fertility and overpopulation

We are human. Therefore we have a genetic and cultural soft spot in our hearts for small cuddly things with short faces that mimic the human baby. We respond to soft cries. Compassion is human.

Last Friday we discovered five kittens about three weeks old in a basket in our storage shed. A local feral cat had birthed them there and fled at our approach. They were brought into the house and various family members oohed and aahed over these cute little creatures, mewing pitifully (because they were probably chronically hungry). Debate over their fate was launched. Suggestions included immediate drowning (mine), adoption (not reasonable since southern Manitoba is flooded with unwanted cats), feeding them and letting them go (just what the birds need; more feral cats), and contacting the Humane Society, which won the day.

“Bring them in on Monday and we’ll see what we can do,” the lady said. Translated this means “We’ll try to find homes but if that fails we’ll put them down.” Fair enough. The basket was placed back in the shed.

But on Saturday morning there were two kittens missing. By evening there were only two left and on Sunday morning all were gone; mother cat had removed them to another place.

It is September. I doubt more than one of those kittens will survive the winter; most or all will die of hypothermia brought on by starvation (bird season is pretty much over and local cats are already doing in the rodents). Those that survive will keep reducing our already decreasing songbird populations.

My granddaughter asked me the same day if it was true that without wolves, deer would overpopulate. I said yes and explained a bit about predator-prey relationships. Top predators (like cats) are ultimately limited by food supply, although they evolve intraspecific controlling mechanisms like territoriality which mitigates outright starvation. Humans have not evolved those mechanisms, at least not completely, and we must regulate our own abundance. Indeed, we are the only species on earth that must do so.

And this is where our humanity comes in. A baby’s first “Ma-ma” melts our hearts. We desire children of our own. How can we say “No”?

And this is where our humanity comes in, again. Say “No” we must.

Glen Doyne
Manitoba, Canada