Feral/wild cats are a nuisance and a health concern. They defecate and urinate on property owned by neighboring residents; they kill other wildlife (mice, squirrels, birds) and leave the remains on driveways, porches, decks; they fight and fornicate at any hour of the day or night.

Residents who engage in feeding these animals are creating a PUBLIC NUISANCE.

According to justia.com:

"A nuisance occurs when a landowner engages in an activity that significantly interferes with the use or enjoyment of another's property, or that affects the health, safety, welfare or comfort of the public at large. A nuisance that violates an individual's right to quiet enjoyment of his or her land is referred to as a private nuisance, while a nuisance that affects the health and safety of more than one person is known as a public nuisance. Nuisance actions are instituted for a number of reasons, such as the desire to eliminate an unpleasant smell, sound, or other hazard that disturbs the lives of surrounding property owners."

https://www.justia.com/real-estate/home-ownership/owning-a-home/nuisance/

On a personal level, my neighbor is a feral/wild cat feeder. I have had the White Plains Health Dept and officers from Animal Control visit my neighbor and outline the reasons why he must stop feeding the cats. I have shown these officers numerous examples of feces on my property.

For several years, I have requested, cajoled and pleaded with my neighbor to stop feeding the cats. These negotiations, and visits from White Plains officials, have been unsuccessful in convincing my neighbor to stop feeding these cats.

From a public perspective, White Plains residents are powerless to stop our neighbors from feeding these cats. Many of us have also been unable to persuade the cat-feeders to have the cats spayed or neutered, despite offers from others to contribute to the costs. Of course the result is an ever-larger cat population.

We therefore ask White Plains to step in and establish new funding, as well as the rules and regulations that will provide us with the tools we need to manage the cat populations, and to give us a legal basis to curtail any further cat-feeding activity.