Cats in Duquesa Village

Hello, does anyone know if there has been an action taken by the President or AEA to get rid of the cats living in Duquesa Village? 

Apparently one or two  new residents who have recently bought in DV don't like cats and the President has now instructed that animal traps be placed around the urbanisation with the sole intention of catching and I am presuming destroying the cats.  This has been confirmed by one of the security guards who has said that the president wants rid of the cats asap.  I have seen the animal traps so they are definitely there, my worry is that many residents on DV own domestic cats which are allowed outside but not all of them wear collars or have a cut ear to show that they are neutered so if they are caught they will be sent to the killing station to be destroyed also.  Most of the 'wild' cats I see have been neutered and are no problem at all and I think most have been befriended by residents whom i'm sure would be dismayed if they knew that they are likely to be killed soon.   I don't think the president has notified the residents that this is happening which is not really fair as it gives residents no chance to keep their pets indoors.  Does anyone have any thoughts?

I think it would be a good idea to let your neighbour know especially if their cats go outside.  I don't know if there is anything else we can do as there are other much better ways of controlling and reducing the cat population which does not involve cruelty or killing them.  I don't know how often the traps are being checked but if a cat is caught it will probably die of starvation or thirst (although not today with the rain!) which is a terribly cruel way to die, no animal deserves that.  If the residents got together and started neutering all the 'wild' cats then the problem, if there is one, would be solved in a very short timescale as no more kittens or tom cats, and as cats are territorial, no other 'wild' cats will move into the area.    If the president continues the cat cull then the problem will continue because as soon as a cat is removed from an area a new one moves in.  If we were to neuter and replace the cat then this problem is solved and the population will reduce.  Would anyone be interested in introducing this method rather than trapping and killing them? 

PLEASE can AEA contact all owners by email if any cats are to be trapped.  Not all owners access this forum and we would hate to see any cats destroyed, whether pets or wild cats.  They certainly don't seem to be causing any harm.

I'm not sure if AEA know anything about it.  If the residents are not aware then the President may not have informed AEA either.  Would the best way be to email the President c/o AEA and ask him to stop using traps?  I have a friend who is a bit of an 'expert' on cats who would be able to speak to the President about the alternative breeding programme.  It doesn't cost much at all (probably much less than the cost of the traps! and who has paid for these traps, have the costs come out of community funds without residents agreement?) it just needs some residents to volunteer to help catch the cats and take them to the vet to be neutered.  I would be happy to help if anyone else is willing.

Hi,
I saw the post and a letter was brought to my husband. I have a cat, tomcat, neutered and with a collar but can't stop him getting out. I would go mad if something happened to him. I will be on the phone to Aea and whoever had this brilliant idea first thing on Monday, as I also work in the town hall and I don't know how owners will take their cats suffering or being put down by mistake, I will make sure I get evolved the police and the environment department, because if they suffer or are poisoned the president and admin will get quite a Lot of fines. I personally will take action and if my cat is hurt i will not take it easily i am really angry at the moment!!!!!!!

This message was last edited by valentinaradu on 27/10/2012.

Not on.  

We need further information on this.

My first reactions is to personally remove all traps - it made me so angry.  It is not reasonable to do this without first consulting owners - some of whom have pet cats that need to roam in the village - that's what cats do.

?If this is causing suffering then it's not being done with my money.  I'll stop paying my community fees until it is stopped.  I feel so very strongly about cruetly to animals.

On the other hand if the traps are attended to twice daily and the cats are being neutered thats fine.

Killing cats won't solve the problem. More will migrate inwards as they exist all over the Dequesa Hills.This is just a waste of community funds.

They might even be a good thing for killing rodents.

Are any cat owners attending the EGM  please let me know - you can have my proxy vote.

It is a great relief to hear that someone is doing something.  I hope these traps were not paid for out of community funds.

Hi

Just spoke to the maintenance guys.

1. There were 2 traps placed a few weeks ago, a ferral cat was found in and taken out of the urbanization, not to the animal center, but in Marina Casares and left there.

2. There are no traps at the moment. The traps came from AEA, a guy Pepe brought them. There is just one left at the moment in the maintenance garage which they will not use until the EGM decides.

3. We need to place this on the agenda, I don´t know who needs to include it, or how can it be discussed, I will call AEA later and speak to them too.

