Letters: Stray cat problem has solution; Heat and humidity demand our attention

Stray cat problem has solution

We are fortunate to have brave and dedicated animal organizations in Centre County. However, we see an escalating problem with abandoned cats.

Forums like Facebook and NextDoor have daily posts about stray/abandoned and/or injured animals. Often the situations are dangerous and heartbreaking — for people and animals.

Recent examples include a feral colony where traps intended for trap, neuter/spay, release (TNR) were defaced and vandalized by a misinformed individual/s.

Secondly, in a State College location known for its abandoned cats, the police visited a home where a woman died. The animal rescuer and police found a dog, cat and kitten in crates filled with feces and roaches. The home was infested. It is tragic that animals — and residents — are living in such filth in our community.

We must educate ourselves. Cats can get pregnant at 4 months old!

Benefits of getting them fixed:

• Less fighting

• Less spraying with strong smelling urine

• Fewer cats to feed

• Fewer infections and diseases that could spread to other animals.

• Less in-breeding

• Kittens not having kittens!

The burden on the established organizations, their staff and volunteers seems enormous. They carry the onus with limited resources, no laws to back them up, and no support from the county.

Pet owners who are struggling can access food through the PAWS pantry and spay/neuter vouchers are available through PAWS and the Hundred Cat Foundation.

I believe we can do so much better as a community — for our people and for our animals.

Heat and humidity demand our attention

According to the Washington Post hospitalizations due to heat are ahead of COVID and variants.

A temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit at 100% humidity, or 115 degrees Fahrenheit at 50% humidity is the upper limit of safety, beyond which the human body can’t cool itself by sweating.

Last July Seattle had 108 degrees, Portland spiked at 116 and Canada reached 121 degrees in late June. Many emergency departments in the region began putting people in body bags of ice to help adjust their temperatures. Despite these efforts 1,000 excess deaths occurred from the brutal heat and humidity. Several cities now employ a “chief heat officer” to seek solutions for how to adapt. Miami, Phoenix, and Athens have “heat officers.”

President Biden signed an executive order early that established a federal office to address the health consequences of climate change that disproportionately affects poor communities and communities of color. This office has received no federal funding from Congress.

Last fall, the editors of health journals around the globe called for urgent climate action to avert catastrophic warming. Without it, the editors said, rising temperatures will lead to more deaths from heart and lung illness, allergies, kidney problems and pregnancy complications.

Reducing heat caused by burning fossil fuels would prevent more than 50,000 premature deaths and provide more than $600 billion in health benefits in the United States annually according to University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. Solar, wind and nuclear are healthier sources of energy.