Talk to residents, and not just cull

One of my neighbours told me recently about cat poo outside his unit and that of his immediate neighbour. I knew which cat he was referring to as I have been “managing” the cats in my neighbourhood for eight years.

I spoke to the cat’s owner, who admitted that the cat was sometimes let outdoors at night.

She accompanied me to meet the two residents, and one showed us a photograph of the cat on his phone. The owner was surprised by what her cat did in “just a short while” outdoors.

I explained that complaints to the Town Council might result in innocent cats being culled without solving the problem, as not all property officers make the effort to investigate and mediate. This was a shock to the residents, who said that they wanted the problem solved but did not want any cats killed.

The cordial conversation opened a connection among the neighbours, and the owner agreed to confine her cat to her flat.

I wish that all Town Council property officers could learn mediation skills in resolving complaints about cats, and not remove them by default, which would mean sending the cats, whether they are the cause of the complaint or not, to be killed.

How we manage animals in our midst is an indication of how graciously we have evolved as a nation.