Regards

Valentina

Dear All

Thank you for your responses, I am so glad that there are other residents who are concerned about this.  I have been to the site this morning where I last saw one of the traps (hidden in the bushes at the entrance to Block 21 near the top of the hill) and I am pleased to report it has been removed.  I can only hope that the maintenance staff stick to their word and do not put any more traps out until this is sorted.  At the very least a communication must be sent out by AEA to all residents advising them that this is being done so that cat owners can keep their cats indoors.  I am disappointed however that the maintenence staff dumped the stray/feral cat that was caught on someone else's doorstep in Casares.  How did they know it was feral cat? do they have the machine reader to check it was not michrochipped?  I think not - and this is not the way to deal with a feral cat, it should have been taken to the vet to be checked for microchip and if not then neutered and replaced.  ADANA (animal charity) will neuter cats for as little as 25 euro.    I firmly believe that the best way to deal with stray/feral cats is to catch (without traps) neuter and replace them thus over time reducing the cat population - Mr Millsom is totally correct, if you remove a cat then another will soon migrate in and this is what creates the problem.  I have personally caught (without traps) neutered and replaced 4 stray/feral cats on the urbanisation and also another 2 which I have since adopted and live with me. I am now resigned to keeping my cats indoors as I cannot risk one or all of them going missing and then I would never be able to prove what has happened. If some volunteers in the urbanisation got together to catch, neuter and replace the cats then  the 'alleged' problem will very quickly become controllable. I am happy to volunteer and I would very much like to vote on this at the next EGM, unfortunately however, I am only renting my property and therefore have no vote but  I would be willing to take anyone's proxy and vote on their behalf.   Thank you all for caring :)

I fogot to add that the traps are definitely NOT being checked daily.  Back in August, a resident noticed a cat had been caught in one of the traps in Block 21, this was on a Thursday morning.  A few days later on the Saturday afternoon, he noticed that the same cat was still caught in the trap with no food and water and was in great distress as it was in the full glare of the sun.   The resident was so incensed by this so he released the cat which ran off and hopefully it has survived.  There is no way however  it would have survived until the following Monday as it looked as if it was on deaths door - and who is to say that the Manintenance staff would have checked the trap anyway on the Monday if they had not checked it on the Thursday or Friday?  This is downright cruelty and should not be allowed.  I do not know if the cat which was in the trap was domestic or stray/feral as I have been unable to speak to the resident and ask him  but I really hope that it was not someone's pet.

I am horrified by and really angry about this.  I hope there are cat owners going to the EGM. 

Hi,

Spoke to AEA yesterday and they said that when neighbours complain about ferral cats usually the town hall is called so that the "collection" car is sent and the animals are taken to the center. This center belongs to the Diputacion, the town hall is just an intermediary. Is been a while since we had any notification to the town hall about this in DV. Also, apparently they put notices up so that cat owners take thier pets into the house and avoid any confusion.

Also, they are happy to discuss about the traps, posibility of solving the cats problem, etc. in the EGM.

So, even if I don´t have a vote, I will be present at least to hear and if possible intervene as neighbour and even local politician of the town hall and find the best solution.

Regards

Valentina

Hi Valentina

This is good news and thank you so much for finding out this information it is really helpful to know that at least AEA will listen to us.  I am still disappointed that  AEA/Maintenance staff laid the traps without any notification to residents as this was wrong of them to do this. 

I have had an email from a lady who has lost her cat and is worried that it has been taken and dumped at Marina Casares.  This cat was a tom cat and did not have a collar and it looked like a siamese.  Could you possibly ask the Maintenance staff next time you are passing for a description of the cat that they caught recently and dumped at Marina Casares? If it is the same cat then then maybe the Maintenance staff would remember as Siamese are quite distinctive.  It is quite possible that they have assumed that this has been a feral cat but it is definitely a domestic pet and the lady is very upset that this may have happened.  if there is any possibility that this is her cat she will go to Marina Casares today to look for him.

Thank you again Valentina.  i am still trying to get  a proxy vote to attend the EGM but perhaps it would be a good idea to meet with you prior to the meeting to discuss further ?  and anyone else who is interested in meeting to discuss would be most welcome.

Hi, I rent in Duquesa Village and would be interested in getting involved to help the cats,

Hi, I rent in Duquesa Village and would be interested in getting involved to help the cats,