Recently council has received numerous call regarding cats roaming and generally being a nuisance. Their movements can impact greatly on surrounding neighbours, local wildlife and road users.
Council also appreciates the benefits which cats offer so many of our residents. With this in mind, and until the state government introduce legislation permitting council to properly monitor and control their impact, resident cat owners are asked to consider the following:
* Put a collar, ID tag and bell on your cat to allow for easy identification as well as to serve as a warning to any animals the cat may prey on.
* Restrict the movements of your cat, preferably to your own property. Many manufacturers now supply affordable enclosures which will ensure the safety of your cat as well as the surrounding wildlife.
* If you have birdbaths or feeding platforms, make sure they are out of the easy reach of cats and that they are in the open rather than near shrubbery
where a cat may hide.
Dealing with Problem Cats
If cats entering your property inconvenience you, you could try a number of means to discourage them:
* A low-pressure squirt with a hose or water pistol. * Utilising products available from nurseries and pet shops to deter cats. * Naphthalene flakes sprinkled around the garden.
* Ensure that your pet's food is not left outside to entice cats.
Try to ascertain who the owner of the cat is
This can help to make the owner aware of their cat's habits and may increase the likelihood of steps being taken to control their activities. If residents are able to identify the cat's owner and are unsuccessful in their attempts to discourage the cat, council is happy to talk to the owners to reach a compromise.
Thinking about setting traps?
Consider the whole process first.
For those residents who choose to capture an offending cat in a trap, please consider the following first; * Have you exhausted all other avenues, eg. talking to the cat's owners? * Advise neighbours through a letterbox drop that you intend to trap any stray cats that go onto your property
How are you going to dispose of the animal? Careful thought needs to go into disposal. For a minimal charge, the RSPCA will look after the cat if it is taken to its Mowbray centre. Should that prove to be inconvenient, council would urge you to rethink your decision to trap cats in the first place. Please think through the whole process prior to action. Dumping the cat is only transferring the problem elsewhere and is likely to make the problem worse. You may also be depriving a family of their pet.
You should be aware that dumping of animals is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1993. The destruction of the animal should only be considered as a last resort. It is best left to those with the authority, experience and means to carry it out humanely. Under the Animal Welfare Act 1993, a person must not do any act, or omit to do any duty, which causes or is likely to cause unreasonable and unjustifiable pain, suffering or death to an animal.
