Columbia Board of Health revisits feral cat ordinance as residents voice growing concerns
COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)
On April 10, 2025, the Columbia Board of Health met to discuss some proposed changes to the city's ordinance regarding feral cats.
Nearly a year to the day, the board met once again to discuss changes, with some residents saying the problems are only getting worse.
The Columbia City Council has been considering eliminating the microchipping and annual testing requirements for feral animal caretakers, with feral cats being the primary concern the ordinance is centered around.
After hearing concerns from residents during a March 2 City Council meeting, the council sent the proposal back to the board of health to revise. Under the ordinance, residents need a permit from the Columbia/Boone County Department of Health and Human Services to take care of a feral cat colony. The only problem: Nobody is applying for the permit.
The board on Thursday heard from several residents, including Christina Byrd, who leads the Trap, Neuter, Return program at Columbia Second Chance, a program that works to help the stray cat population. She said one of the main issues is that the permit requires permission from the property owner, something many landlords are not willing to sign off on.
“Most landlords don’t allow feeders,” Byrd told the board during Thursday’s meeting. “Mine doesn’t care but I was also told that if a landlord signs that permit, they are liable for that colony if the tenant moves out. So they are not going to sign it. That’s why mine won’t sign it.”
Other residents, like Pamela Pasley, are simply sick of the cats. Pasley told the board that she doesn’t feed any of the feral cats, but has a pair of cats with more than 20 kittens who gather in her backyard near a sewer drain.
“My problem is quite different from everyone else's. I would maintain a pet if I had a pet, but I don’t, so these animals are a nuisance to the neighborhood,” Pasley said.
The board discussed removing the permit requirement from the ordinance, noting that few residents have applied. However, members said most ordinances they reviewed from other cities still require permission from a property owner.
According to the board, the original ordinance was intended to balance competing concerns, recognizing that residents would continue feeding feral cats while allowing the city to establish guidelines.
Many residents have avoided applying for permits, citing concerns about making their information public and the possibility of retaliation from neighbors. Others raised liability issues, noting that caretakers are responsible for the cats’ health and may not be able to afford veterinary care if the animals become sick.
The board ultimately tabled the discussion until next month to gather more research.
