After stray dogs, 'meow' menace troubles people

Tolichowki : After the stray dog menace, the next big nuisance is cat menace for the residents as the civic body is receiving galore of complaints from citizens across the city. However, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) veterinary wing is showing its reluctance in taking concrete steps to control the growing cat menace.

The ever-increasing cat population has now turned a big nuisance in residential areas, as at least a dozen cats can be seen on an average in bylanes in different parts of the city. Residents are now claiming that cats are not much harmful or dangerous, but they are creating nuisance in localities and causing issues of hygiene.

"No doubt that cats are cute and most favorable domestic animals, but the stray cats are troublemakers. Cats give birth to at least 2-3 kittens at a time mostly in houses, which is causing inconvenience and unhygienic conditions," said Mohammed Khaleel, a resident of Tolichowki. He said after a certain time these kittens roam on roads, societies, houses and create nuisance.

Cats cause asthma?

Kalpana Sharma, a resident of a gated community in Kondapur, said, "Cats enter houses through windows and eat food or drink milk thus causing damage and health risks. The hairs of kittens or a cat are also harmful as they lead to allergy or chronic disease like asthma," added Kalpana.

Ravi of Santoshnagar Colony said there were some Good Samaritans who provide food for these stray cats. "Feeding animals is good but it is causing fights between felines as they all come to one place for feeding. The cat fights take place for a very long and their screams are a big nuisance disturbing the entire area," he noted.

Online complaints being registered

Earlier, the residents frustrated with dogs are now seen irritated with cats too and are taking the issue with the GHMC. Some of them also took the issue to the GHMC and registered an online complaint.

"Recently a cat entered our apartment complex and laid kids, now we have 10 to 12 cats roaming in our complex which is causing hardships and untidiness. We desperately want to get rid of them. I kindly request the GHMC authorities to look into things and help us get rid of this cat menace," an anonymous complainant registered an online complaint.

A GHMC vet department official, requesting anonymity, said, "I can't comment on the issue, but instead can say that there is nothing about cats in the veterinary wing of GHMC, nor the cats have been censured yet.

If one is found with cruelty, disease or injury, the wing will be treating them and sending back once they are cured. We have not received any major complaints regarding cats, if required the wing can carry on Animal Birth Control (ABC) on cats, but so far it has not been done anywhere."