A stray cat roaming around Redcliff, Alta. (photo courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Teagan Rasche

A solution to Redcliff’s stray cat problem proving to be complex

Dec 2, 2021 | 5:09 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – Redcliff resident Jane Finnimore first noticed stray cats were an issue in her town a year and a half ago.

“It is a big problem and I just felt I wanted to do something about it,” Jane said. “So I decided to go on Facebook on Everything Redcliff and I got all this support and all of the sudden, it just overwhelmed me.”

One of the suggestions was starting a shelter by herself, but that would be cost-prohibitive. Another person suggested a trap, neuter and release program.

This past summer, the Canadian Animal Task Force did just that in Cypress County. Executive director RJ Bailot says it’s not a long-term solution.

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“It’s going to make an immediate difference but these types of initiatives have to be community-driven,” Bailot said. “There needs to be an incentive for folks to get their cats spayed and neutered.”

The task force made two trips to Cypress County this year and went to Walsh, Suffield, Irvine, Dunmore and Redcliff. Bailot said they performed 231 spay and neuters and rehomed over 140 cats.

In Redcliff, while the cat problem is very noticeable, it’s nothing new. Community Peace Officer Barry Steier receives up to 20 calls a month about it.

“If we can foster some of them, we’ll go ahead and do the contact but unfortunately, there are quite a few times where they (shelters) are all full and we have to look at other ideas and solutions,” Steier said.

Animal shelters are stretched thin with many nearing capacities. Two of the shelters in the area only accept dogs and cats from within Medicine Hat city limits, leaving Redcliff cats out of luck.

Another problem Steier says is feral cats can’t be family pets.

“These are animals that have never had good positive contact with humans and they’ll never create a bond with a human,” Steier said.

Another possible solution is stray cats can be fostered by Redcliff residents. However, the town has a bylaw only allowing two per household.

Jane has reached out to councilor Matthew St Pierre who says he’s looking into it and will bring it up with the rest of council.

“I don’t really know what the answer is, I’m still doing research and I just realize it’s a problem,” Jane said. “I’m doing what I can to try to work with others and brainstorm and hopefully reduce the problem.”