Disclaimer: The comments in this blog are my personal opinion and may or may not reflect an adopted position of the city of Glendale and its city council.
Over the years as a councilmember one of the most frequent calls I receive is regarding feral cats. There are free or little cost ($25) services available to deal with the feral cat problem in your neighborhood.
Most of the programs are called TNR or Trap, Neuter, Release. You are loaned a trap(s) to get the cat. You transport the cat to a clinic. They usually want you to arrive around 6 AM. They spay or neuter the cat that day. You are then required to pick the animal up at the end of the day. What do you do with it then? They ask that you keep it in its cage for 2 days so that the animal has a chance to recuperate. You can keep the animal in your garage, bathroom, wherever it’s convenient for you. Just make sure to feed and water the animal. After 2 days the animal can be released. Yes, it may still be in your neighborhood but it can no longer produce kittens thereby bringing an end to the problem over time.
It may not be the ideal solution for some of you but it’s the only game in town right now. If you are desperate enough you will take advantage of the services that are out there. For those of you who are animal lovers, it’s an easy action to take and worth the effort.
Here are some of the resources out there available to you:
- Altered Tails. 602-216-1160 or Az Defense League 602-265-7729. You pay $25.00 per animal. They put you in touch with a person ( volunteer) that loans out the traps. You take the cat to the clinic on 73rd Ave. and Indian School. They spay or neuter the animal. You pick it up at the end of day. Leave it in trap overnight then release. More detailed info is available on their websites. Info@alteredtails.org or org
- Free (or low cost) Spay and Neuter Clinic: West Phoenix. Their address is:7342 W Indian School Rd UNIT 108, Phoenix, AZ 85033 and their contact number is: (623) 846-3979. This clinic is associated with the Arizona Humane Society, Altered Trails, the Arizona Defense League and virtually all non-profit groups that deal with stray cats. I would not call the clinic. I would call one of these agencies, arrange to get the traps and use the agency to make an appointment at the clinic.
- Cool Cats Rescue. I have no information about this group or what it provides but you can always give them a call and check it out. They are located at: 2525 E. Roosevelt St. Phoenix, AZ. Contact numbers are: (480) 659 5253; Cell: (512) 431-3874 .
- I could not find a public address or contact number for this group but it is on Facebook. It appears the only way to make contact is to post your question or message on their Facebook page. Their primary focus seems to be rescuing lost dogs but they do have a program called “Captured, Spayed, Neutered and Released.” They offer traps and it’s the same drill as the other programs— bring the trapped cat in the morning and pick it up at the end of the day. The only difference is if the female cat is pregnant, they will keep the cat, raise her kittens and adopt them all out. If the cat is not pregnant you must pick it up and release it.
These are the only resources with which I am familiar. If you know of any other group please comment on this blog and I will add it to this list. I hope this information has been of some help.
© Joyce Clark, 2020
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Thanks for posting. This is certainly a huge issue in my neighborhood. We are on the other end of the spectrum where there are too many cats that have been TNR that it has created a nuisance. I literally have cat scratches in the paint job of one of my vehicles and my side yard has been turned into a litter box. I know it’s not an easy topic and it certainly brings out the extremes on both sides. But thank you for providing some resources.
I also recently found (on amazon) an Ultra Sonic Cat Repeller. It is motion detected and when a cat approaches it sounds off. I’ve only had it about a week but it seems to be working to keep the cats off of my vehicles and out of my yard.
I agree with FM. Cats hunt and not just for food. If it moves it’s prey. I have a yard that’s well planted and regularly find lots of bodies, feathers, and bits and pieces of birds in my yard. I also find regular “gifts” left in neat little piles across the yard. I have to identify them quickly or the dog will dig them up. It’s a bit like a game, but more like a chore.
Cats damage property and decimate the native wildlife. I feel that just like invasive weeds, they should be removed from the areas they afflict not fixed and freed (which only addresses half of the problem).
I never claimed that this is the ultimate solution. It is, however A solution that works for some and not for all.
Joyce, do you know what/if there are nuisance laws that could be applied in these types of situations? I feel like
FM, I am not sure. I think there are. I will check city code in the next day or two.