From Cats of Instagram to ancient Egypt and old superstitions, felines have always held rank in human society for one reason or another. History may repeat itself in the Baton Rouge area if a new ordinance is passed this month that would essentially launch a witchhunt on unregistered roaming cats.
The Baton Rouge Metro Council will decide Sept. 24 whether to adopt a trap-neuter-return program for the city’s stray cats. Free roaming cats would be caught, neutered or spayed, vaccinated and then released into communities. The current program involves taking captured cats to shelters for adoption if they’re not diseased or feral. 
The initial date for the council to vote was extended 30 days from its original date.
Cats are cute, playful and loveable, but they’re also overpopulating cities. These meowing masses are also affecting the bird population in some communities, making any solution a double-edged sword. 
People like their cats and people like their birds. Most folks do not like killing either of them. However, when it comes to the universe’s natural systems, balance must be met and maintained to prevent negative outcomes for people and ecosystems. It’s the “Circle of Life.”
The Bird Conservation Alliance aims to inform cat lovers and the general public on the danger of cat overpopulation and bird conservation. 
BCA makes an interesting argument against cities adopting trap-neuter-return programs. According to BCA, “two-thirds of the bird species in the U.S. have declined over the last half-century. Scientists estimate that cats kill billions of birds each year and more than six times as many mammals.”
BCA, like myself, is not pro-bird and anti-cat, but rather in favor of preserving both species by educating pet owners on responsibility. For instance, taking cats to a shelter can help reduce overpopulation. 
Supporters of programs that trap, spay or neuter, vaccinate and release cats back into communities say this method is best. It allows cats to live their life outside of a shelter where the cats may be euthanized because of shelter overcrowding.  
The Companion Animal Alliance, an animal rights group, takes in more than 3,000 cats a year. Many are not adopted and are euthanized.   
It is truly sad that so many cats are being put down because not enough people are adopting them. Then again, it might be that people aren’t adopting cats because there are just too many cats to adopt. 
Animal activists should be even more understanding than the general public on issues surrounding animal population control. This sometimes means accepting that large numbers of animals, like cats, sometimes have to be killed because of a lack of resources to keep them sheltered and fed.
It is best to not look at the situation as some form of cat genocide, but as a means to keep a functioning and healthy natural world. The issue of killing cats in a humane way is also not comparable to taking human life as a means of population control.  
I place human life above animal life. I would save you before I rescued a dog.
That said, on the subject of homeless and uncared for animals, it is important to recognize the overwhelming number of humans in this country facing the same adversity. There people like you and me sleeping outdoors with an empty stomach. Many of them are children. 
Both sides of this debate should strive to reach the most effective and affordable solution to maintain both populations at healthy levels and take up the larger issue of building affordable housing and feeding humans in need.  
Justin Stafford is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Walker, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @j_w_stafford.