The jury is still out on whether a new program for controlling feral cats in Altona is having any impact.
    
Earlier this year the town agreed to participate in a trap, neuter and release program operated by local cat shelter Furever Friends.

"At this point, 12 to 15 feral cats have gone through the town's program and it's to early to tell if it's having any impact," said Altona CAO Dan Gagne. "Before, we were removing feral cats from the community but more were coming in to fill their place. So, we're simply trying to maintain the population by neutering feral cats so that over time those numbers will decrease."

While the program is aimed at feral cats, a number of the stray felines have also been captured in the town's traps. These are cats that have been allowed by their owners to roam outside of their homes.

"I think we're still averaging 8 or 9 stray cats that are caught every month, most of which are placed in foster homes or sent to Pembina Valley Humane Society if they are not claimed. We're having a little more success in returning cats that did have tags, and we thank those pet owners for being responsible and getting tags for their cats. That way we're able to get them back to their owners quickly."

Stray cats roaming neighbourhoods continues to be an issue for the town. The town is trying to limit the feral cat population and hopes that neutering the felines will help that cause, but it's also about local cat owners keeping their cats on their own properties to keep them from reproducing or possibly becoming sick, according to Gagne.

"One of the things we've noticed in trapping feral cats this year is that some of them are sick, sick to the point where they have had to be euthanized. So, the best way to keep your cat safe is to keep them indoors and under control at all times."