Field & Stream: Maybe prosecutor right on feral cats

Licking County Prosecutor Bill Hayes’ short-lived suggestion to hunt feral cats as a way to curb their local population appears to have garnered a supporter in the Field & Stream digital magazine.

The hunting and outdoors website published a story in late April on the topic with the headline: Ohio Politician Suggests a Hunting Season for Feral Cats — Then Quickly Backtracks.

Further, the subhead reads: “As an invasive species, feral cats take a devastating toll on native birds and small mammals. Could the solution be to hunt them?

Hayes suggested a feral cat hunting season when asked about the problem of the animals during a forum for candidates running for Licking County commissioner. Hayes lost the Republican primary to incumbent Rick Black, who took advantage of the situation by quickly posting a photo to social media of him cuddling with his cat.

The Field & Stream article does not outright call for hunting the animals, but points out that free-ranging cats around the world account for 4 billion bird deaths and 22 billion mammal deaths annually.