Call for city-wide cat containment by 2025 - Conservation Council ACT Region

Write to Minister Chris Steel, MLA, asking the Government to implement Canberra-wide cat containment by 2025.

New analysis finds that even well-fed pet cats are efficient hunters that kill native wildlife.

Community consultation in 2019 demonstrated that Canberrans largely support containing cats because of the benefits for both wildlife and cat health and safety. The ACT Government is currently considering their policy response to that consultation, so we have a key opportunity right now to press for control of domestic cats.

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Your message to the Minister

Dear Minister Steel,
Cats, whether owned or feral, are prone to roaming and hunting both day and night. Research estimates are that Canberra cats prey on 61,000 native birds, 2000 native mammals, 30,000 native reptiles and 6000 native frogs each year. Approximately 75% of Canberra’s suburbs located within 1km of threatened fauna habitat (ACT Cat Plan). Almost half of the cat-owning population allow their domestic cats to roam unsupervised in daylight (Draft ACT Cat Plan Listening Report).

Canberra could show leadership by being the first jurisdiction to have full cat containment. The RSPCA also supports the containment of cats because it helps protect cats from disease and injury.

I call on the Government to support:
1. Canberra-wide cat containment by 2025
2. Compulsory desexing and microchipping of cats
3. Registration of cats to align with dog registration
4. Extra funding to manage feral cat and unowned cat populations
5. Listing feral cats as a threatening process under the ACT Nature Conservation Act
6. Better management of cats on rural leaseholds.

Thank you. Yours sincerely,