Dearest neighbors and friends on and around W.150
Below are very recent letters written to the councilman regarding HOARDING feral cats in your nieighborhood which is a serious health issue. At the right margin of this page you will find a website I made for this issue and a Blog that dates clear back to 2007, since then, nothing has changed in the neighborhood. Included are letters that other concerned neighbors have written as well for your consideration.
Please send your concerns to Martin Keane council19@
(if you email him,, please send us a copy for record keeping)
City Hall:
601 Lakeside Avenue
Room 220
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
(216) 664-4239
(216) 664-3837 fax
Your Nieghbors who have put this into motion -
Brian can be reached at brian@clevelandhosted.com 216.338.1453
Aida can be reached at aida.santiago@yahoo.com 216.965.9617
Our plea and proposed solution:
The hoarding and outdoor feeding (illegal) of feral cats on the properties of 3407 W150 (Dee) and 3411 W.150 (Rich) is once again spinning out of control. We live right next to these two offenders and have dealt with this (destruction of property, smell, feces and urine all over, dead birds and rabbits left about, rats and mice) for almost 20 years. Every few years we contact the city, they cite her for something like "disrepair of the house", "stench in the house", ect...but do nothing to curb or control the huge amount of cats that they bring to their properties like magnets. In fact they actually search out cats in YOUR yards, even ones with collars, and then bring them into the herd and stuff them in the garage or in the houses.
In 2007 a crew ( I never asked but it must have been the city) had a dumpster on her yard for a week and were wearing hazardous material uniforms to remove the contents of her house. This was because on a hot day, even with our air on, we were still able to smell urine and feces in our own home that was coming from Dee`s house. We watched as everything was tossed and it was all covered with filth, urine and feces. It was truly disgusting and an sad site for our neighborhood.
Richard at 3411 has threatened us and came very close to starting a fistfight with my wife and I as we got out of our car 2 years ago late one night confronting us on this issue. He was taking swings at both of us just before the property line in order to incite us to hit him which we did not do as we know better (he is very mentally ill). These folks will do anything to hang onto these cats they cant even claim are theirs. 3 weeks ago he was on our front yard shining a flashlight into our window while we were being intimate as husband and wife at 12am. The neighbors, again to the North of us, saw him in their front yard as well that same nite.
They are both constantly in our yard (and yours!) looking for APL approved traps, or fabricating ropes and stories and placing them around so they can call the police on YOU if you want to be humane and trap them. On Sat 8/14/10 they both crawled into our backyard, were spotted by our neighbors as trespassing (they told us after the whole event) because after Aida tried to open communication with Dee she had the door slammed on her (again) so we laid out 4 Have a Heart Traps in plain view, unbaited and closed to get them to talk to us about the situation again and instead they fabricated a report and called the police on us with a "wire" or 'rope" produced to the officers and said were "hanging" cats. Our neighbors to the North of us have a sun room and testify that they saw them in the yard with flashlights just a few minutes before the police came. Our yard was scoured by a very nice officer that did not even believe them in the first place because they were so anxious to get us in trouble and we were more than happy to let the officers look into the yard as we have nothing to hide. Dee claims our dog is vicious so the officer asked us to let him out the front door and the officer even played fetch with our dog Ben, they knew these claims that these two were making towards us were bogus.
The next two days after that, they were spotted again in our yard "placing" wire in our yard so they could "set us up". We now are in process of obtaining a full restraining order against both of them so they will stay off our property and not physically hurt us over these stray and sick cats because he has threatened us he would do so. I could go on forever but will just paste correspondence between ourselves and your own neighbors that are upset over this issue that were sent to our District 19 Councilman. WE URGE YOU TO EITHER PLEASE CALL HIM OR EMAIL HIM ON THIS MATTER IF YOU WANT A NICE CLEAN NEIGHBORHOOD AGAIN THAT DOES NOT HAVE CAT URINE, FECES, DESTROYED GARDENS AND PROPERTY ALL AROUND WHERE WE LIVE. I`ve come to the conclusion that nothing gets done or enforced by the city on this serious health issue because we have been the only ones complaining. Aida and I beg you, the fine upstanding residents of Westpark between Triskett and Grapeland to support us on this issue if you have even been remotely affected by it or are just tired of not walking your dog on this side of the street and being pulled in every direction due to so many cats around, especially after 10:30pm when they both come out to "play" and feed their stray cats. This is all our neighborhood and we all deserve to live in a clean, healthy, odor free environment with no property damage and health issues due to feral cats. I think everyone can agree on that point.
