A growing issue with abandoned cats in Ripon could lead to a prohibition for anyone to feed feral cats on public property except for an animal control officer conducting a trap program.

The Ripon City Council will ponder a proposal from Police Chief Daniel Sauer to put such a municipal ban in place when they meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday to review an amendment to the animal ownership, care, and treatment section of the municipal code.

In a report to the council, Sauer noted staff has observed a growing number of abandoned cats not just in larger parks such as Stouffer Park but also at neighborhood parks.

It was noted the growing abandoned cat population is “often sustained by residents feeding them in public places.”

Sauer notes the situation is often unmanaged as the City lacks the shelter capacity and staffing required to house and adopt the cats.

The report stresses “left unvaccinated and unsterilized, these stray populations pose disease risks to other domestic animals and drive the ongoing overpopulation problem.”

The council, in adopting the ordinance amendment, would be declaring a public nuisance.

In doing so, they would make it unlawful for any person to feed, cause to fed, offer food to any animal, or to scatter food, seed, or other forms of matter edible to animals on any public property - including but not limited to:

*streets or street right of ways

*public buildings

*sidewalks or driveways

*parks

*pubic facilities.

Such a legal prohibition isn’t uncommon in California cities but is far from universal.

There is also no statewide law banning the feeding of feral cats.

Nearby communities such as Manteca and Lathrop have small, informally organized groups of people that will solicit funds for cat food and leave it where they see feral cats including on sidewalks.

That said, at least one of those groups also sets traps for feral cats and have them sterilized using donations they secure. The are then adopted, placed with a rescue group, or released back to the area they were trapped.

Overtime it can help reduce feral cat population as well as improve their health given sterilized cats are typically healthier, according to animal experts

Animal welfare groups note such a process in more humane than trapping feral cats and euthanizing them.

Violations of the municipal code are typically no more severe a fine.

In some states, however, repeated offenders have been arrested and jailed.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com