There was a great deal to think about on the long ride home from the Outdoor Cat conference earlier this week. I hope to post a brief overview of the event’s many excellent presentations in the next few days, but first need to offer an apology to Dr. Donald Burton, founder and executive director of the Ohio Wildlife Center.

In Tuesday’s Q&A session, I challenged some of the claims he’d made regarding rabies and toxoplasmosis during his presentation. And while I stand behind the facts I presented, I regret the tone I used—which was rather accusatory and preachy. Perhaps even condescending. I did not mean to suggest that Dr. Burton was deliberately trying to mislead the audience, only to point out that some of what he presented was, in fact, misleading.

I concluded my comments by suggesting that at a conference such as this, one expects better. I worry, in retrospect, that the same can be said of my contribution.