B.B. from Texas writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
We have a large feral cat population in our condo project. I have great compassion for the cats and do feed them along with several other residents. Some cats are somewhat tame and friendly and I have found homes for some over the years. Some of the residents are complaining about the feral cats and some residents feeding them. I want to take them to a shelter to find a home but there no shelters are accepting cats at this time. It is quite a dilemma at this point and I am at my wits ends to get this resolved. The HOA was going to trap the feral cats but to date none of this has occurred to my knowledge. Some of the residents are cat haters and one person is especially adamant he wants the cats just gone. I know that there are other residents that are also feeding the stray cats and the HOA is talking about legal process to get this resolved so don’t know what to do at this point. I do not and cannot just stop feeding these poor innocent animals! HELP!
Mister Condo replies:
B.B., your compassion for these feral cats is noble but helping them by providing food and shelter is typically not allowed at any condo or HOA that I know of. You should continue to work with local authorities and shelters to find a solution but the HOA cannot encourage or allow the proliferation of these poor creatures by providing food and shelter. Whether they hate cats or not, other owners have the right to expect a safe and clean common space. Feral cats often bring disease and other problems into the community and their removal by trapping is a common practice. As an animal lover, I understand your concern and appreciate your actions. As a long-time condo and HOA dweller, I would expect the Board to protect the interests of the association and work to remove the problem from the common grounds. All the best!