Mumbai: The BMC has been getting several complaints about the growing cat menace in the city, with only 6,392 stray cats being sterilised between August 2019 and February 2023. To control the growing feline population, the civic body plans to rope in six more NGOs to conduct sterilisation drives starting next month.
The BMC has also increased the sterilisation cost for each cat from ₹1,600 to 2,200.
The BMC has been conducting sterilisation drives for stray dogs since 1994
The BMC has been conducting sterilisation drives for stray dogs since 1994. After receiving several complaints of cat bites, it started a similar program for cats in 2019. However, the mission is currently run by only two NGOs. As a result, the civic body has appealed to other NGOs and agencies to come forward to sterilise stray cats. “Finally, six NGOs came forward and we will soon rope them in,” said a civic source.
Cat sterilisation, a difficult task
According to a senior official, cat sterilisation is a difficult task, as they are smaller in size, can run fast and climb anywhere, making it difficult to catch them. “We have received several complaints from offices and housing societies. We hope more cats can be sterilised now with more NGOs being involved,” the officials said, adding that counting the number of cats will still be a difficult task.
Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai secretary Sunish Subramanian said, “If the BMC wants to effectively implement the drive they should get participation from local animal feeders. They are friendly with the cats and can help with catching them.”
The BMC allotted a three-year contract for cat sterilisation at a cost of ₹3 crore in 2019. A provision of ₹6 crore has been made for the next three years for dog and cat sterilisation programmes. The BMC will pay ₹1,600 for male cats and ₹2,200 per female cat, depending on who is bearing the cost of water and electricity. Meanwhile, the civic body will begin a dog census next month, to gauge their number in the city.
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