Fort Saskatchewan Mayor Gale Katchur is facing backlash from feline advocates after she shared a photo on her Facebook page referencing her previous controversial comments about stray cats. In the now-deleted post, Katchur praised a Halloween costume featuring two students: one dressed in a red blazer like hers from a past council meeting and the other in a cat costume covered by a plastic garbage bag.
Katchur made headlines in September when she suggested during a council meeting that people should handle feral cats as they did in the past, saying, “When you lived on the farm, if there were cats, you threw them in a bag and threw them in a river.”
In response to the criticism, Katchur stated that the students were just having fun at her expense and reiterated her sincere apology for her earlier comments. She explained that her remarks were based on her childhood experiences living on a farm, where her family often found and buried unwanted cats. She emphasized her love for animals and the importance of responsible pet ownership, including spaying and neutering.
Diana Graham, co-founder of Community Cats Edmonton, expressed disbelief at Katchur’s post and reiterated calls for her resignation. Graham criticized Katchur for joking about harming stray cats, calling it short-sighted for a public official. She stressed that stray and feral cats are vulnerable due to human negligence and that such comments increase their risk.
Graham also questioned Katchur’s decision to make the post on her official page, suggesting it reflects her true beliefs. She challenged the notion that killing feral cats is a common practice in rural areas.
