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Feral Cats Ousted by JFK

by Ross Thompson

Browse News

BY CATEGORY:
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October 30, 2007

A feral cat colony living in a cargo area at JFK International Airport is slated to be removed by animal control.

75 cats have been removed from the colony so far – at the behest of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The NYC Feral Cat initiative and other groups are speaking out against the round up, saying the animals should be neutered and spayed and then returned to the airport.

But airport officials say the food left for the cats attracts birds – which pose a threat to the 46 million people who fly in and out of JFK each year.

Birds often get sucked into plane engines, causing potentially fatal results.

The cats currently reside near an abandoned tanker truck, where old equipment serves as shelter. Sympathetic airport employees have cared for the animals for years – resulting in the large size of the colony.

A rep from the Feral Cat Initiative says it's unlikely the cats can be adopted – and it's only a matter of time before they are euthanized.

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feral, cats, jfk, nyc

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izzypawprint
izzypawprint
8 months ago
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Why didn't they just relocate the feral group? Of course they will now be put to death.
 
Sheryl N.
Sheryl N. (sherylneal)
8 months ago
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Trap, spay/neuter is the best way but then what to do with them? That is a tough decision since we all know how dangerous birds can be around airplanes if they are returned to the airport.
 
barb a.
barb a. (redneckbarbie)
8 months ago
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we have all seen how dangerous birds and airplanes are the last couple weeks, maybe trap an release or put the food so the birds cant get it
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
8 months ago
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Kathrine R.
Kathrine R. (ChiChiVogel)
8 months ago
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Well that answer took a lot of thought. How about a recommendation on maybe trapping them, neutering and adoptable ones go to shelters for a forever home like I do with our ferals. I got three rescued and adopted near my home and adopted all of them out to new homes in a week. The others could be relocated or offered as barn cats to farmers who want them.
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
8 months ago
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EddieWayne
EddieWayne
8 months ago
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Wonder if they did relocate the cats or came up with another solution?
 
jbobstep
jbobstep
8 months ago
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They should do trap neuter & release. Put their food in a cover area where the birds can't get to it.
 
Cindy R.
Cindy R. (crzyblu)
8 months ago
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Spay & neuter is probably the best option.
 
Sheila S.
Sheila S. (CPW)
9 months ago
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Removing all the cats creates a vaccuum effect. New cats will simply move in. Either way, cats will be there- might as well be sterile, you'd think. TNR folks.
 
Sarah H.
Sarah H. (smhammel)
9 months ago
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I understand the need to relocate these cats, but certainly they could have been trapped, spayed/neutered and then relocated to another area away from the airport.
 
jello1
jello1
9 months ago
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Hopefully the colony has found support and survived. The airport needs the dogs that scare off birds, altho they might also scare off the cats
 
Dorothy H.
Dorothy H. (dottieh1947)
11 months ago
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Why not try to find homes for the cats? Stupid to just put them back at the airport.
 
Lara W.
Lara W. (croft)
11 months ago
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Looks like JFK is going to have a major mice problem this winter...
 
Janet R.
Janet R. (janetrussell)
11 months ago
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This really is a sad story. I don't understand why these cats can't be relocated after being spayed/neutered in that it would cause a threat to flyers if they were returned? In this case, I find it hard to believe that there is not a state owned piece of land that they could be relocated to. I know that you can't do this in every situation, but this situation is unique in that it involves public safety in flying.
 
Allison M.
Allison M. (meyera26)
11 months ago
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What a shame. I know they also had a feral dog problem there as well.
 
carol s.
carol s. (cstefonek)
1 year ago
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Would hope they did the TNR and relocated-again, people are the problem. They turn their cats loose and figure "their cats"-they can fend for themselves
 
Carol L.
Carol L. (langsford)
1 year ago
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Spay & neuter and take somewhere else so they can live out their lives. If people did not abandon cats in the wild and if they spay & neuter the ones they have , seem like if would lower the feral cat problem..
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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Lioness24
Lioness24
1 year ago
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Its pretty easy to blame cat food for the 'dangers' in the air but the irrelevancy is great! I can see where some people would believe them for saying cat food is causing birds to come around which make it unsafe for us but there must be a better way, if this is the case, to find a greater final resolutions to suffice the colony and the humans! Just a thought, but couldn't it be from liter? Couldn't it be from all the crap we have lying around our streets? No, right? We couldn't be to blame for this! Its too simple to ignore - It just HAS to be the cat food these colonies have that is the reason these cats need to be striped from their home and taken else where...
 
Linda W.
Linda W. (equs2)
1 year ago
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Relocation would be a good idea.
 
JoAnne B.
JoAnne B. (JoJoBloomington)
1 year ago
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Why not relocate?
 
D. Rene
D. Rene (mooredr3)
1 year ago
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spayed and neutered but not destroyed
 
Brigit800
Brigit800
1 year ago
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Spayed & neutered yes, but not returned to the airport.
 
Sue R.
Sue R. (suerob)
1 year ago
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I can understand the need to move them from the airport. I have seen what birds can do to jet engines.
 
greenkitty44
greenkitty44
1 year ago
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Instead of just euthanizing the cats, why don't they try a spay and neuter program and release them?
 