The first letter 8/15/10 (after police were called on us by the "cat" people)
Dear Sir, (Martin Keane)
I`m at 3403 w150 and live next to 2 cat hoarders. They keep them in the garage and we estimate about 15 overall. They ruin everything around them, causing much damage with their urine and feces and the gross carcasses of birds, rabbits and skunks they leave behind. These people feed them outside which brings ants and rodents. We have a NICE yard, yet we cannot enjoy it and this is not fair to us that neighbors are preventing us from doing so. We cant garden like we want to because of the urine on the vegetables and 80 year old family heirloom prize winning roses, the cats jump a fence we made to keep them out so the veggies (52.00 worth) were destroyed. My roses smelled like urine and cant take them to the Berea fair.
In the past we have contacted Mike Debs from the health dept. and the housing department along with the APL and nothing has been done to rectify the situation in the neighborhood. They did come and make her toss her whole house because it reeked like urine, huge dumpster in the yard. Hazmat suits, the whole nine yards. She refuses to let a city official in the house even when she is home. I had to give the inspectors duct tape to tape the citations on her house because her door is broken and in disrepair. She hides inside when confronted.
The APL told me Friday to trap and bring them in. I tried to talk nice with her and she blew me off twice so we bought traps for 200.00, set them up, and at midnight the police were at my door. These neighbors called them and said we were "hanging cats" with rope. I showed the officers that I use rope to hold back my roses and vegetables, which is legal and that if indeed a cat got snagged there, it only proves they are crapping in my yard! It also proves the neighbors are IN my yard each and every day. I have to find a way to take them to small claims court because the cat urine has ruined my Central AC unit that is outside. All the coils are caked with urine and when I run the AC my house smells the same. 2k it will cost. This cant be fair can it?
Every time we do "anything" in the yard, even trim roses, the neighbor comes onto my property after we go into the house to "see" what we were up to. We have set them up by pulling out of the drive and my husband watches them come into the yard. They started this years ago when we did successfully trap a few cats and drop them at the APL and they kept going into the yard and releasing them. Why is it legal for them to come into my yard? Why is this city allowing this to happen to me, a tax paying resident in good standing of Cleveland ? The only thing the building dept did was force her to put a new roof on the house and clean up as the house is a wreck. Why should I have to pay 1500 for a fence? These people cost me money I don t have.
By helping and representing me you are helping the WHOLE neighborhood. We know the entire street as we have been here 20 years. I propose the following: I can gather 12-20 neighbors on this street that are fed up with these cats as well and most can claim property damage as a result of this. I would like to invite them to have a meeting with you or your representative all in front of my house someday soon please. These cat people have no care nor concern for the people they are around and when I go to do something legal as a last attempt due to CITY FAILURE, the police are in my yard telling me to remove the traps which are humane and legal and within our rights to do so. I guarantee these neighbors would show up for this meeting as they are mostly cops, retired officers and firemen- they too care about the neighborhood as they have kids and these cats have bitten and sent people to the hospital with infections. I would ask you or your rep to keep the conversation on track and non dramatic and logical as EVERYONE on the street has a complaint to air on this subject that these people need to hear.
Can you please help me before we decide to sell the house and move to a city like Lakewood that would not allow this sort of issue to drag on forever? I cant walk into my back yard, their eyes are on us, very uncomfortable and unnerving. I`m a shut in and only 36 years old because we fear them in our yard and the lies they tell officials and police. I also have Lupus and do not need to deal with this stress as it leads to flair ups and I get very ill. I cant even bear children now because of these cats- at first I thought nothing of handling the feces by throwing it back into her yard until I had my first miscarriage and they tested me and said I had some toxic gene in me that is a result of handling cat feces. I cant have kids yet she can have 30 cats that run all over the neighbor hood pooping? Does this sound remotely fair to you sir? Is the city more concerned about cats than my health and the sadness and frustration that I cant have children now because of all things- cats!
