Too many feral cats in Ambler Borough had neighbors reporting the issue to borough council

It seems one portion of the Ambler Borough is being taken over, but not by any sector of the public. Instead, it is the issue of feral cats that had several neighbors upset about their community.

Mary Thornton, a borough resident of Belmont Avenue, spoke to the borough council during its Sept. 17 public meeting. She said some neighbors from her area of the borough also came along in person to the meeting, while a few others could not make it. However, they all have one common concern.

“We are here about feral cats in our neighborhood,” said Thornton. “I am an animal lover, and so I love cats. But you can’t feed feral cats.”

Thornton said that one particular neighbor in the area feeds the cats and has done so for about one year now.

“It started out as one cat,” said Thornton. “It is now at least 16.” An audible gasp came from various council members after her statement.

Thornton said she knows there are more, but she personally had caught eight kittens. Because her daughter, who is a resident of Bucks County, works with an animal rescue, she said she’s been bringing the animals to her for care.

“[The members of her animal rescue in Bucks County] are paying for our cat problem,” said Thornton, who added that several neighbors, and Thornton herself, have donated to the nonprofit because they’ve been so helpful.

Because the kittens are so young, the rescue must care for the newborns for 12 weeks so that they may be properly vaccinated. At that time, the kittens can be put into the rescue’s foster care system. She said that one adult cat, which is feral, was picked up to be neutered.

The adult cat, once fixed, was returned to the Ambler Borough, where it came from, due to the rescue’s regulations.

“It won’t produce, but then it roams our neighborhood,” said Thornton who noted it could get and spread other diseases without fathering additional offspring. “It can get sick, injured, and is out in the hot and cold.”

In addition to cats, a groundhog, skunk, and other such varmints have also become a nuisance in the area because of the feeding being left out for the felines.

“We are here, because the police know our neighborhood well and know the neighbor well, and she’s not easy to talk to,” said Thornton, who attempted to talk to the feeding neighbor’s husband, but did not get the desired results.

Thornton said that she and her daughter spent over three weeks, and countless hours, attempting to round up the feral kittens. She said that the feeding neighbor has resorted to allegedly pushing traps off residents’ porches, which would constitute trespassing.

“I’m done. I’m tired,” said Thornton. “It’s been three weeks. As much as I try and trap them, she feeds them. I have pictures of paper plates set up, lining her sidewalk with mounds of food. They aren’t attracted to the tuna fish I am giving them, or the wet cat food, because they’re not hungry.”

Thornton said that the animals urinate and defecate on lawns, porches, in garages, and other neighbors’ property. She said code enforcement has told her that they cannot do anything, as there is no proper ordinance pertaining to the matter in the books.

“Apparently, 900-page codes and ordinances, it’s not my job to go through all that,” said Thornton. “I’m sorry I just don’t have the time, and half of it is foreign to me.”

She continued that police cannot cite the woman because “there is nothing to cite her for,” Thornton said.

Borough Council President and Ward 2 Councilwoman Glynnis Siskind said that the borough had been doing “some research” on the matter.

“We did discover, just this evening actually, that there could be a state law that we might be able to work under,” said Siskind. “We’re going to work with Glenn [Kucher, Ambler Code Enforcement Officer] over the next few days to figure out what we can legally and safely do about it.”

The president did commit that the borough would be on the case.

“It is 100% on our radar,” said Siskind. “I promise that we are going to figure something out.”

Thornton said that domestic cats, when it comes to Pennsylvania law, are considered “wildlife,” to which she said, “is beyond me.”

According to the state’s Game Commission, residents are asked not to feed wildlife, citing that doing so can spread diseases among animals, create fights over the food, and ultimately harm of animal habitats.

Pennsylvania code, Title 17, Chapter 21, section 21.116, labeled “Feeding wildlife” states that “feeding wildlife or laying or placing food, fruit, hay, grain, chemical, salt, or other minerals is prohibited without written permission of the Department.” The code is issued by the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, but also is listed as a Criminal Code, 18 Pa.C.S. § § 7505 and 7506.

Legal definitions aside, Siskind said, “we’re going to figure something out.”

“We’ll be in touch with you,” she said to Thornton. Thornton added it will not just be the feeding the borough needs to stop, but to “clean this mess up,” as well.

“I think I’ve done more than my part,” she said, also noting there are at least six adult cats and multiple kittens still roaming the area.

The council thanked her for her work.

Thornton added that, as an animal lover, she would not be personally able to bring animals to be put down.

“We’re going to hopefully avoid that as well,” said Siskind of the animal euthanasia concern.