The Journal

Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Mariano Ulibarri A cat peeks its head out from behind a chair in a garage next to the H. Sam Priest Center.

Four years ago, a portion of a roof collapsed on a Webster University building. The building, an old garage located between the H. Sam Priest Center and Pearson House, had long been abandoned by human inhabitants. Its primary use before and after the collapse has been a storage space.

The building has found another use since its desertion. A group of feral cats now call the old garage home. The cats have established a home among the rotting desks, overturned tables, forgotten chairs and old university banners. The inhabitants, living and rusting alike, now await their rapidly-approaching removal as plans for the razing and refurbishing of the garage looms.

"The plan is we're going to demolish the portion where the roof has caved," said David Stone, director of facility planning and management. "The job should take about one or two days."

The plan calls for demolition by winter break, but could be completed by fall break, Stone said.

As for the building's current residents, Stone said he was aware of the cats and they would be removed humanely, most likely by an organization like Stray Rescue of St. Louis, and given to a local shelter.
"I don't see us calling an exterminator," Stone said.

A feral animal is a member of a domesticated species that has been born in, and survived in, the wild. The wild in this case being the abandoned garage, or the building some staff and students on campus are simply referring to as 'the Cat House.'

Stone did relay concerns about the current faculty/feline relationship that has been budding since the cats moved in.

"Walking by the site the other day I noticed a food bowl," Stone said. "I'm not sure how good an idea it is to encourage them to stay."

The city of Webster Groves has codes in effect to limit the number of strays in the area. Webster Groves police Lt. Mike Nelson said strays and feral animals aren't legally anybody's property, but the accommodating of these animals may have some legal ramifications.

"If someone was caring for and feeding these animals, it could be argued in court that they were the owners and subject to a fine," Nelson said.

Continued...

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