Redcliff residents pushing for Trap, Neuter, Return program to deal with stray cats

Not originally a cat person herself it was those kittens that changed everything.

“I couldn’t leave the helpless little kittens. I had to feed them I guess,” she said.

On any given day she has about six to seven stray cats on her property. One of them is a pregnant cat named grey who now lives in a foster home.

“The vet said that if she hadn’t been in the foster home and taken to the vet, she would not have lived through the pregnancy, and the kittens would have all died because of her constantly having kittens year after year,” she said.

Klassen is just one resident calling for the Town of Redcliff to adopt a Trap, Neuter, Return program. Robert Simpson is another resident. He also takes care of stray cats and has his own Facebook group dedicated to the issue in Redcliff.

“Without Trap, Neuter, Return cats will multiply, females can have about three litters a year. Trap, Neuter, Return is practiced in many communities around Alberta. Recently we had the Canadian Animal Task Force come to Cypress County,” Simpson said.

Redcliff Mayor Dwight Kilpatrick says he is waiting for residents to come forward with a presentation to ask for the program at their next council meeting.

“It is something that we are going to discuss. But they did have some ideas that may work but still when it comes budgets, finances, and what they are asking for then that is something that we will have to wait until they give their presentation,” he said.

A date for their presentation has not been set. Until then it’s a plea from frontline for people to be more responsible with their pets.

“Basically get them all neutered and have people stop dropping their cats off here. We can only look after so many,” Klassen said.

by Tiffany Goodwein

Redcliff residents pushing for Trap, Neuter, Return program to deal with stray cats

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