“I own a truck repair company that services the very large vehicles that are the backbone of goods transportation across North America.  Recently we found evidence that rodents had been chewing through wiring insulation. Today, much of it is soy instead of petroleum-based and this is attractive to rats and other rodents.

Some of ‘our’ rats are enormous, and mean-looking. A couple of them gorged themselves on so much insulation that they apparently decided to take a little after-lunch nap and could not get out when a technician started the motor. It didn’t take long before the most peculiar odor filled the shop. Opening the hood led to the discovery of ‘filet of roasted rat in motor oil.’

“Well, Mr. Beaver, the first thing we thought was ‘Get a cat!’ But next day, out of nowhere appeared two beautiful white cats. They were chasing a rat. We tried to approach them, but they ran away, so obviously they are feral cats. One of our employees loves cats, and he’s been buying cat food, setting it out for them, as they have taken up residence under a little shed we have in the rear of the property.

“Last week the next door neighbor came over and said there is a law against feeding feral cats. I looked it up, and he is correct, but I do not understand why we can’t feed them. Can you explain why?”

Valid reasons

For an answer, I contacted Norfolk, Virginia-based PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and spoke with Animal Care and Control Issues manager Teresa Chagrin. She has passionately worked for animal rights “my entire adult life,” and her dedication came right through the phone lines during our chat.

“Dennis, there is a valid reason why many states and cities have laws aimed at preventing the feeding of feral animals, and specifically cats. This is a huge issue across America,” she observes.

“It is important to understand that the media describes all homeless cats as feral, even if they are extremely social and have never spent a day outside in their life. Possibly their owners might have moved or just put them out. So, not all homeless cats are feral. A feral animal — such as a cat — is a domestic animal who has never been socialized or lived with people. They have lived in the wild.  It does not make them wild animals, it makes them feral animals.”

Cats are killers

I asked Chagrin, “What is the risk in leaving food out for feral cats?

“Part of the problem is that when you leave food out for homeless or feral cats, it lures all kinds of wildlife to these bowls of cat food. There is a reason we are told to not feed the bears or any wild or feral animal. This disrupts their natural behavior and lures them into areas they would otherwise stay away from.”

“Next, domestic cats in the U.S. kill billions of birds and reptiles, every year. Cats are the largest human-related cause of wildlife decimation in our country. Leaving your own cat to roam at night is destroying our biodiversity. Cats kill even when well fed. They are natural born hunters,” she points out, adding:

“And we must not forget the fact that diseases pass between cats and other species that can kill wildlife who have eaten out the bowls of food left for feral cats. We have seen typhus outbreaks traceable to fleas on cats. So it’s bad for cats who belong indoors, for wildlife and public health.”

Rat patrol?

But, we hear, “Get a cat if you’ve got rodents. Is that true or just a myth?” I asked Chagrin.

“People see fewer rats and assume it’s because the cats have killed them — but it’s actually due to the rats changing their behavior, and this was confirmed by an interesting study done by researchers at Fordham university in 2017 to see what the presence of cats would do to a rat colony at a Brooklyn waste management facility.

“When the rats sensed the presence of cats, they modified their behavior and kept out of sight.”

PETA’s advice

If you see feral cats on your property what should you do? Chagrin offered these suggestions:

“Don’t feed them! Instead, call Animal Control and your local animal shelter. They may be able to set out a trap for the cats and will instruct you in what to do if one is caught.’

“Finally,” she recommends, “Rodent-proofing buildings, keep trash in secure, covered containers, and clear areas near buildings that may be attractive nesting spots.”

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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“Our entire family read your article about neighbors who were abusing their animals and what to do about it. I think we have a related problem, two houses from us, and we need some advice,” Shirley’s email began.

“About two months ago, a very cute little old lady moved into to the home, and both she and her son introduced themselves to all the immediate neighbors. She was well dressed, polite, and very nice. Her son took me aside and said, ‘Mom love cats, and dogs, so don’t be alarmed if you see a few. But if it gets too bad, please call me before calling anyone else.’ That statement was a bit strange, but within days we understood, boy did we understand!

“Suddenly there were cats everywhere, cars stopping and dropping cats and dogs off at her house, and there was this terrible smell of cat urine! The next time we saw her, from well groomed, she looked like a homeless person living on the streets. What’s going on here? Is she an animal hoarder?”

What is a hoarder?

We ran this fact situation by Stephanie Bell, Senior Director of Cruelty Casework at Norfolk, Virginia based PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.)

“A hoarder,” Bell explained, “is someone who accumulates more animals than they are capable of caring for. You might have a well-meaning person with limited means who accumulates 15 cats but can’t afford to spray-neuter them and then you have 30 cats which soon become 60 cats.”

We asked her about so-called rescue hoarders

“These people send my blood pressure into the danger zone,” she replied. “Rescue Hoarders are people operating a “Rescue,” which should offer a safe haven to an animal in need. But not knowing their own limits, and lacking the proper resources to care for those animals, are often overrun with hundreds of animals who are not receiving the care that they need. We have also found hoarders who are breeding and selling animals, for profit.”

In total denial of the suffering they cause

“Hoarding is a pathological addiction to warehousing animals without concern for their quality of life, generating massive suffering while claiming to care for their victims. Someone with 150 cats and no money for medical care is a recipe for disaster,” she points out, “A single animal in a home typically requires hundreds of dollars of medical care in any given year. Someone with 150 animals needs to have tens of thousands of dollars if they are doing it right, and very often they don’t have a penny for medical care. So those animals suffer terribly.

