Dear Annie: I was horrified to read about the woman who abandoned three kittens in the wild, especially after they had been socialized. There were so many alternatives available to her, including bringing them to a no-kill shelter, rather than discarding them in the woods to face almost certain suffering.
Four years ago, a small cat began sleeping on my porch, and within weeks, I found myself caring for a colony of 17 cats and kittens. I reached out to a local no-kill shelter, which guided me through the process of trapping, neutering and releasing. While most shelters cannot take unsocialized ferals, they can often find homes for socialized cats and kittens.
Eventually, I converted a heated recording studio on my property into a shelter for the hard-to-place feral cats. It is expensive to feed them and provide medical care, but it’s a small price to pay compared to the alternative. Cats left in the wild often survive only a couple of years. They face hunger, harsh weather, exhaustion and predators. Unspayed females have multiple litters as early as four months old, and two unneutered cats can produce up to 60 kittens in just two years.
Knowing this, my heart breaks for abandoned animals. The woman who left these kittens in the wild displayed a shocking lack of empathy. I can only hope that she does not have children who witnessed her callous behavior. If I were her mother, I’d send her to volunteer at an animal shelter to learn compassion and responsibility.
Thank you for your column, Annie. I hope my letter encourages others to think twice about abandoning domesticated animals and to seek humane solutions instead.
—Crazy Cat Lady
Dear Crazy Cat Lady: Thank you for your heartfelt letter and for opening your home and heart to so many cats in need. Your experience is a poignant reminder of the alternatives available to those considering abandoning animals. I hope your story inspires others to seek humane solutions.
Dear Annie: I absolutely love your column!
Having said that, I feel I must take exception to your answer to the woman whose daughter abandoned three kittens somewhere after raising them for seven months as indoor cats.
No. 1: The daughter’s actions are considered animal abuse, which is a misdemeanor in some jurisdictions and a felony in others.
No. 2: The nanosecond the mom learned of this action, she should have grabbed the daughter and gone searching for the kittens.
No. 3: Why would anyone want a relationship with someone so very cruel? Unless it’s to make sure she doesn’t pull the same trick on a future (or current) grandchild.
No. 4: Thanks for letting me vent. You are CLEARLY a much nicer person than me in general.
No. 5: Keep up the good work. You are indeed a stellar human being.
—Grateful
Dear Grateful: Thank you for your perspective. It’s clear that there are strong emotions surrounding this issue, and rightfully so. Animal abandonment and abuse are serious concerns. Your points emphasize the importance of immediate and compassionate action in these situations.
Dear Annie: Regarding your advice to the mother who was disgusted that her daughter put house cats out to fend for themselves, I think you missed a crucial note. People wanted to adopt them, and she wouldn’t let them. I’m betting she put these kittens out unspayed and/or unneutered, which quickly adds to the stray pet population.
More than 359,000 dogs were euthanized in 2023, marking a five-year peak, according to animal advocacy group Shelter Animals Count. Meanwhile, 330,000 cats were euthanized in 2023.
Please use your valuable journalistic resource to help save lives and improve things for everyone.
We have domesticated animals and made them reliant on us, and we all have a responsibility to be kind to them.
—Concerned Animal Advocate
Dear Concerned Animal Advocate: Thank you for pointing out the dire statistics and the crucial role of spaying and neutering in controlling the stray pet population. Your letter underscores the responsibility we all share in caring for domesticated animals.
“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
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