Following the complaint by the neighbours, I’ve already replied to the chatgroup last night: https://myanimalcare.org/2023/03/18/if-you-have-any-suggestions/
I followed up with this this morning:
I wanted to wait until morning to take this photo to show you that we do have a litter box in our porch so that any stray or other people’s pets can come in and defecate and/or urinate in the box with the hope that this might decrease their tendency to do it elsewhere.
As for your message about a better way to manage the stray animal issue, I’m afraid the best way, tried and tested in developed countries is CNRM or TNRM which is what MBSJ (bless them) is obtaining public feedback so that they can propose it to the Selangor state government.
This means that community (stray) animals will be neutered, returned to the colony and fed/looked after by feeders. This way, they no longer have to be captured-and-killed. However, this method will only work if human residents are willing to accept and “tolerate” their presence and yes, put up with some inconveniences.
Penang island has already implemented it.
Statistics show that many “strays” are actually abandoned unneutered pets or their first generation offspring. They may not be real “strays”. Hence, neutering is key.
Removing them (to shelters or even to new homes) will only create a vacuum for other unneutered animals to migrate in to fill up that vacuum.
In my old neighbourhood, for as long as we lived there, there were only 6 neutered cats (I got them neutered) on our street. For years, there were only these 6 and no other cat migrated in. Neutered cats are naturally territorial and will prevent other unneutered ones from coming in. This is the method of controlling the population but as I’ve said, it requires acceptance and tolerance from the humans, something which Malaysians might need time to work towards as with anything that’s “new”.
As for the cats that are disturbing your household, do please try and use your water hose to spray in their direction when you see them. Doing it a few times will send the message to them that they are not welcome and I hope they will avoid your house and not disturb you anymore. Our offer to help you clean up your house of any faeces or urine stands.
Thank you for your kind understanding and do have a good weekend.
I really don’t know how else to placate the neighbours so if you have any suggestions or methods that have worked in a similar situation, please, please share.
Yes, speak up…but gently…to avoid any backlash.
Poor Gerald and Misty, I hope I can continue feeding you both. Please use the litter box and don’t do it anywhere else. Don’t wander far. Just stay in our porch.
But will they?
They are street animals. Where they are born is where they belong.
Why can’t humans be a little more tolerant and live and let live?