My Account
There has been a lot of publicity around feral cats lately and the harm they do to the environment. It’s estimated there are more than 2.5 million of them across NZ, decimating our wildlife. They can also carry disease, which they can pass onto domestic cats, native wildlife and humans.
As a result, there has been a rapid shift in attitudes towards the management of these cats, with the SPCA now stating they support them being controlled. The government is reviewing bringing feral cats within the Predator Free 2050 (PF2050) programme, with all major political parties supporting this change. New legislation may also lead to cats not being allowed to roam and, in time, society will see roaming cats as unacceptable as roaming dogs.
Once there is national legislation, Auckland Council may then bring in stronger controls on cats, such as limiting the numbers per house, creating a cat registry, or penalising owners for bad cat behaviour. So what does this mean for NZ pet cat owners?
New rules around responsible cat ownership will be required to ensure pet cats are kept happy and healthy, while protecting native wildlife from feral cats. Such rules and legislation have been commonplace in Australia for some time.
Once the rules are in place, and feral cats are brought into the predator free initiative, active trapping of feral cats can start. Live capture traps will be needed to prevent pets from being harmed and traps will be set and inspected every day to ensure that if an animal is caught, it is handled humanely. The first step will be to establish whether the cat is feral by looking for a collar or scanning for a microchip. If it doesn’t have a collar or chip, then it may be at risk of being identified as unowned/feral and possibly destroyed.
Although it is not yet a legal requirement to have cats microchipped, it is going to be in everyone’s interest to have them done. In anticipation of the new rules, on behalf of our members, Restore Rodney
East is investigating whether or not more help could be provided, such as subsidies or grants, so pet owners can potentially get help meeting costs of microchipping and desexing.
With spring around the corner and the nesting season coming up, native birds (many of them in serious decline) are at particular risk from cats until they fly. Shorebirds such as dotterels, oystercatchers and terns are especially vulnerable. As a local example, in the last season, video camera footage was collected at Omaha and Snells Beach showing pet cats eating the eggs and chicks, and even a number of adult birds being taken by cats. Ideally, cats need to be kept indoors overnight (cats hunt mainly from evenings until dawn) and should be kept fed and pampered to encourage them not to roam.
We’re encouraging cat owners to microchip their pets, keep them indoors at night, and take a look into the great range of cat containment options, such as catios and fence rollers, to keep your cat safe, happy and healthy.
Info: biodiversity@rre.org.nz