“Hoarders are often in total denial of the reality of the suffering in their midst, animals living in filth and stench, untreated injuries and disease, often imprisoned in small, filthy cages. And yet the hoarders claim that everything is great! It’s a sickness,” Bell commented, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Many rescue hoarders often have misguided people who enable their behavior, by giving generously without fully understanding they are prolonging animal suffering.”

What are the signs that my neighbor is a hoarder?

“The signs of animal hoarding are difficult to miss and initially include the stench of cat urine emanating from the home. You often find squalor, buildings and yards that are in decrepit condition. Interestingly, on some level hoarders are sometimes aware this behavior is wrong and often don’t let people past the front door. However, a reputable facility will be happy to invite the public in, as they have nothing to hide.”

Families of hoarders also suffer

We asked Bell if animal hoarding and junk hoarding go hand in hand, and what effect does this sick behavior have on families?

“Yes, sometimes animal hoarders are also junk hoarders. While the junk isn’t suffering, the hoarder suffers in those environments as well as family members, their children, and the people who love them. But with animal hoarding it’s even worse, as the beings they are hoarding suffer so terribly in those environments.”

The cute little old lady with 100 cats isn’t so cute anymore

“We used to think that the little old lady with 100 cats was cute, but not anymore,” Bell underscores, adding, “The public are becoming more educated about the dangers of hoarding. Law enforcement understands this isn’t as benign a condition as it is had been thought of in the past.”

While studies indicate that the recidivism rate amazingly approaches 100 percent, “The most effective way for law enforcement to combat animal hoarding is to prosecute them and to have sentencing include a ban on owning animals in addition to psychiatric intervention,” Bell concludes.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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For many years, Phoenix-based attorney Ruth Carter was a mental health care professional, “Which was excellent preparation for what I do now as a lawyer, dealing with clients whose emotional problems–their mental state–have contributed to the legal issues which brought them into my office.”

Clients are often confused about their rights. My paralegal, Anne, puts it this way: “What a client thinks is right, is his right.”

Carter takes that statement one step further: “The law does not care about what you know or believe or what you believe. The law does not care about your feelings. The law is only interested in what you can prove. Hiring a lawyer does not guarantee a positive outcome if those elements of proof aren’t present,” she underscores.

That can be critically important in criminal cases, where a client’s behavior —what a client believes is appropriate — turns out to be anything but.

Mike, a Central California reader, illustrated that concept beautifully by placing a bowl of milk into which was added Cayenne pepper, Tapatio and Sriracha sauce, then placed at the exact spot where daily, at 4 a.m., his next-door neighbor’s Tom Cat would perform an opera.

“After a couple of sips of Dr. Mike’s Milkshake, the cat went air-born, and talk about reaching the high notes! He hasn’t returned. I solved my sleep-deprivation problem,” Mike explained.

Days later, a letter from the District Attorney’s Office arrived asking for an office meeting to discuss animal cruelty.

“The DA offered to not file charges if I would take an online animal cruelty course, and both my wife and lawyer immediately agreed, but I wanted to go to court and defend myself. I did nothing wrong! The cat had it coming! No jury would ever convict me! I watch Judge Judy and know my rights!” Mike explained, with a voice becoming progressively louder and higher in pitch.

At that moment, his wife grabbed the phone. “Mr. Beaver, our lawyer was able to get the DA to give us a week to decide, and I had to kick my husband under the table so he would shut up! Will you please talk some sense into him! Since his stroke he’s become increasingly short-tempered and angry.”

Since his stroke. In an instant all the humor vanished. “This poor guy,” I thought, “his wife dealing with the results of a brain injury.” I had to get him to agree.

“Mike, you’ve read my column for years and I know you trust me otherwise we would not be talking now. Will you do what I say?” “I trust you, Mr. Beaver. I will,” he said so quietly I could barely hear him. He sounded about to cry.

“The on-line class is a way of making the legal problem go away without admitting that you were at fault. If Tom Cat returns, have your lawyer deal with it. No more Kitty Milkshakes. Deal? “Deal, Mr. Beaver.”

“Today clients have easy access to an enormous amount of legal and medical information,” Carter notes, “from many on-line sources, television programs, such as Judge Judy and Dr. Oz, just to name two. While much of the information is useful, no matter how many hours you spend watching these shows, no one will hand you a medical or law degree.”

“Your reader, Mike, is a good example. He watches Judge Judy ‘and knows his rights,’ which are comments lawyers are hearing much more often now than at any other time in the past,” she notes.

“So, what is the risk in having a client who has some legal education, even if it only comes from legal websites?” I asked.

“Dennis,” she replied, “You know the old saying about a little knowledge being a dangerous thing. Now it is not just a little knowledge that clients can acquire online, but a great deal of information. Time and time again, we find this leads to a dangerous degree of self-assurance, resulting in:

• The client knows there’s a problem, and has the attitude, “Well, it isn’t really all that serious and can be handled with no need to involve a lawyer.”
• Weeks or months go by, and the problem–which a lawyer could have addressed quickly and economically–is now much more serious when consulted.
• During the case, our know-it-all client tries to micro-manage the attorney, and the case is badly compromised or lost.

“Lawyers want to help. It’s in our DNA. We welcome and need questions from our clients. We also need them to let us do our work,” Carter concludes.

Ruth Carter’s website is… www.carterlawaz.com. It merits a long visit.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and enjoys hearing from his readers. Contact Dennis Beaver.

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