Charleroi starts feral cat program

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Feral cats are creating problems for residents in the Magic City — but hopefully not for much longer.
To address this issue, Charleroi borough council is partnering with Dr. Faith Bjalobok, founder of the Fluffyjean Fund for Felines, a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return program. The Fluffyjean Fund for Felines is a low-cost spay and neuter program run by volunteers for felines roaming in Washington County.
The Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return program helps communities or organizations to help ensure the felines are healthy and reduce the stray and homeless cat population. The program is also administered by the Washington County Humane Society.
The Charleroi Colony Cat Project will provide a variety of services for residents who are taking ownership of cat colonies within the borough, as well as aid homeless cats roaming the area.
Volunteers will help trap the animals. Then the cats will be safely taken to Allegheny Animal Friends to be spayed, neutered and vaccinated before being returned to their colony or adopted.
Councilwoman Nancy Ellis said council was happy to support the program, which is coming at no cost to taxpayers, to improve the community.
“We have always, in some way or another, had a problem with feral cats in the borough,” Ellis said.
Several years ago the borough sponsored a program offering a free clinic and got a handle on it, but eventually the program discontinued.
“So, here we are again and we want to try to address this problem,” Ellis said.
It costs about $65 to spay and neuter one cat.
“That is not cheap by any means, but this is a win-win in the long run for these animals and for our neighborhood,” Ellis said. “We know that some people are animal lovers and some aren’t, but what we need to be sure of is that residents who are empathetic to these stray animals are taking care of these colonies responsibly.”

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