Alert over uncontrolled feline colonies in an Alicante municipality: "Causes coexistence issues"

Uncontrolled growth of feline colonies has caused "coexistence issues, environmental impact, and animal welfare concerns" in an Alicante municipality. In response, the City Council has initiated an action plan to "ethically reduce" the population of stray cats in its streets.

This was announced on Tuesday by the Orihuela City Council's Health Councillor, Irene Celdrán, as she launched a "priority action" to control the feline population in the municipality, aiming to improve neighbourhood coexistence and ensure animal welfare in districts, villages, and coastal areas.

This action plan aims to "move towards a model of responsible, healthy, and respectful coexistence" for both the animals and the residents of Orihuela, as the municipality faces "uncontrolled growth" of cats.

To achieve this, the City Council has taken the lead in sterilising cats using the TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) method, deemed the "most effective and sustainable strategy" for the animals. This ensures veterinary care and prevents litters in public areas, "preventing health issues".

"For years, these colonies have relied on the admirable efforts of volunteers, whom I publicly thank for their dedication. Now is the time for the City Council to take a decisive step to assume, organise, and strengthen this work," Celdrán emphasised.

The plan is implemented in phases, focusing on areas such as Montepinar, Orihuela Costa, the town's urban centre, and villages, through a progressive strategy. "We conduct five cat captures daily to progress steadily with technical control in each area."

The municipal animal control officer and authorised volunteers from organisations such as Colonias Felinas Orihuela, Gatitos 7 Vidas, Protectora Oriolana, Colonias Felinas Orihuela Costa, and Animales Asilvestrados, among others, participate. The veterinary clinic will handle sterilisation, identification, vaccination, and deworming, following protocols outlined in current regulations.

The contract has a total cost of 131,347.68 euros and will last a maximum of 15 months, according to the technical forecast of the file approved by the Health Department.

Intervention will target 640 ownerless specimens (320 males and 320 females), with operations including sterilisation, microchip identification, vaccination, deworming, and other authorised clinical treatments as necessary.