'Snowball' Twitter account pokes fun at Rep. Oda's feral animals bill

SALT LAKE CITY — A state lawmaker's bid to make it legal to shoot and kill feral animals has Utah feral cats "worried' and "scared" — at least on Twitter.

"Snowball," who describes itself as a Utah feral cat concerned about HB210, began posting messages on Twitter on Wednesday in response to a bill sponsored by Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield.

"I'm worried about the feral community," Snowball wrote in one post. "Killing of feral cats will break up families. Isn't Utah about family?"

HB210 seeks to change the state's animal cruelty statute by exempting feral animals from its protection. If adopted, the legislation would allow for the shooting and killing of feral animals.

Using the Twitter account @UTferalcat, the unknown author playfully compares Oda's bill to concerns about illegal immigration.

This first post appeared Wednesday:

"HB210 has everyone in my community to be scared. Where is the Utah Compact for our community?"

It since has been followed up a few dozen others, including:

"If HB210 passes, who will eat all the mice and voles? Utah needs feral cats."

"Most feral cats are here to hunt rodents to provide for their family. They don't want to be a feral cat forever."

And finally:

"We need a pathway for rodent-killing feral cats to become house cats. It is the right thing to do."

Snowball also poked fun at the controversy surrounding former Rep. Craig Frank, who resigned last week after it was discovered he didn't live in the district he was elected to represent.

"My wife Mittens filed a lawsuit to stop HB210 since I wasn't allowed to vote for Oda, even though I live in his backyard."

Twitter users can follow Snowball at twitter.com/#!/UTferalcat.

Attempts to reach the tweeting cat for comment have been unsuccessful. Seriously.

E-mail: jpage@desnews.com