The new management team at a Bridgeport nursing home is refusing to cooperate with an effort to relocate a colony of feral cats.

Bridgeport Police Chief AJ Perez announced Wednesday that the department will fully support the effort by local animal lovers to protect the cats in question.

Perez says for many years a colony of felines has peacefully coexisted with patients and staff at Bridgeport Healthcare Center on Bond Street. The animals have been periodically trapped, neutered and released to control the population.

However, when new management took over the facility amid bankruptcy proceedings, they told patients and staff they are forbidden to feed the animals. They are also trying to stop outside animal lovers from coming onto the property to relocate the cats.

"Disappointed. I mean this is a one could say an animal cruelty issue. The extreme cold or the dead of winter," says Tom White, of Bridgeport. "These animals did have little shelters, in fact they were going to be replaced with new ones, and this administration feels that we should not go on their property. We should not provide shelters, we should not provide food and they just want the cats gone."

Police say they will do everything in their power to encourage nursing home officials to work with them and outside animal groups to relocate the cats.