PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) – Feral and stray cats can sometimes take over communities and after 9 On Your Side told you about a story of nearly a dozen Grifton cats found inside a home, one woman stepped up with a solution, while another wants to see new laws to help prevent this from happening again.

William Adams bought this house, but couldn’t do work because of cats he found inside.

Good news, they were picked up by a very generous 9 On Your Side viewer and are being fostered and medically cared for.

This isn’t an isolated issue, feral and stray cats are a problem throughout Pitt County.

“We have a situation where because populations have grown animal populations grow and they are not being spayed or neutered,” said animal advocate Marion Blackburn.

Which means more cats may end up at an animal shelter, affecting your wallet.

“Also a tax payer problem because it cost a lot to try and keep up with these populations,” she added.

Blackburn also a former Greenville city council member says…she wants to see new ordinances passed that affect the entire county – especially areas like Grifton, that don’t have access to county animal services – that would have made it easier for Adams to get the cats out.

“What we need to have is more spay and neuter programs, instead of spending money on enforcing old ordinances that no longer serve our community,” said Blackburn.

Currently in Greenville it’s a city violation to feed a stray animal.

In a petition sent to city council in June animal advocates are asking to change that, and allow non-profits to trap vaccinate sterilize and return or adopt out the cats they help.

“If a cat gets on my nerves that cat is a nuisance it can be trapped and it can be euthanized. I think we need to have a better approach for cats, we need to consider them a part of our community we need to be concerned about their welfare and we need to spay and neuter them for sure,” said Blackburn.