Fur is Flying Over Shelter For Cats

There are two sides to every cat fight, possibly three. And right now there are several disputes as to how to handle the feral cats in the Town of North Hempstead.

Some residents are crying foul, claiming the promise of a cat shelter dates back to 2000, and so far the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter only accepts dogs. Others want more services for the cats, whether they are stray, meaning lost or abandoned, or feral, born into the wild and potentially not neutered or spayed. Meanwhile, the town is making it clear that it does not want to create a killing shelter to manage the over-population of adult and sick cats.

"Traditional municipal shelters euthanize 80 to 90 percent of the cats that end up in the shelter, and we don't want to become a cat mill where we put down everyone's unwanted cat," Supervisor Jon Kaiman said. However, he noted, the town may house a small number of cats in new additions currently under construction at the North Hempstead Animal Shelter, but no date has been set.

Kaiman added that a Helping PAWSs (Promote Animal Welfare) mobile unit traveling  that traps, neuters and spays feral and stray cats is currently traveling through North Hempstead. The unit will be coming to Manorhaven, though a firm date has not yet been set.  

But Port Washington Resident Sherrill Robinson says the mobile unit is not sufficient.

"If the town had taken cats and adopted out five per week since 2000 then, which I do not think is unrealistic, they would have adopted out approximately 2,600 cats," Robinson said.

"Many cats that are not accepted into the animal shelter are abandoned and left to fend for themselves and become feral," Robinson added. "North Shore Animal League takes in cats, but that is not our town shelter. Actually, I think the town should have changed the name to the Town of North Hempstead Dog shelter, as long as they will not accept cats."

Meanwhile, Peggy Maslow, another Port Washington resident who is also president of the North Shore Audubon Society, disagrees with a trap, neuter and release program. She is now circulating a petition, asking the town to provide a cat shelter.

"Cats are non-native species that destroy birds and smaller animals in great numbers," Maslow said. "Outdoor cats are harmful to wildlife, and feral cats need to be kept somewhere after they are spayed and neutered."

Dr. Gay Senk, a Farmingdale veterinarian with a specialty in felines, spays and neuters cats in North Hempstead, and offered this perspective. "The answer is in educating residents to spay and neuter their cats, especially if they are feeding feral and stray cats," Senk said. "Outdoor cats reproduce, and if people are feeding them and taking care of them, then they need to have them spayed and neutered. It is done for free in the Town of Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and a resident can call 311 to find out more information."

Elinor Molbegott, an animal rights attorney in East Williston, said a municipal shelter, such as the one in North Hempstead, should accept cats and that the town should offer an adoption program.

"It doesn't have to be a killing factory, and it can be run very humanly, working with rescue organizations," Molbegott said. "But where is this shelter?"

According to Jack Hausman, president of Humane Urban Group in Great Neck, a non-profit organization that provides low-cost vaccine services, as well as spay and neuter services for cats, said that there are thousands of feral and stray cats in the town.

"The best thing you can do for the feral cat population is trap, neuter or spay and release," Hausman said. "Most feral cats cannot socialize well with other cats or humans."

Councilman Fred Pollack said he loves cats and that he is all for the North Hempstead Animal Shelter taking in a small amount of cats. He said that he would need three more Town Board votes beside his to adopt the plan.

"Maybe the town can recruit some volunteer residents to help in handling the feral cat issue, but I am all for a cat shelter," Pollack said.

But the question still remains: When?