ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A brand new pioneering program is being devised to deal with St. Johns County’s feral cat problem.
Makeshift cat cottages with food set out for feral cats living in St. Johns County have have been designed to keep feral cats to stay in the area.
Darin Reimsmith has lived in the County for many years. He says feral cats have always been an issue.
Cameras spotted a colony of feral cats in the woods, and a little closer to the beach were more cat houses which all had food as well.
“They’re just so wild that you can’t adopt them; you can’t pick them up. I mean, the kittens try to rip you to shreds,” Reimsmith said.
Now county commissioners have recently approved a plan to move cat colonies to private lands. The brand new program will require cat colonies to be registered to the county.
“To ensure that their ears are tipped, that they have shelter, to ensure that they have food and water and they receive medical care,” said Michael Ryan who is the St. Johns County Communications Manager.
Reimsmith’s neighbor said the cats should be left alone.
“I say spay them, feed them and leave them alone,” she remrked.
And as for Reimsmith, he says the wild ones roaming the county is a problem which needs to be handled.
“I love cats — I have a cat, but mine’s not feral. I can pet mine. He doesn’t try to tear me up when I pick him up,” Reimsmith said.