Feral Cats Need Humane Treatment, Advocate Will Tell Freehold Council

FREEHOLD, NJ — For resident Andrea Burica, there is only one way to humanely reduce the feral cat population in town, and she says that is through a Trap Neuter Release program.

And she is urging residents to come out tonight to the Freehold Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. to urge the Council to consider instituting a TNR program and to change a town rule that prohibits people from feeding strays.

Burica has seen her own efforts to do this successfully reduce the stray cat population behind the restaurant row on Main Street from 30 cats to now two to three cats, she says.

A TNR program would enable the cats to be checked for health and vaccinated and neutered or spayed. They would be returned to their colony areas but would not reproduce. And the population could be controlled.

The cats do need food however, so she is hoping the town will soon allow feeding.

"We all want vaccinations. This will keep the cats healthy," Burica said, adding they would pose no threat to people. She said their numbers would dwindle naturally without having to captured and ultimately euthanized. It is difficult for a cat in the wild to be adopted and live life in a home, Burica said.

An 82-year-ol resident, she said, trapped several cats on her property and paid to have them vaccinated and neutered herself.

"But in these times, people lose their jobs - they can't afford that," Burica said.

She said a program through the town can help residents - whether they favor dogs or cats - Burica said. Most people want to treat the cats humanely, she said.

The Mayor and Council will hear more comment tonight, Monday. Burica said she understands there might be a decision at the meeting.