Cat curfews, mandatory registration, collars with tags and restrictions to indoor environments or cat enclosures are among the measures being examined by a Hobart council as part of their future ‘Cat Policy’.
The Clarence City Council has turned to locals to “understand and better meet community expectations” when it comes to cat management, minimising roaming and protecting wildlife.
Mayor Brendan Blomeley said the council is looking to make cat ownership “a positive experience for all” as they begin consultations that could lead to the introduction of tougher rules, similar to those for dogs.
“We also hope to receive a broad range of views, including those who don’t own a cat, so we can better understand community perceptions and thoughts on the introduction of a cat management policy,” he said.
“We know that some of our neighbouring councils have effective pet management policies in place that balance the needs of their community.”
On the mainland, the Indigo Shire Council in Victoria last year implemented a 24/7 cat curfew after receiving 900 submissions indicating strong support for the restrictions.
“More than 94% of survey respondents cited the protection of wildlife as the main reason for supporting a curfew, with 55% citing the prevention of trespass and 48% the protection of cats from injury, disease and becoming lost,” Shire Mayor Sophie Price said.
However, RSPCA Australia has previously stated that attempts to keep cats inside “need to mandate 24-hour containment” instead of curfews that are limited to night-time “if they are to significantly reduce wildlife predation, breeding of unwanted cats and cat nuisance”.
“Enforcement of cat containment regulations can prove difficult,” they added.