Citizen Remedies for Free Roaming Cats.

Citizens frustrated by free roaming cats must challenge cat owners and elected officials. In order to change the paradigm of accepted free roaming cats we must change our laws and policy. It must start on a grass roots level. The number one way to stop a particular nuisance cat is to photograph it, trap it, photogragh again and turn over to the civil authorities. If they find the owner immedately file charges and a lawsuit in the best court you can. Filing on their insurance will often affect change in te behavior of insurance compnies and pet owners alike. Strong actions gets rid of one cat or one set of cats at a time. Texas must change her pet owning habits. This will have to be forced on most folks who own cats.  2 out 3 owners let their cats run loose full or part of the time. Ask for a policy statement concerning companion animals. The police or animal control officer (ACO) should know when they get a call if a there pet is registered. If the animal is not registered there's the 1st violation. If you have pictures of the cat trespassing there's the 2nd violation. Get a picture of the cats being fed on the offenders premises. Then it is their repsonsibility if they care for it. You can ask the city for a list of registered owners and file on anyone with unregsitered animals. If the city will not release this information file an F.O.I. If they still resist the Attny General will sue on your behalf. Once the city has to spend money on a lawyer they'll fold like a chair after church.  Check on unregistered pets owned by elected officials and key city, county, state or federal employees. Call them before you file or write the paper. Often you can get support if you don't file on the important offenders or write the paper exposing them. Then it's endorse or suffer remorse. If the city or county does not want to register pets you will face the challenge of informing and reforming. Texas law allows a petition to be presented and voted on in county elections to change the animal control laws. If a city is not enforcing animal control laws the county can enter the city to enforce the laws. Laws and policy are two different things. Affecting policy is hard to do. However, if enough voters petition the elected and come to council and commissioners court the elected officials will come around. Citizens must organize to be effective.