A Village of Plandome resident concerned about feral cats in the village approached the Board of Trustees at its meeting Tuesday suggesting that it notify residents about refraining from feeding the cats.
The resident, who did not want to be named, said she has seen at least five feral cats in the village, and though she does not want anyone to harm them, she is concerned that the cat population could expand if left unaddressed. Village Clerk and Treasurer Barbara Peebles agreed.
“It could be 100 cats by the end of the season,” Peebles said.
The board said it would include a notice to residents in the village’s next newsletter saying they should not feed the cats.
A second step that Trustee Andrew Bartels said he would explore is a catch and release program that the Town of North Hempstead offers free.
“I called 311,” the resident said. “If you see a cat has a triangle on its ear it means it’s been neutered and released.”
Mayor M. Lloyd Williams said that the Village of Plandome Heights also had feral cats and that he would reach out to the village’s board to see how officials addressed it.
“Before we had a dog [cats] used to hide under by the big window, they’d be in my shed, they’d be all over,” said Trustee Katie Saville.
At its next meeting on Nov. 13, the board will vote on zoning code changes. There will be a final public hearing about the changes immediately preceding the vote.
The changes regulate the maximum potential size of structures. It includes two tiers for structure sizing, with one for average-sized lots and the second for large lots.
The village sent a letter to residents this week explaining the changes and their origins.
“Please understand that Zoning Code changes do not impact current or future residents unless they make substantial renovations or total rebuilding of their homes,” the letter says. “Even then, in most cases, the new proposed Zoning Code would be no different from, slightly less restrictive than, or slightly more restrictive than the current code.”
No to TNR!!!!!!
Children and immune compromised Come First…..
Why should seemingly harmless TNR kitties be a problem?
The stark answer is : That they are not harmless.
Outside cats – through a rat to cat transmission – spread the sinister parasite Toxoplasmosis gondii.
That includes TNR cats.
( Its not just about birds )
This where this parasite begins.
Outside cats feeding off of mice and rats.
Cats go to the bathroom like all of living critters, but in those cat “packages” are oocysts of Toxoplasmosis.
And, nasty they are.
Any child, walking the grounds, can be infected.
How?
By just being a child.
Picking up a ball where a cat was using the restroom, and simply wiping a mucous membrane.
Nose, mouth, eyes…..
Then, it’s game over.
Toxoplasmosis causes blindness.
No child should ever go through that because they were infected.
No parent can disinfect a child 24/7.
Kids fall, they explore, and they put their fingers in their mouths.
Washing up in the restrooms later may be too late.
There is no cure for this parasite, and the only vector that affects humans are outside cats.
The Brain.
Once in there … there is no way out.
The Toxoplasmosis gondii parasite has been linked to mental disorders, including schizophrenia, spectrum disorders, road rage, suicide, and depression.
There are no inoculations for Toxoplasmosis.
Your healthy, happy toddler can be changed forever due to this parasite.
Is this possibility acceptable for any child?
Not to forget blindness.
Aaaaaaannnd the birds…..
Cats kill 2,000,000,000 birds a year.
Well fed cats.
TNR cats.
They are hardwired to hunt.
That’s not even counting the small native mammals, reptiles, and amphibians that they view as “toys”.
Rabies is becoming a real problem in many states.
Cats have overtaken dogs as the number one source of rabies transmission.
This is because raccoons are attracted to feral cat feeding sites.
Are rabies vaccinations UTD with each cat every three years at your colonies?
No……
One shot upon neuter does not protect a cat for life.
Finally …..
TNR does Not Work.
We have more cats than ever.
Cats, should be in an enclosed area where everyone benefits.
The cats are safe and so are the children, immune compromised …and wildlife.
Cats belong inside.
Inside cats are very safe because the cat/rat interaction is unlikely.
Cats make great pets.
I love my cat.
She stays inside.