The officer last night, badge number -1B32 looked over our yard for these "ropes" and could not believe he wasted his time on the call. Our yard, our intentions, or frustrations were all up to snuff and clearly understood. He himself said they were "sick" and he supported us until the "bad" cop said he will arrest all of us because he wants to go home (WTF?). Now here is the problem every time an official or officer comes to the block- they dont see all the cats. This is because when people are standing around yelling with the officers they are of course gonna hide. They live in the garage and some in the house. Its also the hottest summer so of course you wont see them all scattered around the front steps and our yards until night when it cools and when she comes home to feed at 10.30 pm. When we put up the traps Sat., her son came over and they cleaned the garage for the first time ever just because she saw us install the traps and planned to call the police. Devious! The whole garage smelled like feces and they hosed it all down before calling the police on me latter that night to hide the fact that they are the problem.
This problem is escalating and spinning out of control. I beg you to please help. This neighborhood wants to have nice yards and wants to walk the dogs without them freaking out because she feeds these cats on the front yard of the street and its natural for dog to chase cat ! I was even told that I cant play catch with my dog anymore because he would be off his leash (he is trained and chases no cats) yet she can be a MAGNET for all neighborhood strays to live in her garage? How fair is this? last week she was in somebody else`s yard with a flashlight trying to get something (bird, cat?) out of a huge tree thinking it was a cat. Retired officer Larry Pertosik told her to get out of his yard and she freaked because he had his coon dog and she screamed that the dog was going to let loose to kill her cat- on HIS property, on a cat or bird or whatever that was in this tree at 11pm- she searches out cats and brings them into her flock. Rich the neighbor next to her was shining a bright flashlight into my front window when I was having sex with my husband because he said he "lost" one of his cats. Can YOU give me a good reason to not move thus taking my tax away from the city, for that matter I may buy house in Lakewood out of spite to see how they like living in a mess around them. Are we not all "supposed" to be trying to keep Westpark a nice safe environment for our kids and families?
I`m begging for your help, the neighborhood is doing the same and they all support us 100 percent so if you can pull a meeting together with the 1/2 block that's affected it would be so appreciated by all and I assure you that there will be many people present. This is our last resort, you are the last resort before we leave (we are starting to pack now in case you dont help us and will move into a rental we own in Lakewood) We have been here 20 years and the house has been in the family for 45 years, everyones friend, the warm and caring Helen Lesko was Brian`s Aunt and the house left to the estate. Are you going to let a "hoarder" that litters up the neighborhood drive people away? If so, Westpark will look like the other side of W117 if these problems are not addressed and I bet deep down you will come to see this in your heart and stand up for the street and help us sort this out. Tammy from the city has been out twice over the years. She spoke to the immediate neighbor (Deloris) and her neighbor who feeds/hoards as well and she told me that she was not allowed into Deloris house (hiding the cat hoarding) and and that it did smell like feces and urine from the steps so I don't see how sending her out again would change anything.
Please stand up for the fine residents of Westpark on w150 between Triskett and Grapeland before they all move away over this situation while you watch the neighborhood fall apart to more people that have their lives invested in this country, state, county and district and have and showed respect and PRIDE for where we all live. I don't hate these people because they are mentally ill by all standards of the word, I just want some peace and a clean place to live and a yard for my family and pets to be able to play in.
Please?
Love,
Aida Santiago
The second letter 8/16/10
Dear Martin,
This is Brian Feather, my wife wrote to you earlier yesterday regarding this ongoing problem in the neighborhood about the feral cats next door and the two houses that feed them off the porch and the garage.
