Mumbai: The BrihanMumbai Municipal corporation (BMC) has observed that number of stray Cats have increased in Mumbai. Hence, BMC has issued an advertisement and appealed to NGOs and agencies to come forward for the sterilisation of cats. BMC has kept a Rs1 crore budget for the purpose.
To curb the stray dog population, BMC carries out a sterilisation drive. BMC’s health department and Deonar Abattoir along with private institute and dogs control department conducts dogs sterilization. In the last two years, 33,166 dogs have been sterilised.
But BMC officers noticed that while the stray dog population had decreased, it also resulted in an increase in the population of stray cats.
Additional municipal Commissioner Asheesh Sharma said, “We have noticed that because of sterilisation number of stray dogs have decreased but number of cats have increased. It is a natural phenomenon if dogs are less in number then number of cats increases.”
Dr.Karimpasha Pathan, General Manager of Deonar Abattoire said, “One thing is sure there is increased in number of cats in Mumbai. We have floated an advertisement we have appealed NGOs and agencies to come forward for the sterilisation of stray cats. Our last date of accepting proposals is September 20. There is no other way to control cats population we have to sterilise them.”
“We have not conducted any census of cats and dogs Since 2014. It should have been done in the year 2020 but due to Covid 19 the census of stary dogs and cats is pending. But we have planned to conduct census in the January 2023. While sterilisation process we will know how many cats are there in the city,” said Pathan.
According to Pathan, the BMC is ready to pay around Rs 2,000 per cat for the sterilisation.
The BMC has started sterilisation of cats since 2019. It had given work to an NGO name IDA and the Mumbai Veterinary College, (IMC) Parel, but after noticing the huge number of cats, BMC has decided to invite NGOs for cat sterilisation. Since 2019, these two agencies have completed sterilisation of around 5,700 cats till date.
According to Dr Pathan there are many hurdles in Cats sterilisation. He said, “First of all, we have to find people who will catch the cats and bring them to sterilisation places. We have to buy big cages to keep cats after sterilisation. We keep them under observation for at least 5 days.
“If cats are unwell, then we have to cure them. Sometimes, people who stays nearby also raised objections they don’t want such sterilisation centres nearby their areas. But we keep finding ways to cats sterilisation.”
