Palm Beach is witnessing a surge in its feral cat population, a situation exacerbated by an increase in people abandoning their cats on the island, according to David Leavitt, the President of Palm Beach Island Cats. Leavitt conveyed this concern during his annual update to the Town Council at Tuesday’s meeting.
Leavitt pointed out that cats are being brought over the bridges and released, leading to a significant uptick in the feline population. He emphasized the gravity of the situation by revealing a 50% increase in counted cats in 2023, with the organization’s census indicating 350 cats, compared to 230 the previous year.
Palm Beach Island Cats, established around 14 years ago, has been actively working to manage the feral cat population on the island. Initially formed to address a population exceeding 1,000 feral cats that disrupted the community, the organization employs a program of trap, neuter, return, and maintain to address the issue humanely.
Leavitt highlighted the challenges faced by abandoned cats, particularly single kittens, emphasizing an unusual increase in the dumping of individual kittens rather than entire litters. The group worked with 46 kittens in 2023, up from 15 in 2022, with efforts focused on returning nine kittens to the island and placing 37 for adoption.
Caring for hundreds of cats on the island, Palm Beach Island Cats faces the unique challenge of dealing with abandoned cats that have been recently trapped, making them wary of subsequent capture. Leavitt stressed the importance of a continued trap and release (TNR) approach to prevent a recurrence of a large cat population.
Despite difficulties in achieving the goal of sterilizing as many cats as possible, Palm Beach Island Cats reported a nearly doubled number of cats sterilized, from 32 in 2022 to 57 in 2023. Leavitt attributed this success to overcoming challenges in scheduling procedures due to population booms in West Palm Beach overwhelming local nonprofits.
The organization expanded its feeding stations from 35 in 2022 to 50 in 2023, providing over 4,000 pounds of dry food and more than 21,000 cans of wet food to the cats. Leavitt reminded residents to keep pets under supervision, cautioning about the presence of coyotes on the island.
Acknowledging successes over the past year, Leavitt highlighted the successful management of the former cat colony around the Royal Poinciana Playhouse, with the population decreased before the reconstruction began in 2023.
Leavitt expressed gratitude to the board of directors, staff, and town officials for their support. Councilman Lew Crampton acknowledged the significant progress made in controlling the feral cat population, emphasizing the unseen efforts required to address the issue. Leavitt concluded by requesting continued support from the Town Council, stating that the organization is doing well with the backing of town residents.
