"Terrorist Cats" Prompt Town Meeting Petitions

Concordian Lydia Lodynsky plans to present three petition articles at the April Town Meeting aimed at keeping cats close to home, and out of neighboring yards, reports Boston.com.

Lodynsky's yard, which used to be filled with colorful birds of all types, is now home to just run-of-the-mill sparrows and such after neighborhood cats have preyed on her beloved birds.

"Watching this all in my own yard literally made me sick," Lodynsky told Boston.com. "This no longer is respite for me - it has become a detriment to my health. I have become a victim in my own yard to terrorist cats that kill everything in sight."

The first petition would require cats to be licensed, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered.

Some Massachusetts towns have already adopted cat-governing bylaws. failure to register a cat may result in a $25 fine on top of the regular annual fees charged to have the animal registered with the town.

The second of Lodynsky's petitions seeks to increase the Concord Dog Officer's budget by $20,000 to broaden the scope of the officer's duties to include dealing with cats and other animals. The third petition asks the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Christopher Whelan to draft pet ownership guidelines, which would include keeping cats out of neighboring yards without the neighbor's permission. Click here to read the full story.