Doha faces growing stray cat problem
Stray cats have been the subject of complaints by residents in various parts of Doha: from clawing the car’s hood and roof to causing engine trouble.
An expat told Gulf Times that while he was driving his car to the office a few weeks ago, its engine suddenly stopped. When he opened the hood, he was surprised to see a small cat stuck in the fan belt near the engine.
He had to pay hundreds of riyals for repairs and spare parts.
But the problem remains as the area he is living is infested with stray cats.
“They keep on multiplying and I know that they will continue to be a big nuisance. I hope something could be done to address this,” added the expat who now tries “to secure” his car from cats.
He was sure he was not the only person who had experienced the problem.
Many residents complain of a foul smell emanating from their accommodations’ terraces caused by cats’ excreta and urine.
“A cat which gave birth to six kittens stay on our terrace and the smell of its waste is so horrible that it sticks with our newly-washed clothes,” said Julius, an expatriate staying in Matar Kadeem.
Some of his friends staying in Najma, Mansoura and Bin Omran face the same problem.
Ressie, a Filipino expatriate, said he often got “annoyed” when he saw cats’ footprints on the roof, trunk and hood of his car.
“I just had it washed a few minutes ago paying QR45 and after returning from a meeting, this would be what I see.”
Many expatriates keep cats as pets. Regor S, who takes care of 21 cats, said the stray cat problem could be controlled through effective means.
He referred to the work of Qatar Animal Welfare Society (QAWS) but was not sure if it still operated.
QAWS, known to be the only animal protection centre in Qatar, faces closure by next month.
But some individuals and volunteer groups like the Cats in Qatar have started rescuing stray animals.
The group said it promoted Qatar’s trap-neuter-return programme (TNR) for stray and feral cats.
“I often see cats being run over by vehicles on the road and it is horrible,” said Regor.
The Ministry of Environment has recently announced that special teams will carry out an extensive campaign to catch stray cats and dogs in Doha.
The campaign, the Ministry says, will be executed in accordance with international standards set by the World Society for the Protection of Animals.
Read more: Gulf Times
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Pic: Brian Candy
To Ripcord, are " you" representing all Qatari's with your thoughtless, heartless comments??
Rip Cord are representing all the Qatari people out there?
Allah gave us animals to Love and nurture, in the same way animals return the Love to people when treated with respect. Animals have more unconditional Love than most human beings.
If you gave young Qatari boys guns and told them to shoot all the cats they see while driving round in their LCs, the problem would be solved within a week.
I don't think it is a citizen who should pay to hire people to neuter cats ! Qtar has mor than enough money to put 20k QAR per months to solve the problem !
Ya RIP cord, maybe I'll start by you then.
A compound to which my cousin just moved to had a problem with scorpions and they solved it by introducing cats into the ecosystem.
There is an initiative to neuter cats. TNR group on facebook, those are expats who go around catching cats and getting them neuterd , then release them again. unless somebody is ready to adopt them.
Here is the facebook page for anybody interested https://www.facebook.com/groups/167982823256879/
@westernindoha,,,,i totally agree with u,,,,,so gud thoughts,,,,i also loved my cat and lost him last sunday after 2 years of love :'(
Ur idea is the best !!! If any1 can come forward for such initiative then i m ready to make some contribution,,,,cheers !!!
I have 2 grey, brown kittens ready for adoption. They are around 3 months old. They grey indoors with me. They eat chiken or canned cat food (Friskies Tuna Giblets) are their favorite. They need a litter box to pupu and piss.
Message me if your interested.
Extermiantion is quicker and easier.
I am shocked by people using the word extermination...Well I would rather start by some people than cats...
I am a big time cat lover and as such I feel so sorry to see them breeding that much, we should neuter 100's per months and the problem will be solved in a couple of years just like it has been done in some area of dubai where stray cat are just enough to take care of rat but probably 10 times less than here.
Just in my "coumpound" of 10 buildings there is probably 40 cats and 2-3 new born every 2 weeks...that's insane...
I tend to feed the mothers time to time...but we really need to neuter them !
Is it that difficult to hire a team of 4 who could probably neuter 20 cats a day??
Cats are cruel animals, they are one of the few animals that will actually play with its food before killing it.
I suggest we catch all the cats and serve the meat to the labourers in the industrial area who don't get enough meat
well said my friend,,,,cats r not cruel animals nor do they harm any1 road passers,,,,,Piggies r born to eat s#it,,,i love cats and salute to all cat lovers out here :)
Doha faces growing people problem....
Traffic problem
pollution
etc
etc
Hope they are taking care of Rats
is there any cat originally from qatar?
I find its very good to have cats in Qatar there harmless cute and they Eat the left overs of the garrbage they do a great job in the community
I have seen many dogs in Industrial Area.. some times they run after cars barking ..
this is fatal.. they can bite also, they might be around 20 in numbers all around Industrial area
they have rights to live also they also have a life they didn't come their self to Doha people who bring them and leave them when they leave Doha then who will care for them
we need to exterminate cats and also dogs
We are all Zionists in this subject.
If people would not constantly dump unneutered cats, breed and then dump the kittens as they are too much work, then this problem would not exist.
Now helpless, innocent animals have to die because careless and cruel people.
NEUTER your cats! DO NOT BREED !
And exactly the same goes for dogs.
But of course, nobody does listen.
That's funny gene coming from an Indian, considering how animals are treated in India
At Dohadohaqatar..my friend no need to ask everyone here for cat..just roam around doha garbage bin and you'll find 100 of them..just be careful because they may bite you. :)
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
Mahatma Gandhi
Maybe we could import more Chinese and let them eat them
I think it is time there was an extermination programme. Time for a cull of all these stray animals.
I LIKE TO ADOPT A CAT -please......................
My friend Mr Kim says he can cure the problem very easily .