Residents of Ilha Porchat, located in São Vicente, on the coast of São Paulo state, are reporting the large number of abandoned cats in various parts of the neighborhood. Residents report that many of these animals appear to be sick and that reproduction is occurring without control.
The municipal government was notified and communicated that it will dispatch a team to the location to investigate the allegations. A resident, who chose to remain anonymous, mentioned noticing the accumulation of felines in the streets shortly after moving to the area nine months ago. Since then, she has researched the issue and assisted in caring for the animals.
She shared that her investigation revealed this is a historical problem dating back approximately thirty years. Furthermore, older residents also confirmed that the presence of abandoned cats has persisted for several years; one of them reported feeding more than 150 animals in the region between 2008 and 2025, before leaving the neighborhood.
Abandonment and Reproduction
The resident explained that the cats come to Ilha Porchat both because they are abandoned and due to the natural breeding of the animals already residing there. Although some of them are cared for by neighbors and some have been adopted, she emphasized that dogs have also been abandoned in the neighborhood but ended up being welcomed.
Despite this, the woman stressed that it is the responsibility of the residents themselves to provide veterinary care and spaying/neutering for the cats. She also alleged that, on certain occasions, teams from the Animal Welfare Unit (Ubasa) refused to collect the animals from the neighborhood. In response to this, she gathered evidence and filed a formal complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office of São Paulo (MP-SP).
City Hall's Position
In an official note, the City Hall of São Vicente declared that it will send a team to Ilha Porchat to investigate the complaints. The municipal administration also informed that, this year alone, about 260 stray pets were removed from the city streets. The city hall advised that any reports related to mistreatment should be directed to the Animal Welfare Unit (Ubasa) via the phone number (13) 2028-0523.