We don't have a rabies problem. My vet advises against rabies vaccinations for my indoor-only cats because the vaccination itself presents a bigger risk. For a small percentage of cats that have a reaction, they might have to amputate the limb receiving the injection.

Seriously, MV wants me to put my indoor-only cats at risk due to a vaccination, and put collars on them (which they've never had), for what good?

This cat licensing issue has not been fully thought out, and should not be put into effect in its current state.

We have three cats who are indoor, except for time spent in out atrium. All are chipped and have the shots that the Vet recommended. I asked them how they felt about the licensing requirement and they all gave me an - Are you out of your mind? look.

Maybe the city could just drop the charade, and impose a $10 per pet per year city tax. No baloney, no pretense of benefiting animals. Just more cash.

It's quite clear that our City Council doesn't give a hoot about us; they merely want to be elected to impose their beliefs on their constituents. The Council doesn't want any public comment, doesn't care about the impact of new regulations on the public, and doesn't respond to emails sent to them from residents.

It's shameful.

Next we'll have to license and collar our family members.

The city council and staff should be the ones to get collars and rabies shots. They are out of control (again).

Oh, give it a break!! Aren't we drowning in too many laws and ordinances as it is, and one's for which we do not have the people power to monitor and enforce?!! Let's concentrate on more important issues, i.e. police and fire protection, housing for the needy, maintaining streets, other city services....

This is a law to fix imaginary problems to increase MV Council revenues. According to the CDC, there were no cases of rabies in cats in the whole of California in 2010.

Web Link

A 16 year study by UC Davis and published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association proves that such vaccinations cause cancer at the injection site in some cats. They note amputation is a preferred treatment, however euthanasia is a likely outcome.

Web Link

This law would require us to pay to put our pets at risk of cancer, amputation, and death, for a non-existent health problem.

The further consequences of this law would clearly be increased abandonment of cats, putting a strain on the rescue organisations who would deal with them, without any increase in resources to do so.

As for the tagging issue - cats remove and lose tags all the time, or are removed by an owner who deliberately abandons them. The ID microchip is smaller, cheaper, and more reliable - it is better in every way.

The only ones to benefit will be the MV council at over $200,000 in revenue per year (Humane Society est >20,000 cats in MV). The costs of this law will be the illness and suffering of the affected cats and their owners.

It is imperative that everyone watch this video to understand a cat's perspective:

Web Link

Seriously - you won't regret it.

My experience, this is typical of a sloppy political process. Council goes along with the staff recommendation w/o thinking about the consequences of their own actions.

This council looks like it will need more monitoring by the public to keep them honest.

Short and simple ... REVENUE GENERATION...

Clearly not about rabies, if it was, there would be no $50 lifetime option (pay once, never get another rabies shot). Clearly not about returning lost cats as cat safety prompted the move to collars that are designed to come off if they get caught on something. Also, it's a strange policy coming from SVACA as their adoption contract requires that the adopted cat be kept indoors. Revenue generation.

The city council can go f@#k themselves.

There. Someone needed to say it.

The problem with this city and all other cities is that it's run by a hand full of people making important decisions that effects a lot of people.

I for one think that important decisions should not be left to a hand full of people but should be voted on by the people. This would be true democracy.

Yeah, you may say we voted them in, but that doesn't mean they can make the right decisions for the masses when it comes to important issues.

This is the nanny state at its best, right here in Mountain View, home of the high tech independent spirit!... Is there nothing we think or do that doesn't require a 'license' or an officer with a gun to punish people for not 'applying' or paying a fee?

Really, if there is a good idea, like chipping your cat so it can be returned when lost, why not spread the message about doing so instead of taking people's money or prosecuting those who can't afford to pay, or just plain don't want this kind intrusion?

By the way, my last cat died from cancer resulting from being vaccinated. A huge growth grew at the injection site on her shoulder until we finally had to put her down. One of the saddest days of my life because I should have researched more and said NO to the vet who insisted on vaccinating her so often.

Let's petition for a law requiring drug testing and the full spectrum of human vaccinations for all who would run for City Council in Mountain View.

Direct Democracy! Let it begin with the Mountain View Municipal Corporation, the most corrupt city government in the State of California. (I can prove it, and I intend to.)

Let's DO IT!

Additionally, any candidate for Mountain View City Council should be required to submit to a full audit of their financial dealings, tax records, and any familial or social relationships with possible beneficiaries of city contracts.

We could use the NSA's PRISM system to enforce it. Mass surveillance has worked so wonderfully in preventing school shootings and unpleasantness at marathons and other public gatherings, it's sure to work on keeping these tax parasites in line.

Meanwhile, burglaries are skyrocketing, the MVPD can't put together a simple sting to catch a couple of brain-dead crooks running a dating scam, and you aren't safe walking on the sidewalks of this town because of idiots playing with smart phones while driving.

On the upside, if you carry an unlicensed cat around, you might be safer as a pedestrian owing to the enhanced attention of the MVPD.

I, for one, would really like to know more about the relationship between City Council and Prometheus.

Prometheus says we want a zoning change and whatever else we want, including streets so we can make millions and pack the city:
council says okay.

That's the relation.

No let's get down to real business and take care of a problem that isn't a problem, CATS who scheming to get away without paying taxes!

hope they license cats. Not fair that the dog owners have to pay and not cat owners.

Absolutely agree with rainingcats. Hope this measure passes...

Let's put it into perspective -- if dogs where allowed to do same as cats today, would folks here be fine with it? For example, if dogs didn't have to be vaccinated, allowed to roam free, and were not spayed\neutered, etc...

If only some of the logical thinkers on this board would run for council.

I'm sorry, most of our council members are really nice people and mean well, but sometimes they don't seem to do a very good job of really thinking through the issues or recognizing a possible conflict of interest.

Count the number of comments, count them as VOTES at the next election.

WHAT ? A council member admits "It wasn't thought out ? "We didn't think it was a big deal? " WOW are they out of touch or what.

HEY, think what a goldfist tax could do, or a Hummingbird feeder license ?

All of them should be tossed for their narrow focus and Non-Thinking ways to grab more money.

What the heck is the "Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority"?

All of us should read "AGENDA 21" for a look at our future, being "Governed" by such lock step nitwits.. local, state and Federal.

I think the City Council members should take control of the city, now it seems the paid staff are in control and the City Council is a rubber stamp only. The Staff should not be investing time in things that the City Council has not asked them to look into. They City Council should set the agenda and the staff should look into the details and report back, nothing should even approach the process of this cat thing.

As for cats, let them alone we don't want them to have tags.