Item A: Feral Cats - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Feral Cats Meeting Date: June 25, 2008 Agenda Item Number: A Department: Central Services Staff Contact: Dee Ann Raile/Mary Walston www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5010 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session is being held as a result of a successful work session poll at the request of Councilor Solomon. The request for the work session was to have “a discussion of feral cats’ impact on neighborhoods and livability, and consideration of options to mitigate some of the impacts.” BACKGROUND The City Council in May of 2002 discussed the general topic of animal control. The work session touched upon the definition of a dangerous dog, licenses for cats, and concerns related to wildlife within the city. No action was directed by the council at that work session. At the time the poll was conducted there were also concerns cited about wildlife such as nutria, raccoons, deer and wild turkeys. While these are critical for some community residents, wildlife falls under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The primary focus of this work session is to discuss feral cats and possible solutions to address the impact the growing population of cats has on the community. Feral cats are a particular issue in the west part of Eugene where there are open areas, such as the intersection of Barger and Greenhill roads where cats have been abandoned to survive on their own. Many residents in Ward 6 have contacted Councilor Solomon to complain about problems associated with feral cats. It may be helpful to define a “feral cat.” A feral cat is simply the wild offspring of domestic cats and is primarily the result of people failing to spay or neuter or abandoning their cats. These cats survive as well as they can, living near restaurants, shopping centers, parks, dumps, or in rural areas. Feral cats often live in loose groups, or colonies, and usually go out of their way to avoid human contact. A feral cat is not the neighborhood cat allowed to wander freely, but a cat that is the second generation, or more, of an abandoned cat. These cats, being unaltered, breed and produce more feral cats. Eugene residents are not alone in expressing concern and frustration about feral cats. As a quick review of Internet websites reveals, many communities face the same challenges regarding feral cats. It is estimated that there are over 70 million feral cats in the United States. A recent estimate puts the number of feral cats in Lane County at 40,000. Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080625\S080625A.doc