Mary Alice Reporting –
What to do about stray cats is a situation that many communities talk about, and that discussion is back in the city of Uhrichsville.
Resident Chuck Marty brought the issue to council with members echoing his frustrations over feral felines and them destroying property and yards.
Marty proposed for council to take action and not let other people direct council, referencing the Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) program, who has been to the city previously.
“Why don’t we just come up with an ordinance? Councilman [Matt] Fox talked with some city down on the river, they have a cat ordinance. If they have one, we can have one. Let’s just come up with an ordinance on it and deal with the issue. I think we just have to have a committee, call around to different communities and see what they have, and come up with something.”
“Or hire a sharpshooter, I don’t know”, said Councilman Harold Shamel.
Councilman Matt Fox said he deals with feral felines on his property and bringing in the TNR program does nothing beneficial.
“You can control the population but you can’t control the wear and tear that they do. The cats they still tear up the carpets on the porch, they still urinate in the bushes. They’re good for chasing the mice around that’s about it. I just don’t see how we can resolve an issue with the cats down here, I just don’t see it.”
Councilman Terry McFerren agreed to review the issue on the ordinance and codes committee.
“I think should be in anything like that on the cats is if you’re going to feed them, water them, and all that, you’re providing a haven for them so if they go out and dig up [residential] gardens or tear up a porch, or whatever.”
Another council visitor questioned about why cat owners are not subject to the same rules for dog owners regarding license.
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