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Costa Cat Controls Imminent • Kas


 

COSTA CAT CONTROLS IMMINENT

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Mark Nolan / 2013-08-08 19:15:20

Catch me if you can

Although a delight to see for many, there are some who have filed complaints, but the presence of colonies of stray cats is one of the next issues the Orihuela town hall are looking to solve.

According to the Councillor for the coast, Martina Schreurer, “One of these colonies living on the Paseo Maritimo of Aguamarina is getting bigger and bigger so that the town hall will have to take some action”.

Although the aim is not to get rid of the cats, who many feel have a right to enjoy the coast as much as we do, it is hoped that by simple collaboration, the matters of complaint can be addressed, whilst also taking action to control the growth of the colonies by spaying and neutering the animals.

The first request is that anybody who does feed the cats, you are welcome to carry on, but the request has come to only leave dry food out, such as biscuits or “crunchies”, rather than moist food, such as found in tins or leftovers, as the moist food deteriorates quickly in the sun, attracting other animals and insects and then smelling, as well as being potentially dangerous to the cats if the food becomes infected or bad. Dry food has a longer lifespan, doesn´t deteriorate so quickly, and provides the nutrients needed to these cats and kittens.

The councillor did continue to say that “I did myself see a lady feeding the cats from a tin and then throwing the tin in direction of the sea”, which is also particularly worrying as not only does that cause litter problems, but the cats could try to seek out the smell and potentially injure themselves on the tin, or by falling.

In addition to the first control, which is the best course of action for both the cats and neighbours, the town hall will also be starting the spaying and neutering campaign in September, in order to control the further growth of the cat population.

In order to do this, the cats will have to be caught, then taken to a vet, on a daily basis, where they will later be returned, although there will also be a campaign to re-home them during this process. Up to 3 cats a time will be caught and taken, over a period of several weeks, at the start of which there will be a campaign launched in the press warning people, because your assistance will also be asked for in achieving this measure.

In the time immediately before the traps are set, the town hall will ask that no food is put out at all. The reason for this is that the traps will contain food, which will encourage the cats to enter, before being taken away. “If the cats are not hungry, they will never enter the traps”, the councillor explains, concluding that, “Of course when the traps are taken the remaining cats will be fed”, and that the process is “absolutely necessary” for achieving good results.


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