The Age asked the Far North District Council what it could do and Kevin Johnson, group manager – delivery and operations, said a plan will be developed to rid the property of the cats.
“We are taking these concerns seriously. Staff will be on site this week to assess the situation and develop a plan to reduce the number of wild cats and work with the tenants towards responsible cat ownership.
“We have also been seeking guidance and support from Northland Regional Council to identify the best way to humanely resolve the problem.”
The woman said the pensioner flats in Taheke Rd are a pleasant place to live, but the plague of cats was seriously affecting her health, happiness and wellbeing.
The problem has been going on for longer than the year complaints have been made about them, she said, but it has become increasingly bad in the past 12 months with “around 50 wild cats” now present.
The woman was delighted that the council was taking the matter seriously and was finally going to do something about the cats.
“Somebody came here today [Wednesday] to talk to me about it and they said they’d get a plan together to get rid of them,” she said.
“I’m just so happy about that, I’m very pleased. Thank you for getting this sorted out as I’d rang and rang and complained for a while with nothing being done.”
She said hopefully this is the end of the plague, but it was important that other people in the area did not feed wild cats.
“Yes, part of the problem is that some people are feeding the cats and they have settled around where they are being fed, so I’ve got some sympathy for the council, but I’ve just had enough. There’s cat poo and wee all around my property.
“They live under the house and have destroyed the underfloor insulation and I just want them gone.”