Responsible Cat Ownership

With careful management it is possible to better protect and enjoy our pet cats, our native wildlife and our neighbourhood.

We all have a responsibility to reduce the impact of our cats. Here are some things that you can do to provide safer and better conditions for your cat, for native wildlife and your neighbours.

• Have your cat desexed

From 1st March 2022, all cats in Tasmania over the age of four months must be desexed. The only exemptions will include cats owned by registered breeders for the purpose of breeding or the holder of a cat breeding permit in relation to the cat. For more information on the regulation of cats visit the NRE website.

A desexed cat lives longer and is less territorial. It will wander, fight and mark its territory less and in general it makes a much better and happier pet. Desexing prevents unwanted litters of kittens that contribute to stray and feral populations and thus to the ongoing demise of native wildlife.

• Identify your cat as a pet

From 1st March 2022, all cats in Tasmania over the age of four months must be microchipped. For more information on the regulation of cats visit the NRE website Cats that are lost and are microchipped and/or collared and tagged, can be identified and returned safely home to their owners.

• Limit the number of cats you keep

From 1st March 2022, changes to the Cat Management Act 2009 means that a person is not permitted to keep more than four cats at an individual property without a permit. For more information on the regulation of cats visit the NRE website. Keeping multiple cats at a property can result in animal welfare concerns for the cats, health issues for the owners, nuisance issues for neighbours, and potentially increases the number of cats roaming or contributing to the stray and/or feral cat population.

 

• Never dump your unwanted kittens or cats

Under legislation it is an offence to abandon a cat. Dumped cats have a very poor quality of life. They have a high risk of parasites and illnesses and being in fights and accidents. They can become feral and will prey heavily on wildlife as a food source. If you are unable to care for a cat or find it a good home, it should be taken to a cat management facility. Contact Ten Lives Cat Centre or Council for advice and assistance.

• Keep your cat from roaming

Cats kept indoors or in a special ‘cat yard’ won’t prey on wildlife are protected from injury and from catching diseases from feral cats.

Whether you see it or not, cats do roam. Research shows that the average outdoor cat regularly roams an area of 2 hectares. One domestic cat tracked over 24 hours travelled almost 4 km, visited 16 different backyards, crossed three roads and explored a bushland reserve at night. In a 2019 study of 344 Tasmanians, 47% reported that roaming cats are a nuisance in their neighbourhood.

Cats don’t need to roam to be content and healthy.  Cats are happiest when they are at home. They love your attention and to play, explore, sleep and watch the world go by in the safety of their domain. Refer to Tassie Cat  on how to provide for your cat’s physical and emotional needs at home.

• Never feed stray kittens or cats

It is estimated that one in five households feed a stray cat that isn’t the family pet. This act of kindness increases the feral cat population, prolongs the suffering of the cat and will impact on native wildlife (through predation and disease). The vast majority of stray cats are not desexed. They will breed more cats into a life of disease and neglect. Please either take full ownership and responsibility for any stray cat or take it to the Ten Lives Cat Centre or the RSPCA.

Also make sure any food waste, rubbish and grain storage is secure from all animals. This will reduce the food available to stray cats and rats and mice (which attract cats).

• Encourage neighbours, friends and relatives to do the same

A surprising number of people still do not realise the impact that cats have on wildlife or what simple measures might be taken to reduce this impact. By spreading knowledge about responsible cat ownership we can all help to reduce the pressures that our native wildlife faces from cats.