could to fight against the disease. Even though she could no longer attend goat shows, she stayed actively involved online and through Facebook. Marilou was an amazing mother, wife, and friend to all she came across throughout her life. She will be greatly missed by many. Donations can be made to the family to help cover funeral and medical expenses.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marilou Webb, please visit Tribute Store. The funeral service will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Friday, August 18, at River Community Church, 18668 North St. Vrain Drive, Lyons.

The majority of cat-caught patients at Greenwood are brought in from suburban areas, and the perpetrators are usually pets, strays, or working cats. These numbers are assumed to be even be higher than recorded because oftentimes the cause of injury to the patient is unknown.

The Bird Conservancy estimates that between 1.4 and 3.7 billion birds are lost each year due to free-roaming cats. These free-rangers kill between 6.3 and 22.3 billion small mammals each year in North America. Many places have listed feral cats as an invasive species and have taken drastic steps to control the population. In Australia, feral cats cover over 98 percent of the mainland, and the threat

Trap, neuter, and return projects are often funded by grants and implemented by animal welfare nonprofit organizations. Help wildlife in your neighborhood by: donating or volunteering with your local trap, neuter, return group; keeping your feline pets indoors; and spreading the word about the negative impact outdoor cats have on wildlife.

Early one summer morning, a young, fledgling house finch was pried from the mouth of a wandering neighborhood cat and was rushed to Greenwood by a good Samaritan. As fledglings cannot fly yet, they are most vulnerable to cat attacks. This young bird suffered a severed leg and several puncture wounds. Despite the best efforts of our animal care team, the leg injuries were too severe and the little bird didn’t recover. Keeping pet cats indoors and controlling the population of outdoor feral and working cats can prevent unfortunate outcomes for birds such as this one, and billions of others each year.

Cindy Leikam is an intern at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on Hwy. 66 just east of Lyons.

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Your input for the town 2024 budget

LYONS – As the town begins winding down its flood-related recovery projects from the past 10 years, the Board of Trustees would like to gather input from residents regarding items that residents would like prioritized for the 2024 budget process. The staff have created a short form on the town website, where you may add your suggestions as a resident for the 2024 budget. Go to townoflyons.com/budgetinput

Broadway road work begins in August

LYONS – The Town of Lyons, with funding from Colorado Dept of Transportation (CDOT) and Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) will begin road improvements to Broadway beginning this month. Similar to the improvements made to Main Street over a decade ago, the overall plan is to narrow the travel lanes, add parallel parking, sidewalks, curb extensions, a separate multi-modal lane and upgrade the travel corridor. Construction is scheduled to last through the fall, with one lane closures Monday through Friday.

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