Humane effort to handle feral cats ramps up in Abbeville

In August, discussion during a meeting in Abbeville centered around feral and “community” cats.
These are cats that do no have an owner.
Some people see the cats as a benefit to the community, such as regulating the rodent population. Some people do act as “caretakers” for the cats and feed them.
Others in community see the cats as strictly a nuisance, arguing that there needs to be a way to regulate the growing number of cats.
While the city is working to draft an ordinance regarding free-roaming cats, something that will also include dogs, one of the suggestions at the August meeting focused on the humane path of spaying and neutering the cats.
Debbie Garrot, who runs the Vermilion Parish Rabies Animal Control for the Vermilion Parish Police Jury, said those efforts are being made. From Sept. 14 to Nov. 3, she and other volunteers rounded up 39 feral cats in Abbeville. The cats were transported to Wild Cat Spaynation in Lafayette.
“We had them neutered and spayed,” Garrot said. “We had the three-year rabies vaccination given.
“Then we returned them to the caretakers and the community.”
Donations have covered the cost of the spaying and neutering, as well as the vaccinations. The process costs around $40 per cat.
“We have had several people donate funds,” Garrot said.
Garrot reiterated that this is the most humane option to deal with the situation.
“These cats will not continue a lineage,” Garrot said. “Our goal is to stop the re-production.”
Garrot is encouraging people, who see an abundance of feral cats in their area, to contact her at 652-6148.
“There are people who have the $40,” Garrot said, “but they don’t have the time to trap the cats and bring them to Lafayette.
“We can help do that.”
Garrot said anyone wanting to make a financial donation that will be used toward the cost of spaying and neutering cats can contact her.
“We hope to continue our efforts to control animals throughout the parish in 2021,” Garrot said.