Feral Cats – Invasive Species in Florida
What Are the Most Invasive Species Living in Florida? Are Feral Cats a Nuisance Animal?
Domestic cats can create a nuisance and cause damage, such as killing poultry. Free-ranging cats can kill birds at bird feeders reducing opportunities for wildlife viewing. Cats can be a nuisance in gardens when they defecate and cover their feces by digging.
Feral and free-ranging cats prey upon both common and rare species of native wildlife in Florida, including rare species listed as threatened or endangered by state and federal governments.
Palm Beach and Broward counties do not ban the feeding of feral cats, but do encourage people who tend feral colonies to have the cats fixed and vaccinated against rabies. “If you are going to care for cats, feeding alone is not enough,” said Diane Suave, director of Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control.
There is no leash law for cats because they are considered free-roaming animals. However, a property owner does have the legal right to humanely trap or catch any nuisance cats on their property.
Stray cats are socialized to people and can be adopted into homes, but feral cats are not socialized to people and are happy living outdoors. A stray cat: Is a cat who has been socialized to people at some point in her life, but has left or lost her indoor home, as well as most human contact and dependence.
Feral Cats – Invasive Species in Florida
Feral cats are an invasive species in Florida and can be found in many areas of the state. Feral cats are not native to the state and can cause significant environmental and economic damage if left unchecked. Feral cats can spread diseases to native wildlife, threaten endangered species, and damage native habitats. They can also be a nuisance to humans, as they often scavenge for food in residential areas. Feral cats are also known to spread parasites, such as fleas and ticks, which can cause health problems for humans and their pets. In order to reduce their impact on the environment, it is important to control the population of feral cats through spaying and neutering, and to ensure that they are not allowed to reproduce. It is also important to ensure that pet cats are kept indoors or in an enclosed area and are not allowed to roam free..
