Debate over feeding stray cats: Neighbour concerned about poop problem

A cat being fed. (File)

The neighbour of a LaSalle couple fined for feeding stay cats is sharing her side of the story.

This past week, bylaw enforcement fined a LaSalle couple $255 for feeding stray cats.

The Windsor/Essex County Humane Society took to social media on their behalf to help raise money to help cover Tom and Peggy Hickson’s ticket.

The Hickson’s neighbour, Dalia Meho, said her yard has turned into a litter box over the years.

“The smell is getting disgusting. I have two little kids so I worry about their health. It's not sanitary,” said Meho.

Meho said the poop problem has become so bad that her children can no longer play outside in the yard. Most recently, she said she had to spend $300 to clean and repair her yard from the damage caused by the cats.

“I can not afford new grass right now. I’m a single mother of two, I have enough on my plate,” she explained.

Cat feces in a Lasalle resident’s yard from April 2023. (Source: Delia Meho)

Meho would like to see her neighbours take more accountability in keeping the neighbourhood clean if they would like to continue feeding cats.

‘It's not about feeding the cats, I’m not against that,” Meho continued. “I’m against when your neighbour knows that they're using your lawn as a litter box and didn't come help out or tell me what can we do to solve this problem.”

LaSalle passed a bylaw saying you can’t feed cats, except as part of a “trap, neuter or spay, and manage program approved by the supervisor.”

In a social media post, the humane society said, “We confirmed for the town that these are cats who were TNR'd under our stray cat intake agreement with LaSalle. We also confirmed that they are community cats who are microchipped to the WECHS as free-roaming cats.”

The Hickson’s told CTV News they hope some sort of understanding can be achieved and that microchipped and fixed cats can find some sort of humane assistance.