Matawan Apologizes For Saying Monmouth Co. SPCA Will Kill Stray Cats

MATAWAN, NJ — The Monmouth County SPCA stressed that it will not be euthanizing feral cats brought to them from Matawan, in a bit of a cat fight that broke out Wednesday night between the borough of Matawan and the county.

The issue started Tuesday: The town of Matawan, via the Matawan Animal Welfare Committee, sent a letter to select residents on Ned Drive, Chestnut Drive and Sonia Avenue. This area of town has been having a problem with feral cats lately, according to the Matawan Police Department.

However, the advisory letter stated: "All free roaming/feral cats that are trapped by Matawan’s Animal Control Officer will be impounded. Any cat not claimed within seven days of being trapped will be destroyed by the Monmouth County SPCA.”

That is absolutely not accurate, said the Monmouth County SPCA, in a scathing press release sent out Wednesday morning. In fact, SPCA leadership, under executive director (and Monmouth County Commissioner Ross Licitra) was so angry that effective immediately, the SPCA stopped collecting animals called in from Matawan borough. Furthermore, all animal control trapping activity in Matawan was suspended as of Wednesday morning.

"Late last night, MCSPCA leadership was taken by surprise by an outlandish and outrageous campaign," said SPCA in a statement. "We are completely outraged and disheartened that our organization has been attached to this archaic campaign to euthanize feral cats."

The SPCA stressed that it only euthanizes animals when they have an incurable medical condition, or dangerously violent dogs. In fact, the Monmouth SPCA has a policy that it specifically will not euthanize stray cats, and instead employs trap, neuter, release (TNR) to deal with stray cat populations.

Matawan borough administrator Scott Carew apologized. He said that Matawan town code does call for euthanizing unclaimed dogs or cats, as well as euthanizing dogs/cats that exhibit signs of rabies. However, he said the Matawan town council is working to change that town law.

The Monmouth County SPCA stressed it will not euthanize any cats — be they feral or house cats — brought to them from Matawan or from any town in Monmouth County.

By Friday, the Monmouth County SCPA had resumed picking up cats from Matawan.

"The borough had received complaints about a specific area of Matawan, along Ned Drive, about feral cats invading backyards," said Carew. "One complaint included a report of an aggressive cat causing an injury to one of the neighbors. Besides the potential of a feral cat being aggressive, a real potential public health risk exists with feral cats as they can carry and spread disease to humans and other animals (pets)."

"The borough has apologized directly to the Monmouth County SPCA for not involving them in our efforts and for causing any unnecessary confusion," continued Carew. "They do a fantastic job finding homes for cats that come into their care. That said, not every cat they take into custody is adopted or claimed."

"By no means was the goal of the trapping efforts to destroy trapped cats. That said, since there was the chance that cats would be trapped and brought to the shelter, we wanted to alert cat owners whose cats are allowed to roam outside."

He also asked Matawan residents to stop feeding stray cats.

"While well-intentioned, their efforts will not help the cats if the creation of a consistent food source creates a proliferation of stray cats," he said.