Sir, we need your help. These neighbors are in our back yard at night with flashlights, it is 4am and they are back there now, looking at the gardening work my wife and I did earlier yesterday morning. When they were in the yard the other night when the police came they were spotted by my other neighbor who has a backyard sun porch. She saw them just before they called the police on my legal APL approved traps and I am ready to take her to first district and see about getting a restraining order against them. We are scared! This is the same neighbor that snuck up on us at 11pm a few years ago (regarding cats) as we pulled in the drive and tried to fight with me (I spoke to you about this) and he said he would kill my wife and I if his cats go missing to the APL. It took a retired officer (lives across street) to tell him to go back into his house and take his meds (he is mentally ill and a shut in). I ask you, will I indeed be able to get a restraining order to keep these sick mentally ill people outta my yard? I dont need to sit in my window with no sleep fearing I have intruders in MY space and wont call police for such petty shit like they did to me. I respect officers and what they do to protect us as we have soooo many on our street. A Second District Sargent is only four houses down from us. The person next to him (Justin Mason) lived here for 8 years and moved out because of these cats and lack of attention to our needs, he was a dear friend that was our age. He moved to RRiver because they seem to enforce the law better than Cleveland does. I will call him today and ask him to email you as well.
You will be receiving some emails from my neighbors today and thru the week because they cant believe that we (respected and likable people on their street) would have the police called on us for being 100 percent legal trying to control destructive feral cats that they don't want either as they destroy their yards and smell things up as well and the food left on her front porch brings in skunks and dogs get sprayed. They want a meeting on the street too, in front of these peoples houses and they will tell you so.
Now bear with me and please understand what I`m saying here....
-Integrity, civil service, honesty-
These troublesome cat hoarders have none of the above qualities thus do not care about the neighborhood nor anyone around them. Deloris`s house is in its 4th foreclosure, the city made her put on a new roof, the city hired someone to toss her house into a dumpster and everything in it due to me calling about the smell of crap and all the belongings that hit the dump had feces and urine all over it so we had to close windows again. She does not let city officials nor the APL into the house, she did not let Tammy from the city into the house either and she is supposed to talk to residents with complaints on them. WHY IS THE CITY FAILING US? As far as lies goes, when I told the officers about the dumpster she denied it and kept saying I was a drug addict, an asshole and cursed my personality and defamed my character as a response, it was all baseless, I said "let them in your house to smell then" and of course she would not. They will do and say anything to get the attention off of them and project it onto others in order to hide the fact that they know they are a public and neighborhood problem.
Rich the other feeder is the nut that came and threatened us in our yard on my property with his fists raised and wife present along with retired officer Mr. Pertosik who came to back me up after hearing the ruckus. 2 years ago he cursed out the fireman family`s kids across the street from him and I believe I heard him tell Rich that if he talks/yells to his kids again he would drop him right in the street, I was on the stoop and heard it all. Rich even starts to cut his grass at 10pm (not legal) when its dark because he so embarrassed to be out during the day because everyone on the block FEARS him or flips him off when hes seen.
Do you see any remote signs of integrity, honesty or civility from what I have stated and from what you must know by now? Do you think that they really care about anyone other than their cats since they don't care about neighbors complaints to them but instead when a trap comes out they scour your yard, make a story up and lie to the police after they call them? What comes first in Cleveland? People or stray cats? Right now it seems like cats and that should anger you that everyone you put me into contact with did not help enough or even follow up. I cant ask you enough to obtain the police report from Sat night. My wife said she gave you the badge number of the officer who was AMAZED that no one would help us and he said were are legal and they are crazy! He really felt bad for us and believed they were lying to him, he said because the rope they said was in our yard that they said they cut and gave to the police that night did NOT match any rope or strings we use for the garden (daisies, roses, veggies) that he so conveniently said was wrapped around a cats neck (the day we set traps, first time in many years) . I think the officers could have been more productive on the street instead of dealing with people afraid of loosing cats to the APL. The police report should show that we were calm and nice and the neighbors were frantic and grasping at straws (hes a drug addict, a killer, son of a bitch motherfucker, ect.) and the officer said she was discrediting herself by saying and making up such things. Dig up her city records, problems with housing, health, APL, mayors office, ect.. Is this not an ongoing problem I ask you sir? How can this be rectified? Why is the city letting two people cause property damage, bring in sickness and a wafting stench while everyone around them suffers and when called there is no follow up and they slip back into their ways a year latter or less?
