On Tuesday, Bradford City officials heard about the local cat population problem — and the possible solution.
City council held a work session No Feline Left Behind in McKean County prior to Tuesday’s regular council meeting.
As No Feline Left Behind President Donna Douglass explained, the group formed as a way to reduce the number of unwanted litters and prevent the spread of disease in a way that shows compassion to stray and feral felines. The group received 501©(3) non-profit status on Jan. 2, 2018.
Since that time, the group has worked with 471 cats in McKean County, including 195 in Bradford City alone.
“Unfortunately, Bradford has a cat problem,” said Douglass.
She explained the solution is to spay, neuter and vaccinate local cats. Using donations from the community, No Feline Left Behind is doing just that.
People across the county will contact group members when they come across a cat roaming an area, and the group will trap the cat — with the property owner’s permission — take it to a clinic to be sterilized and vaccinated, then return the cat where it was found.
While some property owners don’t want stray or feral cats returned, Douglass explained why returning it is both better for the cats and the property owners. For the cats, they already know the area, so it is safer. For the property owners, having one sterilized, healthy cat returned is better than what the alternative may be: three or four cats moving in when they realize the first cat is gone.
The cost of taking each cat to a clinic or veterinarian can vary, running anywhere from $60 to nearly $200 depending on where they are taken and what the cat’s needs are.
One worry the group has is that even though it is against Pennsylvania law to adopt out a cat that is not sterilized, it is written in the law that there can be a written agreement that the new owners will have the cat sterilized within 30 days.
In response to concern from the group that the local shelter may not be using the written agreements, Mayor Tom Riel said he would look into it.
Board Member Rhonda Gray also said, “There needs to be some follow-up” to ensure people who adopt cats are taking them to get sterilized.
The group is grateful to members of the community who have helped them to locate and take care of outside cats.
One example of partners in the city who are helping with the problem are staff at the laundromat on Boylston Street. Gray said with their help, No Feline Left Behind has helped “well over three dozen” cats in the area around the laundromat.
Local police also regularly contact the group about stray and feral cats.
Douglass said that over time, the process will “make a huge difference” in the cat population.
Riel felt the same way, saying at one point, “We thank you. You do a tremendous job.”
Douglass asked council to keep No Feline Left Behind at budget time, as they rely on donations for their work, as the group is “too young for grants.” She explained they have not been approved for grants they’ve applied for but added that the Blaisdell Foundation has given them money.
Between the group members, they raised about $36,000 last year for the cause, said board member Lindsay Shine. She noted that 100 percent of the funds donated to the all-volunteer organization go right to the cats.
Riel said that while the city is always tight at budget time, city officials wanted to make a small donation to the group. Officials opened their wallets and took a collection for them.
