Proposal would limit cats per household

WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WIVB) - Town of West Seneca officials have drafted a change in the law that would limit each household to having no more than four cats.

Town Supervisor Sheila Meegan says the change would make it easier for the town to restrict homes, some of which have up 30 cats now.

"I think we're doing the right thing here," she said.

Meegan argues something needs to be done to put limits on cat ownership. The proposed change in the law is now posted outside of the Town Clerk's Office.

The proposed law reads, "No more than four cats shall be permitted per household and said cats shall be kept in an appropriate manner and under control, in a clean, properly ventilated, wholesome, sanitary condition and free from offensive odors. All accumulation or collection of manure and other refuse derived from the keeping of the cats must be disposed of in an appropriate and sanitary manner."

Town Attorney Shawn Martin said, "There are a few places in town that seem to have an excess of cats. The odors and the smells are just obnoxious."

Meegan added, "There's nothing that has any teeth to it within the law; there's no ordinance on cats. We were finding homes with 20 to 28 cats, a situation where 40 to 50 bowls are out in backyards."

News 4 spotted a home on Allendale Road with at least 10 Havahart live animals traps in the garage and more outside. Some of them had cats inside, but a few were still empty.

One West Seneca resident, Ron Bolander, disagrees with the proposed law. He contended, "I think a limit of four may be a little bit restrictive. So I think they have to discuss it, and I'm sure when this becomes a real issue at a Town Board Meeting, you're going see a lot of cat lovers around."

This four cat limit is modeled after a similar ordinance in Hamburg, and there will be a public hearing on the change September 24 at West Seneca Town Hall.