NORWICH – The City of Norwich has proposed fining people who feed feral cats.

City of Norwich residents can voice their opinions about a proposed animal ordinance, which would aim to reduce the city’s feral cat population by fining those who leave out food for the animals, at a public hearing on Tuesday, April 2.

The public hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on April 2, prior to the city’s joint committees meeting at One City Court Plaza in Norwich. City taxpayers can weigh in on the proposed ordinance, which would make it a violation to feed any species of wildlife or cats in a manner that creates unclean conditions, results in the accumulation of feces, or attracts other wildlife.

The proposed ordinance comes after months of brainstorming by city officials as they look for ways to mitigate the city’s feral cat population, particularly in wards 4, 5, and 6, which city residents have complained about to council members on several occasions.

If approved, the ordinance would make it a code violation to feed feral cats. The minimum fine would be $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $200 for the third and subsequent offenses within a year of the previous violation. For each offense, the violator would be given a week to correct it. In the event penalties reached $1,000, the offender may be issued a court appearance ticket.