Subject: Complaint at ********
Dear ****
I received your email to CWS as I am also a resident of **** under your town council.
I do not live at Blk ** but am involved in "cat management" in my own neighbourhood. The other people on the cc list are also involved in such management in their own neighbourhoods.
I believed Mr *** is in contact someone who knows a caregiver in Blk ** and the matter is being looked into.
However I would like to give my suggestions on how you can handle the complaints you received as they are common complaints.
1)As you mentioned, the cats are already sterilised. This is a good as it means there will be no more breeding, less fighting over mating and no noise from mating. Noise from mating cats used to be a common cause of complaints. Barring any more new cats from irresponsible owners who abandon cats, the number of cats will reduce over time.
Sterilised cats mean you have residents who care enough to put in their own money, time and effort to trap the cats, bring to vets for sterilisation and bring them back. Usually these residents are aware of "Responsible Feeding" of cats and will, if they meet other residents who mess up after cat feeding, educate them. Some months ago, I happened to be at Blk ** and I saw a young lady feeding two sterilised from food placed in a paper bowl. She cleared the leftover in the paper bowl. She told me that she used her own money to sterilise the cats.
The problem with cat feed leftover is littering and I suggest putting up the attached "Responsible Feeding" flyers and one of the "Responsible Feeding" posters in the notice board to educate irresponsible feeders.
Removing these sterilised cats will, in fact, lead to more complaints in future. It is a matter of time, before new cats move in (this is called the "vacuum effect"). These new cats being unsterilised, will result in more annoyance for residents and hence more complaints to you.
So kindly convey the fact that the cats are sterilised.
2) I too have a car and in my car park, there is a cat that likes to sleep on the top of cars. However, as Mr Goh pointed out, sometimes they do leave mud prints but these are eaily wiped or washed off. These mud prints are not as bad as scratches from vandalism or dents caused by opening of doors from adjacent cars. Fortunately my fellow residents who park their cars in the same carpark as I, are fond of this cat and we also accept that there are risks of parking cars in public areas.
As for cats scratching cars, refer to this
http://www.catwelfare.org/node/904
More often than not, the scratches are noticed by the owners when they see a cat on top of the car. Cats do not usually scratch cars as the surface is smooth and the cats keep their claws retracted when they walk on smooth surfaces. Even if they do scratch such as in a hurry to escape when threatened, the scratches are superficial (just the waxed layer) and easily removed with a simple waxing or some "remove scratches" spray from car accessories shop.
The ideal solution would be to use a car cover that will protect against other elements of nature as well, including bird shit that can corrode the paintwork.
3) I too have potted plants outside my flat and I often have to clear litter such as cigarette butts, used tissue papers and empty can drinks. I accept these are the risk of putting pots of plants in a public area. However these are the resources to keep cats away from his plants.
1) How To Get a Cat to Stop Pooping in Potted Plants
2) Keep Cats Out Of Planters
If Mr Goh lives on a high floor, then the cats that rumage his pots may be from an irresponsible owner who let his or her home cats roam out. Again it will be more effective to identify the owner of these "free roaming" home-cats and speak to owner to keep the cats indoor, such as by meshing up the window and door grills. Removing downstairs cats, of course,would be ineffective.
4) Motorbike seats and cats. A simple solution: a motorbike cover that I have seen on many motorbikes in my neighbourhood. They not only keep cats away but protect against bird shit as well.
With regards
From comments
eve+line said...
I'm a motorbike owner and I visit a local motorcycle forum daily. Many motorcycle owners are not rich and doing a re-cover of the seat will cost $20-40, which is a big chunk of money to them. Seat covers are very cumbersome (there isn't much storage space in the bike for seat covers) and do not stop cats from going under the seat cover.
I usually suggest to the bike owners to apply medicated oil like hong you on their seats to repel cats. Most of the seats covers are synthetic leather so it should not damage the cover. I've not tried it myself, but my own cat can smell Tiger Balm from a mile away so I think it should work.
You can suggest this to the Town Council officer if he receives another complaint. By and large most motorcycle owners have nothing against cats except when their motorcycles are damaged.
