“I found a lactating female and her two dead kittens. They had drool at the corner of their mouths, it wasn’t pretty to see. Josiane, 57, has lived in the Wiesberg district of Forbach for seventeen years. “Here, it happens regularly that we find dead cats for no reason, sometimes even small kittens”, continues the resident, very attached to the felines of her neighborhood. “In these cases, we call the SOS Croquettes Moselle-Est association with which we are in contact, to alert, and we also take them to the veterinarian to determine the causes of death. »
“It’s in periods”
Patricia Geronimus, president of the association in question, collects testimonies throughout the territory of Moselle-Est. “Cat poisoning is far from a recent phenomenon. It happens regularly, with more or less magnitude,” she explains. “Sometimes for several months, we have no report, then all of a sudden, we receive heaps of calls. “Recently, near Faulquemont, about twenty cats had been discovered poisoned dead. “In recent weeks, it seems to be moving to the Wiesberg district in Forbach, to a lesser extent at the moment, but it is important to raise awareness. »
“Excruciating pain”
According to Patricia Geronimus, “it’s a neighborhood where there are a lot of stray cats. It does not please everyone to see these beasts proliferating near their homes and some resort to radical solutions such as poisoning, to get rid of the problem. “Coolant, window cleaner or even rat poison, “all means are good. The products are placed in food and it kills cats, sometimes in excruciating pain.”
Throughout the year, the SOS Croquettes association works to help stray cats. “We try to find them a home but also to catch them to sterilize them, because that is the heart of the problem”, continues the president. “The proliferation of cats is a real concern, we agree. Killing them is not acceptable. The association therefore calls on anyone who witnesses cat poisoning to report it.
Note that since August 11, the City of Forbach has issued a municipal decree regulating animal feeding. It is now forbidden to leave any food likely to attract stray or wild animals. This is punishable by a fine of €450.
