At Coplay Borough Council’s regular meeting April 11, Kimberly Fitzpatrick, a member of the borough’s Feral Cat Committee, updated council on the status of the group.

Over the past few months, council received several complaints about feral cats and residents’ inability to get in touch with anyone from the committee. The borough’s Feral Cat Committee is part of Coplay Town Watch. It is an all-volunteer organization that receives most of its funding during Community Days, when members man a booth and seek donations.

Committee volunteers trap feral cats and take them to Peaceable Kingdom to have them neutered. Peaceable Kingdom performs the operation and releases the cats to the borough the same day they arrive. The entire program is called Trap Neuter and Release (TNR.) The cost is $40 per cat.

“We have a problem during the winter months because we have nowhere to keep the cats while they heal,” Fitzpatrick said. “Turning them loose in the cold … most of them would die.”

The committee is short on volunteers.

According to Fitzpatrick, she was the only volunteer for a few months. Dennis Geary, who was one of the founding members of the committee, left the group. He rejoined recently.

“We have two volunteers now, and we are looking for more,” Fitzpatrick said.

As for numbers of cats trapped, Fitzpatrick indicated the group averages four or five cats over the summer.

According to Mayor Dean Molitoris, there are about 25 feral cats around the Egypt Bakery.

“We first got a report that there were 50 cats there,” Fitzpatrick said. “I went to check, and the number is around 25.”

Traps are available, but according to Fitzpatrick, they are stored at the home of Bill Leiner, founder of the committee. Fitzpatrick indicated she would get in contact with Leiner to get the traps. She will set the traps at the bakery and place them wherever else they are needed.

Fitzpatrick said residents can call both her and Geary. A phone number was listed incorrectly in the borough newsletter but has been corrected.

Fitzpatrick can be contacted at 484-935-1836. Geary is at 484-515-4907.

Fitzpatrick was slated to address council at an earlier session but failed to show. Council investigated options outside the Feral Cat Committee.

“We can get the same shelter we use for dogs to take care of cats,” said borough Secretary Sandra Gyecsek. “[Sanctuary at Haafsville] will trap and neuter the cats for $50 each up to a maximum fee of $650 per year.”

Although some members of council liked the alternative, Councilman Charles Sodl wanted to keep the Haafsville option on the back burner.

“We have people willing to do this; let’s see how they can do it,” he said.

The option gives council a chance to collect some data on how many cats are actually taken in and how residents react to the committee’s performance.