Us-
I built and volunteer at the Lakewood Christian Service Center where my wife volunteers too. 50-100 hungry, food insecure people are fed each day I also help coordinate the community meals in the churches in the city and my wife sings at our Faith Lutheran Church and sings at the meals around town. We are well liked and respected in this neighborhood and COMMUNITY because we GIVE respect and show concern and in return are deemed as good reliable trustworthy people that neighbors can stop and talk to EVERYDAY during dog walks or when driving up the street, they stop and we chat, usually 2-4 neighbors at once... That dives the cat people crazy because they are not wanted here by anyone in the neighborhood and they try to discredit us by calling the police for a false report- isn't a false report illegal? We cant even have a block party here because parents are afraid that cats will bite the kids or they will go into the front yards and get crap on them! The "street" garage sales are done between Triskett and Rosemary because I was told that everyone on the street is embarrassed because of these cat hoarders so they don't have it here by the rest of the street- they are embarrassed. The corner of this block (Rosemary to Grapeland) is being ignored because of 2 people. Is this fair I ask you? We have terrific neighbors next to us on the other side but whenever we wanted to start a fire, there are the cat people peering thru the windows thinking we are plotting against their sick cats. This makes things uncomfortable and it embarrasses us to have to tell them we are uncomfortable cooking out or doing whatever with them because of these people and the fact that the dogs (ours and theirs) go nuts because of the cats running all around when we are trying to enjoy our friendships in our own yards.
Given the last few paragraphs, who is doing doing their share in the community and who is not and why are we the ones being hassled? I have never had the police come to my house in the 20 years I have been here and I was scared shitless, we are good god fearing people that has never in the 45 years this house has been in the family had the police scour the backyard and give me the 3rd degree. Now I strongly suggest that this matter be looked into soon because 4 other neighbors were so ticked that this happened to us (police being called over nothing and lies) that they are going to trap themselves. This will result in MULTIPLE calls to the police from them, I assure you this. It appears that between them there will be at least 8 traps set and they will not be hidden, they will be right in plain sight of these people which means that they in return will either call the police on them with made up stories of cruelty and I guarantee that they will be in their yards. These are officers, retired officers and folks that are game keepers for a living. These folks will not tolerate people poking in their yards as they all have CCW. We don't want this do we? I know I don't! I didn't coach them, they said they would do it themselves due to the anger over us being hassled and more importantly the frustration they have with the cats as well.
Now, since they are getting so petty with these lies and then a police call, I was told by officer Barny that I cant even play catch with the dogs in my own yard now because they would not be on a leash and that she told him every time I do so she will call the police. Does the police need to do this? They have more important things to do. My dog is handicapped trained and does not chase cats or anything, he focuses on what I tell him to do and that is all. Is it fair that stray cats they cant claim as their own run around but my dog cant play in his own yard with me? As soon as the officers came to the door on Sat they saw my Golden Labrador dog and he even said "let him out" I love labs! So the whole time the police were in my yard and in hers talking to them about all this the dog was running all around the front and he was fine and even the officer played ball (fetch) with him! In front of the people complaining about us, my dog, and this dreamed up idea that an APL approved trap is cruel. The dog stood by the officers in her yard and one would think it was their dog (officers) by the manner in which the dog acted.
Marty, 2 neighbors in your district are causing much trouble and when confronted they hide in their house, wait till dark, go into yards and call police about cats that they have no papers on, no collars, nothing, they are strays. APL will fix, give shots and then release a feral cat because they just got a big federal grant to do so to help curb this stray/feral cat situation throughout the city- all for 10 bucks. Please go to the APL site and read about the horrors that Cleveland is dealing with regarding stray sick cats and why a grant was given. Now is your chance to do something that would make an impact on this city wide issue. If helped, myself and the entire neighborhood would hold you in great esteem and with great respect. If nothing can be done for whatever reason by the city, this silly issue that keeps exploding into drama will become highly publicized. As a well respected Anti-Hunger advocate and humanitarian activist, I have many, many Internet publications that will take this story and run with it making it "viral" as they say. It will essentially point out that 20 years of fighting with the city over filthy, unhealthy conditions in our yards and on the streets go un attended to by the city of Cleveland. I will also point out that the city seems to prefer feral cats over it`s residents. This wont look good for our fine city, we get enough bad press as it is.
