Don't feed the cats
Sandusky, Milan ordinances prohibit it; violators can be fined
SANDUSKY —
There’s a recurring theme across communities in the region in the advice given when residents ask about roaming animals: Don’t feed the cats.
“If feral cats are fed, they tend to remain in the vicinity of the food,” Norwalk law director Stuart '“Stu” O’Hara told StayTunedSandusky.com. “If you stop feeding them, they usually depart.”
O’Hara said Norwalk does not have a local ordinance concerning feral cats, but state law prohibits cats from being intentionally injured or killed, which can lead to state charges of cruelty to animals.
If the cats present a problem, they can be trapped and released at another location, O’Hara said.
Don’t ask, do tell
A question about what to do about feral cats arose during the Sandusky city commission meeting on Monday. There was a problem a few months ago with a resident in the 48th Street neighborhood feeding feral cats.
“We ended up having to charge the property owner,” city manager John Orzech told commissioners. The problem abated after the resident stopped feeding the cats, he said.
Sandusky and Milan both have local ordinances prohibiting residents from feeding feral cats.
In Milan, village council has taken a formal step to deal with complaints about roaming cats after some residents raised concerns about unsanitary conditions, damage to landscaping, and the health risks posed when cats congregate in neighborhoods.
The village’s ordinance prohibits cats from running at-large, bans outdoor feeding stations, and sets penalties of up to $1,000 for owners, keepers, or “harborers” who allow nuisances to persist. It also gives the village the ability to go to court, require nuisance abatement, and even place a lien on property if owners refuse to comply.
There are trap and release programs for spaying and neutering cats but nothing countywide. The Humane Society can assist pet owners and there are some funding through private agencies.
Other communities across Ohio and the U.S. have faced the same issue and chosen a range of approaches. Some small towns, like Milan, have passed ordinances treating cats similarly to dogs — requiring confinement to an owner’s property and imposing fines for repeated violations. Others rely more heavily on their local humane societies or county health departments to enforce nuisance rules, without creating a specific village ordinance.
Larger cities, including Cleveland and Toledo, have incorporated trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs into their strategy, working with nonprofit groups to control feral cat populations without penalizing residents who try to feed strays.
The tension in these policies comes from balancing neighborhood quality-of-life concerns with animal welfare practices. Strict bans on feeding can discourage the growth of cat colonies, but they also raise questions about compassion and the role of rescue groups. Communities that have found middle ground often combine enforcement of nuisance laws with partnerships for spay-and-neuter programs, aiming to reduce the number of free-roaming cats over time. Milan’s ordinance puts the emphasis on property rights and public health, while leaving open the question of whether future adjustments will bring in more humane or cooperative approaches.