Shortage of Spay Neuter services

Since the pandemic, many humans adopted cats to keep them company indoors. It's been about 3 years. Recently, our rural suburban neighborhood has seen an uptick in stray cats, that are unneutered, sociable more than any indoor cat, and arriving with scratched up faces from fights. Not necessarily cat fights either since recent housing development displaced a racoon who's eaten tomatoes from the garden, climbed into vehicles for snacks, to breaking through the screen door to eat out of a sack of bird seed, and disturbing many neighbor barn animals and wildlife ie., Owls.

Our family cat (disabled) safety has also been at risk because of the surge in animals attracted to the lone bird feeder for seed. There's also the high risk of him being attacked by these dumped strays.

Though yesterday, sadly in the road, I saw a small body of what looked like a dog, in a place where drivers taking backroads short cuts are speeding at interstate highway speeds. 

While I attempt to find a spay/neuter TNR service this morning:- I found that even the local longstanding humane shelter (where I picked my first adoptee) has shut down services. And I have no inclination to adopt the friendly stray that keeps showing up after loud cat fights at the neighbors' cat barn. And on the roof in the earliest hours of the day. The vet bills in this area are high enough to put anyone into homelessness. Though, it's a nice thought kitty.

Because of this high cost pet issue, and also being the daughter of a foreign national;- I've become angered by the habits of those in the community-- who dumped their furry children on me in a sense-- when I had to focus of my life.

I say this because, Hawaii gave me a really positive environment almost devoid of these issues. Cats in Hawaii live outdoors and 80-90% of rentals don't accept them. I actually agree with this practice since I am a bird lover. While others force me to have animals or animals pick me to "ask" for help.

If I sound cruel in my age, it's not cruel to want to live free from ringworm, Lyme disease, ticks, bedbugs and other MRSA carriers in a tropical climate or any climate.

And leave the cat colonies to diminish.

If I had a say in Hawaii politics, since I left, I'd work to pass a bill to ban the military and any civilian from bringing companion animals that aren't registered for emotional support to the islands. And to require an amount put in escrow to ship their companion back to the mainland when they relocate.

Though I haven't seen the stray cat in several days, he's returned this morning and only wants to be on my lap while I text.

He even jumped at me to hug me one of the first encounters I had with the cat following me outside. It reminded me of a time one pitbull I dogsat saw me, and jumped at me to lick my face. The family started screaming in horror that he'd rip my face off. So it is heartbreaking when animals love you. It's saddening when the uptick in racism, violence, and a lengthy pandemic diminish help to get through these situations in any community.