Feral cats have become a significant issue in Modesto, prompting residents to voice their frustrations and seek solutions. KCRA has received multiple emails from viewers highlighting the problem.
On Thursday night, Vice Mayor Chris Ricci hosted a community meeting to address the feral cat situation. Dozens of residents attended to discuss the issue and propose potential remedies.
“I see these cats wandering around through my yard and driveway and walking on my cars,” said Brian Eugeni, who moved to Modesto in 2020. He added that the problem has only worsened since his arrival. “I see the same problem that was described here by many people tonight. I see it everywhere I go.”
KCRA visited several problem areas across the city and observed groups of feral cats roaming parks and neighborhoods. Ricci, personally frustrated by the issue, shared his own experience.
“I was taking my family to the grocery store, and there were like 100 cats in the parking lot,” Ricci said. “I thought, this is crazy. How could this be happening? And I started realizing that this is a huge problem.”
One proposed solution discussed during the meeting is a trap-and-release program. This approach involves trapping the cats, spaying or neutering them, and then releasing them back into the community.
“It seems like we don’t fund trap-and-release very well, if at all. We need to work on that and make it happen again,” Ricci said.
Amy Smith, a representative of Saving Lives Animal Rescue of Stanislaus County, highlighted the financial challenges of supporting such programs.
“Our group is almost being bankrupted doing trap-and-release for people. We manage about 10 to 20 cats a month, and it’s breaking us,” Smith said.
Smith also noted that their rescue center is at full capacity, with nearly 200 cats and kittens awaiting adoption.
In response, community members have formed an executive board to explore solutions and secure funding. The board plans to meet monthly to address the ongoing issue.
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