Anonymous
Anonymous
1 year ago
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Jill6Johnson
Jill6Johnson
1 year ago
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I am glad they are moving them and hope they find great homes/
 
Kristina R.
Kristina R. (babykristina32)
1 year ago
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Could they trap them and relocate them to another feral colony?
 
Doggieluvs
Doggieluvs
1 year ago
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An airport doesn't sound like a healthy place for the kitties. I hope they find homes.
 
Natalie
Natalie (Doulton)
1 year ago
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I hope that they can move the colony. And keep it safe and intact. It does not seem as if JFK Airport is an optimal address for a group of cats.
 
Carrie R.
Carrie R. (croe)
1 year ago
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There are lots of times I am totally opposed to moving feral cats, but in this case its not worth one plane crash to keep these cats in their home location. I would like to believe that with a concentrated effort they will make it in a relocated colony location.
 
Janie
Janie (wildlifephotomom)
1 year ago
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I vote for having them moved. As a stewardess for 8 years I know only too well what happens when a bird is sucked into a jet engine-and the affects can be disasterous!
 
catdancer
catdancer
1 year ago
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the cats are not a problem to the airport. the airport is just making excuses because they want them out. it would be nice if they could relocate the colony after spaying/neutering them but it is unlikely that they will do that. wish i had a solution or a big piece of land!
 
Carrie R.
Carrie R. (croe)
1 year ago
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How do you know they are not a problem? Is it not true that the cat food would attract birds and that birds are a problem?
 
Hannanahmom
Hannanahmom
1 year ago
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I feel so bad for these cats. At least they were removed humanely.
 
EddieP
EddieP
1 year ago
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Poor guys, very few people have any feeling for ferals. Hope something can be done before it is to late.
 
Seana B.
Seana B. (funkiemunkee)
1 year ago
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The bird problem is a very real one for airports, I can understand the safety concern. Too bad there is not an organization that would be able to spay/neuter these animals and locate places willing to "adopt" small colonies of feral cats. We have a wonderful organization here where I live called Kittitas County Friends of Animals. They offer free mousers to farm type homes. They adopt out a colony to people living in rural areas of cats that have been altered and vaccinated. My boyfriend adopted a group. There is a solution out there, it is just a matter of finding the right people and the right ideas to make it work.
 
Seana B.
Seana B. (funkiemunkee)
1 year ago
Flag this | Good Point | 0 users voted.
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The bird problem is a very real one for airports, I can understand the safety concern. Too bad there is not an organization that would be able to spay/neuter these animals and locate places willing to "adopt" small colonies of feral cats. We have a wonderful organization here where I live called Kittitas County Friends of Animals. They offer free mousers to farm type homes. They adopt out a colony to people living in rural areas of cats that have been altered and vaccinated. My boyfriend adopted a group. There is a solution out there, it is just a matter of finding the right people and the right ideas to make it work.
 
Jamie
Jamie (Sadiesmygirl)
1 year ago
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Why is everyone so quick to kill feral cats ? TNR-the cats are not harming anything or anyone.
 
Connie G.
Connie G. (cgleason)
1 year ago
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I'm with you Penny. I was thinking the same thing. They just need to get with the program, and spay/neuter and release. I bet they will be sorry with the cats are gone and the mice are back.
 
penny m.
penny m. (pennydq)
1 year ago
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I bet the airport doesn't have rats. why would cat food attract birds? I would think the birds would BE cat food.
 
Teresa K.
Teresa K. (TeresaKline)
1 year ago
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Why not relocate the whole colony with the help of Alley Cat Allies and keep them in an enclosed space for a month and the new place and they should stay around if food and water is provided by a caretaker.
 
haley1013
haley1013
1 year ago
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what a shame
 
Jessica F.
Jessica F. (frosty73)
1 year ago
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The cats will die sooner or later. TNR is the way to go.
 
Gene M.
Gene M. (lablover60)
1 year ago
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Spay/neuter and re-release
 
Mary P.
Mary P. (marysworld)
1 year ago
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Trap-Neuter-Return is the answer. Or maybe relocate the colony to take on some rat control somewhere in the area. Euthanizing is taking the easy way out. Be responsible JFK airport!!!!
 
Mary T.
Mary T. (matrice)
1 year ago
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why can't they just let these cats alone. If they could be neutered and returned the problem would resolve itself
 
judy b.
judy b. (jbonz)
1 year ago
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This is a tough situation but something has to be done. I agree with the feral cat initiative
 
rjlupinskat
rjlupinskat
1 year ago
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Don't euthanize them! Trap, spay/neuter, then if they can't be returned to the airport, adopt out those who can be and relocate the others to a save haven.
 
chili1zz
chili1zz
1 year ago
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it should be a law that cat should be fixed
 
Jeanne H.
Jeanne H. (JHind)
1 year ago
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Trap, neuter, release. If handled properly the cats would keep a bird population down -something the airport seems to need. JFK is near Gateway nature area and bird sanctuqary so I'm not sure what this stuff about keepnig the birds away is all about. Sure birds are bad for planes, but a feral cat population isn't bringing birds in--that's just an excuse.
 
Sheila R.
Sheila R. (shei34)
1 year ago
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If only a home could be found for each and every one!
 
Tami T.
Tami T. (Tatesq)
1 year ago
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Spay, neuter, relocate!
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