Advice needed in dealing with neighbor with out of control cat problem

[avebury]

I love both cats and dogs and own 1 cat and 3 dogs. I also have put food out for one feral male that I feel sorry for and have another cat that comes to visit.

Lately I have become inundated with cats that I learned yesterday belong to the people who live across the street. They have at least six adult cats (none of whom are fixed). The lady was telling me that two of the cats recently had litters and another one was probably due anytime now. Another cat had gone into heat but she didn't think that cat was pregnant yet. I asked her how many kittens she thought they had at this point - 14. All cats are outdoor cats due to allergies within the human family. I was told that one of the cats had her kittens UNDER the house next door (it has been vacant for at least 11 years as the owner is in a nursing home and the family has yet to sell it). I cannot even imagine what the house smells like with cats having full run under the house.

I suggested that they should look to getting all the cats fixed. She told me that her mother had made a couple of calls and told her that it would cost her $400 per cat to get them fixed. I promptly corrected her on that point. I also let her know that there is an ABC Clinic (Animal Birth Control Clinic) here in Oklahoma City and that residents can take their pets there to be spayed/neutered for FREE! I also told her that I would find out a telephone number for a TNR Program (Trap Neuter Release Program) so that they can see if they can get a trap to catch the cats. I also have that has a safe trap that I can borrow for their use.

I am going over to their house tonight with all of the information and encourage them to take action since cost is not longer a factor.

What I need is advice on how to handle my conversation with them when I take the information over to them. How is the best way to phrase the conversation so that they will listen to me and take action of their own accord. I would even volunteer to help catch them to get them into a kennel if they needed the help. If they don't seem to do anything about the problem I have two options:

1. Put a safe trap up on my property (If I have to do that I am not feeling too inclined to return them to the area but just take them to the shelter as much as I hate to do that).
2. Call Animal Control because they are way over the city code limit on cats and let the city deal with them.

My ultimate goal is to get them to start getting the cats fixed and hopefully re-home the kittens when they are old enough. If something is not done about the situation it will only grow worse with time.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions anyone has to offer.

[Stinky The Clown]

1. I totally understand reluctance to call authorities, but that may be best in a situation like this

You're right. This will not get any better with time.

Animal control may or may not be of help. The police may be the better answer. What I hear in this area (not a reliable statement of reality) is that the police actually tend to keep the animals alive and get them placed while the shelter tends to quickly kill them.

Getting the police involved has the added benefit of putting the fear of gawd into the people hoarding the cats.

No good answers for this one.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Are there laws where you live about pets?

Even our teeny town has limits to the # of pets allowed ( because of hoarders).

No way would I have any conversation about the problem with my neighbors...sure fire way to start resentments on someone's side.
I would let Animal control have that conversation. Surely SOME rule is being broken about so many cats, that would give the Animal Control a reason to dialog with the owners.

[avebury]

7. The city ordinance allows for a maximum of 4 cats and 4 dogs per household. nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. There ya go.

You, as a concerned citizen, are perfectly within your rights to call Animal control and alert them to the situation. Let them know how the problem is impacting you, and let them handle it.

I don't know about your area, but here in Ala. EVERYONE is rightfully concerned about rabies,
to the extent that, unfortunately, stray dogs are sometimes shot by landowners.
Rabies tags are enforced.

I would be worried that 14 cats living outside could be carriers of all sorts of disease, feline leukemia being among them.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. Might point out that one un-spayed female and one un-neutered male cat

could produce way more kittens then she could ever afford to feed.


According to humane sites one un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring results in 420,000 kittens in 7 years.


Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_kittens_could_a_female_cat_have_in_her_lifetime#ixzz1vXLSW8P9

[hamsterjill]

4. Alley Cat Allies

Thank you, first, for your concern about this situation AND I am so happy to see someone trying to be proactive!

Check out Alley Cat Allies for information, some which you may be able to print and take with you to aid in a conversation with these people. See this link:

www.alleycat.org

You can email Alley Cat Allies for information about your specific area, too. They generally have information about existing TNR groups, etc.

Best of luck!

[LeftyMom]

5. I'd call the TNR group whether they do or not.

They can help you set up a trap. I'd also try to get the owner of the vacant house in touch with them, because if the cats are holed up under the vacant house that's the ideal area to trap them.

Hopefully they can send somebody over to talk to those people or at least lend you a trap. If you have to trap them yourself there are people around here who do a lot of TNR who can help you out with that. I could never manage it myself- not sure if I was dealing with ninja cats or a poor trap.

[jtuck004]

6. If you remove the cats there will be more that show up to take their place.

It will become a never ending cycle - something that continually drives the need for animal control, btw. The city can only deal with it on a temporary basis, and if they issue a ticket or something else that hurts the owners it not only doesn't "fix" the problem but you might have a price to pay as well. There are thousands upon thousands of complaints out there, and AC in most cities ( Calgary is one big exception) doesn't really do much for the long term except for some very specific types of calls. (If these were the kind of folks concerned about tickets the cats *probably* wouldn't be intact, in a very general sense).

But your question is about how to deal with the conversation - the TNR group sounds good, and you might also check with Best Friends - Phone [phone], see if they have any advice or resourcs that might help. I don't know how much help they might be with this, but it is worth a shot. I used to work with them a bit years ago.

Your best bet is to help them get this done at the ABC clinic, and return the cats to their place, help them rehome the kittens.
The ABC clinic is a great asset, however, especially if you can help them with transportation. It's the cost that is the greatest barrier (among others) with cat owners, among others.

By being a patient friend and resource you might be the best chance they have.

[roody]

9. Hopefully they can understand that the

cats will be healthier if spayed and neutered.

Great website here: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/

[roody]

10. Please keep us posted about your progress.