Controlling the excessive number of feral cats is a headache for all town halls in Majorca, especially the smallest municipalities which don't have sufficient resources.
The Council of Majorca's local cooperation department has responded to municipal needs by making financial assistance available. With the exception of a handful of town halls outside Palma (which takes care of itself), the take-up has been widespread. Arta, Escorca, Felanitx, Petra, Soller and Vilafranca are ones which haven't as yet.
The department has set aside 190,000 euros. Depending on the size of the municipality, the amounts range from 3,500 to 14,000 euros. Town halls commit to using this aid in conducting sterilisation programmes, with a number having made arrangements with animal welfare groups. The best known of these is Baldea. It has a mobile surgery, which has recently been used in Mancor de la Vall, where a campaign on the current scale has not previously been undertaken.
Maxi Lange of Baldea says that there is ever increasing public demand for control of cat births. It is therefore necessary to carry out neutering on the streets, while town halls need to amend bylaws in order to ensure that domestic cats which are let out of houses are also neutered.
Calvia town hall has been to the fore in controlling the cat population. In 2017 a study of cat colonies was conducted and an agreement struck with Baldea for control campaigns. Calvia is entitled to the maximum financial aid of 14,000 euros from the Council of Majorca.
