Feral cats roaming the campus at night have the University pawing for solutions, and after more than a decade of problems, it seems curiosity has not yet killed them.
The animals are naturally drawn to open, livable locations on campus, said Sam Territo, associate director of Facility Maintenance. Tiger Stadium contains water that drips from pipes and food left from football games, making it a natural habitat for the feral cats, Territo said.
He said other areas where many feral cats have been sighted include the boat lot near the College of the Coast and Environment and the abandoned pool inside the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse. The boat lot contains open space for the cats to roam while the pool draws the felines to rainwater, Territo said.
Grayson Lirette, fashion merchandising freshman, said she was pleasantly surprised by her brief encounter with a feral cat near Huey P. Long Fieldhouse late at night.
“I thought it was so adorable,” Lirette said.
However, feral cats are not pets, Territo warned. They are wild and could contain ailments such as rabies.
Territo said contact with feral cats carries some risks. Many carry fleas. Parasites are more of an issue because they can lead to serious illness. Territo said male cats spray to mark territory, setting forth an unpleasant odor.
Feral cat waste leads to further issues.
“Sometimes a worker will come out of a crawl space with his white protective wear covered with cat waste,” Territo said.
Waste in areas where maintenance is required forces workers to remove the cats from those areas.
Territo said feeding feral cats is not recommended because of the potential to attract other wild animals such as opossums.
Tammy Millican, assistant director of Facility Services, said feral cats could be here to stay, especially if students and faculty feed them.
“If we make them comfortable here, they’re going to remain on campus,” Millican said.
Another organization has different views and practices regarding the feral cats. Operation Stray Cat-LSU was established in the early 1990s, aiming to humanely and efficiently reduce the population of the cats while caring for sick and hungry ones.
“We deal with the issue in a humane way that benefits both the cats and the campus,” said Rosalind Hollins, a member of Operation Stray Cat-LSU and a Middleton Library employee.
Hollins explained members of Operation Stray Cat-LSU trap, neuter or spay the cats and release them. This ensures the cats cannot reproduce, preventing over-population, Hollins said.
For spaying and neutering, cats are sent to the University School of Veterinary Medicine, Hollins said. The Vet School also treats cats found in need of medical attention.
Hollins said she is proud to be part of an organization that does such good works.
“We have people who feed the cats at 2 p.m. and 4 a.m.,” she said. “We are glad to be there for these poor little guys.”
Feral Felines: Wild cats cause problems on campus, inspire groups to speak about safety
By Lyle Manion
February 3, 2014