thank you for your time,
Brian
216.338.1453
A letter from one of your neighbors that moved away due to this issue
MAJOR problem with FERAL CATS on West 150th Street
Councilman Keane,
As you are aware, there is a major health and safety issue with feral cats in the neighborhood on West 150th Street between Grapeland and Triskett. The residents at 3407 W 150th Street refuse to comply with demands of neighbors and city officials and help to get rid of their 20 plus feral cats. This is not the first time they have acquired a large amount of feral cats, and if you look into their history with this issue you will see that their property has been condemned in the past by the health department because of the damage and health risks. But for some reason they keep taking care of these cats but they do not capture them to get them spade or neutered. Right now, they continue to feed these cats and allow them to live around their house. Some neighbors have serious medical conditions or are elderly, and don't need the added risk that feral cats can bring including several fatal and non-fatal diseases transmittable to humans (rabies, ringworm, toxoplasmosis, cat scratch fever, allergies, fleas, ticks and secondary bacterial infections to name a few). There are also major risks to the pets that live in the neighborhood. I recently sold my house at 3395 W 150th Street and moved from the neighborhood, so I am very familiar with this problem. These cats were part of the reason why moved to Rocky River. I put up with it for 9 years and just got sick of dealing with those cats and the damage they did to my flower gardens (defecating and urinating in them like a litter box). They fight with each other and the skunks and I always had problems with them breaking up the trellis to get under my front porch.
Some of the neighbors have decided to work together to get APL traps to get rid of the cats. About a dozen neighbors want to organize a meeting on the street and I urge you to go. This has been a major problem for many years, and something needs to be done to stop this once and for all. With your support, they can hopefully send a message to these people that they need to stop taking care of those cats and start trapping them.
I urge you to please take this problem seriously and go to the planned street meeting.
Sincerely,
Justin Mason
A letter from ANOTHER of your neighbors
Good Morning!
I wanted to address the issue about ALL these cats running around here in OUR yards. I read the letter that the Feathers sent you, and as far as I can read, and understand, they have hit it all on the head!
I do NOT, UNDERSTAND, why these people are in their yard with flash lights? I see them, and I thought it was Aida and didn't realize it was them AGAIN until the police came. Please understand, we are all nice people here (some anyway, the ones I know), and the cats are out of control. We didn't do a garden this year because my husband said to many skunks, raccoons, and cats. So we didn't, but we wanted to help Brain and Aida with theirs and they spent all this monies and time to no more than a couple of weeks, it was destroyed, just as my husband said would happen. It was the CATS! How sad!
We come home at night and they are everywhere! Get up at 4:00am to go to work and they are ALL under the cars parked on the street and driveways. OMG! I love animals, but PLEASE!!!! TAKE CARE OF THEM!!! Isn't that a form of ABUSE to those poor cats? We have such a strick enforcement on DOGS, cats, SHOULD NOT BE OUTSIDE RUNNING AROUND IN A CITY!!!! Field CATS are just that, in the FIELD! Dogs are tagged and license in that not right? You get your dog taken away if they are not. What is so different about cats? They too need someone to speak up for them! Its over 100 degrees out side and when they aren't outside their in her garage! How hot is that???
Try to have a party with family outside, NOT HAPPENING! How embarrassing for us!
As far as Brian and Aida, ropes ? Hanging cats? Mistreating any animal is NOT THEIR nature. Meet them, you can see that. Sweet people! Can be my neighbors anywhere.
Please, we are not only crying for our neighborhood to be ODOR FREE and no CATS RUNNING around, but take care of the CATS that are also in GREAT DANGER!!
There is more going on that I could ever explain in this neighborhood about this lady and her son, but all we are asking now is STAND UP and take care of these poor cats! And our homes!!
P.S. Have you ever seen this house ??? OMG!!! Not kept up, and cat food being thrown all over. I have seen so many dangerous things going on. Her son is dangerous alone. Eekkk
Thank you for hearing me out.
Jim and Sherry Purcell
Neighbors of the Cat lady.
A plea from us dating back to 2007
Too many cats in our area/on our street - your prompt action is required!
As a citizen, I feel it is my right to maintain my property and be able live in a clean and healthy environment and expect the same respect from my neighbors. Now, there are dozens and dozens of 'un fixed' male and female cats that have been urinating, defecating, scratching and ruining things outside of my house and in my yard for over 7 years. The past 5 years has been spent trying to get YOU to do something about it which so far has been a futile attempt.
