The Town of North Hempstead is to conduct a feasibility study on the inclusion of cats at the town shelter in Port Washington. 

Town Board members approved an agreement with Melville-based Nelson and Pope to perform the study at last Wednesday’s meeting. 

North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth said the project comes after several community groups have suggested that there is a lack of care for cats in North Hempstead.  

Stuart Nolan, a Great Neck resident, stressed the desperate need for a town-operated cat shelter, a proposition that he said “goes way, way back.”

“When the inevitable hoarder situation arises, there is no viable solution at hand,” he said. “These cats either end up being euthanized for no reason or abandoned on the street.” 

He said the current facility is not equipped to shelter cats and suggested either an annex to the existing dog shelter or another building. 

Bosworth said the feasibility study also aims to identify potential improvements for the shelter. 

She assured the attendees that the board will engage with the community before making any changes. 

The town’s request for proposal requires that the consultant be available for four meetings with town staff and additional stakeholders, Bosworth said, which Nelson and Pope said it would be prepared to do. 

“We look forward to seeing the results of the study so we have a place to start discussions with the community,” Bosworth said. 

Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio recognized the town supervisor’s effort to consider the impact that a possible expansion of the shelter would have on adjoining property owners. 

“I appreciate the fact that you made a commitment to make sure the consultant does that when they are doing the feasibility study,” she said.