MOSES LAKE - New rules regarding pet cats could soon be on the Moses Lake City Council agenda in response to a concerned citizen.

Councilman Bill Ecret last week brought up two letters sent in by Ervin Welters, who said his property at South Sycamore Street has been overrun by the animals.

"You gentlemen don't seem to realize or care about the problem this city has with cats," Welters wrote. "They are everywhere except in their owner's homes, where they should be, and it is a problem. Our bird population is being destroyed; gardens and yards are being damaged."

Welters' letter goes on to ask why other counties and cities in Washington require cats to be contained indoors or kept on a leash while Moses Lake does not, despite an overabundance of the animals.

"Talk to the people at the animal shelter and they will tell you how bad it is," Welters states. "I am not alone concerning this problem."

The city's animal control ordinance currently has few regulations pertaining to cats, including that the pets must be vaccinated for rabies and a kennel license is required when harboring more than four cats at any one time.

Carmen Derting, with Grant County Animal Outreach, said the Moses Lake Animal Shelter typically has up to 45 cats in its care and would likely have more if space allowed.

Ecret believes it's high time the council looked at adopting an ordinance to develop some kind of standard for dealing with cats.

"This isn't the first time this has come before council, this issue of should cats be licensed or not," Ecret said.

He believes the city should consider enacting a free, yet mandatory, registration for pet cats.

"People are having problems and this needs to be addressed," Ecret said; adding he'll work to get the item on a council agenda in the near future.