By The Associated Press
PHENIX CITY, Ala. (AP) — There’s a plan afoot to trap scores of stray cats that moved into a city park in east Alabama after the felines drew complaints from park-goers.
City officials say they’ve received complaints about feral cats begging for food at Idle Hour Park in Phenix City, WTVM-TV reported .
The city plans to trap the cats and then bring them to a local shelter, Assistant City Manager Steve Smith said. The hope is that many of them can then be adopted.
Smith estimates that about four dozen feral cats live at the park. He said many of the complaints involve cats approaching the pavilions, often in the evenings or at night.
It will take a few weeks to complete the trapping effort, Smith said.
Park goers have mixed feelings about how the city is handling the situation at the park, which is also home to geese and ducks.
“I’m not going to come because I’m scared of cats,” Angela Dawkins told the TV station. “So, I know if I see cats that I’m not going to come and sit down and eat.”
Melissa Castillo said park users don’t know whether the cats are carrying diseases.
“This park is frequented by people, so it’s probably not the best idea to have them hanging around,” Castillo said.
Other residents are in favor of holding a public forum to see how residents want the city to address the issue, rather than moving forward with just one option.
Phenix City is near the Alabama-Georgia line, just west of Columbus, Georgia.
