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Olean Today
By the People, for the People
Olean Contracts with Purrfect Kitty for Cat Control Work
City hopes to revive feral cat control program through $5,000 deal with local nonprofit
Mar. 11, 2026 at 9:32pm
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The Olean Common Council has authorized Mayor Amy Sherburne to enter into a $5,000 contract with the local nonprofit Purrfect Kitty Mission to provide trap-neuter-release and emergency feline care services. The goal is to address growing feral cat colonies in the city, which have become an increasing problem for residents.
Why it matters
Feral cat populations can have negative impacts on local wildlife and pose public health concerns if left unchecked. Olean's previous feral cat control program was successful before being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the city is now looking to revive those efforts through a partnership with Purrfect Kitty Mission.
The details
The contract with Purrfect Kitty Mission will involve trapping feral cats, transporting them to be sterilized, and then returning them to where they were originally trapped. This trap-neuter-release (TNR) approach is supported by many animal welfare groups as an effective way to control feral cat colony sizes without resorting to relocation or euthanasia, which can lead to a 'vacuum effect' where more cats move in to fill the void.
- The Olean Common Council authorized the contract with Purrfect Kitty Mission on Tuesday, March 11, 2026.
- Olean previously worked with another nonprofit on a successful feral cat control program in the late 2010s before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted those efforts.
The players
Amy Sherburne
The mayor of Olean who will be entering into the contract with Purrfect Kitty Mission.
Purrfect Kitty Mission
A local nonprofit organization in Olean that will be providing trap-neuter-release and emergency feline care services to the city under the new $5,000 contract.
Bill Aiello
The former mayor of Olean who first appointed Frank Caputo as city clerk in November 2021.
Frank Caputo
The current city clerk of Olean, having been appointed retroactively to January 2, 2026.
What they’re saying
“There's a lot of love for the stray cats in this community, and the citizens want us to do something about the colonies that are becoming larger and becoming problems.”
— Amy Sherburne, Mayor
“Rounding them up (for relocation or euthanasia), you effectively create a vacuum effect, which is then filled by more cats. To successfully bring down a stray cat population or reduce colonies is to eliminate their ability to reproduce and run a TNR.”
— Bill Crawford, City Council Member
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
Olean's new partnership with Purrfect Kitty Mission represents a community-driven effort to humanely address the growing feral cat problem in the city, drawing on the expertise of a local nonprofit to implement trap-neuter-release strategies that have proven effective in controlling feral populations elsewhere.