I live next to this woman, whose name is Dee, at 3407 W 150 and she is the main culprit. She used to have all these cats in her basement and in multiple cages. When I complained about the smell an officer came by and she would not even let him in the house. She then, the next day and in front of my very own eyes, threw out of the side door each and every one of the cats in fear of you coming back to take them away as she latter told me. She will not work with the APL, she says all they do is kill them. (gee, maybe because they are raty and sick?)
Now, a few years have passed and these felines have reproduced and are in larger numbers roaming all over the neighborhood. Not a day goes by where I see a total of 10-30 different cats on any given day. Since your officers claim they never see any cats when they drive down the street -on a hot afternoon-, I have taken upon myself to take pictures of these cats and post them here as proof. Included will be pictures of her cat's waste that she leaves on my property by the side of her house as well as all the food that is left out on a daily basis (at least a box full and in multiple bowls). This food attracts skunks and twice last year my dog was sprayed by one. If requested I will take pictures of the fecal matter that is left in my garden each day and post it.
I have contacted my councilman twice over the years. They have twice sent out a city rep. to talk to her and she was successful in getting her to surrender a dozen kittens or more that were in the house at the time. Last year she had to move everything out of the house to bomb it with professional grade flea and tick foggers. She told me when you walked into her house a hundred fleas would jump on your legs... I have to live next to this shit? This is NOT fair to me, a tax paying citizen and homeowner. Last summer the comment was made by her that said "I just don't know what to take care of, my cats or my house payment". Clearly there is some mental illness here or at least the priorities are mixed up. I have even contacted the court (by your referral) and told them it is a health issue with the feces and the dead birds/mice/possums and still, nothing done.
I took pictures today 6-11-07 around 2pm. You will see the torn screens that the cats jump in and out of, you will see a few cats I ran into and you will see about 4-5 dishes with food in them left out on the driveway, inches from my home. It is a very hot day out today so you should be surprised that I was even able to see some of these wandering cats in our yards.
As you have read this you have head me say a number of times - NOTING HAS BEEN DONE. Is there a problem that I am unaware of that prohibits your department to perform it's duties by providing me with a safe and clean environment to live, unhindered by animal feces, food left 2 inches from my house and my and other dogs uncontrollably chasing after them all day and night?
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP YOU SOLVE THIS ISSUE ONCE AND FOR ALL...I AM BEGGING YOU!!
Here is some information I found on the web regarding stray and feral cats
-First of all, remember one of the cardinal rules of life. Avoiding problems doesn't make them GO AWAY! In fact, it usually makes them far worse with the passing of time.
-Remember that cats are not humans, having them spade and neutered isn't the same thing as "taking their manhood" or their "reason to live" away from them. I only mention this because in the small town where I come from, it's perceived as "mean" to fix your animals. That's archaic thinking, and it's not a correct line of logic.
-Many people say, "They're not my cats, it's not my problem." But guess what? If you're not a part of the solution, you ARE a part of the problem. So quit your whining and do something about it, it'll make your life much easier and you'll sleep better at night.
- So what first? Stop the cycle of endless kittens by getting your local tomcats fixed. You can catch them, have them neutered, and release them back into the wild a couple of days after they've healed. You don't have to adopt a cat to fix it.
-Crack down on hoarders. You know the people, they have overflowing garages of junk. Stray cats FLOCK to these places, they mate here, they give birth here. But guess what else congregates in places like this? Rats, bugs, roaches, parasites. These hoarders need to be stopped by their own neighbors and towns. (Dee leaves her garage open for cats all day/night and feeds them)
-Try to educate people. Many people don't like cats because they think they're "mean", they were bitten by a cat as a kid, etc. Who knows why, but for some reason cats have a bad rap. But they're just animals, projecting emotions or opinions onto them is silly. So educating people about why it's important to spay and neuter can help to stop the cycle of stray cats.
There is plenty of great information on the Internet, most of it urges people to not feed stray cats as they end up staying in your neighborhood and falling into the hands of hoarders who are emotionally unstable that will only bring misery to your neighborhood along with rodents, skunks, rats,mice, rats, raccoons, ect...