Marshall deals with feral cats

MARSHALL, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A National Geographic study discovered that there are 70 million feral and stray cats across the United States, and the vast majority of them live in groups in urban areas.

As cute as cats can be, they are quickly becoming a problem in Marshall.

Newschannel 3 spoke with officials in Marshall about a new program to keep the cat population under control.

Catch and release programs are not a new concept, but feral cats are becoming a growing problem in the City of Marshall. With colonies in the hundreds officials say something has to be done now.

“There are areas that are out of control,” said Sarah Vicary.

From the banks of Riverside Park to the local bus barn, even to the fairgrounds, parts of the City of Marshall have a population boom on their hands and we’re talking about feral cats.

“We pulled out eight to nine litters of kittens, we’re up into the fifties,” said Vicary.

And there could be as many as 60 adult cats roaming in just one neighborhood and the way the city has decided to deal with the problem is to trap, neuter, and then release the animals.

Throughout the summer Mid-Michigan Rescue hopes to catch, neuter, and release an estimated 200 cats, costing thousands of donated dollars.

“They have to go back into the environment because there is no place for them to go,” said Vicary.

Due to their wild nature, shelters won’t take the cats and placing adult felines has always been difficult.

“There is no plethora of people who want a wild cat,” said Vicary.

Vicary says the cats look harmless enough and can be hard to find in the wild, but left to grow out of control they have the potential to spread disease among their own, and neighborhood, cats.

“There is the possibility a feral cat can give your cat a fatal disease,” said Vicary.

The trap-neuter-release program is estimated to run until the end of the summer months. While the program won’t reduce the number of feral cats in the city, it will halt the cat colonies from getting larger.