"Christina Websell" wrote:
"John Doe" wrote:

I bought a powerful LED headlamp. Took it for a ride after dark two
nights ago. It was warm out but having the thing strapped to my
forhead at eye level, it is so powerful I could see what looked like
moderate to heavy snowfall that was probably actually teeny tiny
specks of pollen. It was not mist, unfortunately.

Perhaps more importantly... In my peripheral vision, in the light's
outer coverage area, without turning my head to look, I could see all
the little pairs of cat eyes peering at me on the way to the store.

The modern LED headlamp is like having car headlights strapped to
your forhead.

How do you know that they are stray cats?

It wasn't difficult.

I ask this as a Brit who doesn't have any stray cats near me (wish I
did as I'd like another)

How do you know that for a fact?

There seems to be a huge stray/feral cat problem in America.

I would say there are too many in my neighborhood. I don't know about
other neighborhoods. Obviously you don't either.

In my locality, kittens are a rare thing. It costs 80 US dollars to
buy one.

I hope you're not talking about a pet store.

Which is good and suggests the spay/neuter program which offers it
free is working. There's no "free to a good home" kittens near me.

Having fewer stray cats in Europe nowadays probably helps keep the
bubonic plague away. You all were nearly wiped out and traumatized by
the bubonic plague, makes sense that you are scared to death of stray
animals. I hope something like that never happens here, but I fear it
could.

I do wish more people would get their animals from the Humane Society
instead of from a breeder or a pet store. Then again, that means there
are some gems to be had out there for those of us who care. I brought in
a Calico that's exceptionally well marked, looks better than the Calicos
that come up in a Google image search.