Other states are well ahead of Tasmania in regulating domestic cats. In Victoria for example, as of 2009, 30% of Councils had cat containment requirements. However a cultural shift in community attitudes towards responsible pet cat ownership is well underway, including in Tasmania. The 2016 Tasmanian Conservation Trust community survey found that 63% of respondents supported cat containment (including 46% of cat owners). And work started by the Bruny Island community and TCT (in partnership with Kingborough Council) in 2004 has led to the development of Tasmania’s first comprehensive draft Cat By-law for Bruny Island.
Bruny is a sanctuary for many mammals and birds and the Bruny community is very aware of the risks that cats pose. The stomach contents of 42 feral and stray cats that have been trapped and euthanased on Bruny Island have been analysed. Native species were the most common prey identified, especially woodland birds, short-tailed shearwaters and swamp rats.
We are often aware of the impacts of cats on wildlife and the nuisance they can create for neighbours. However few of us are aware that a roaming domestic cat is much more prone to contract and spread toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is a disease spread by cats that is fatal to several Australian herbivores, including, bandicoots, wombats, possums, wallabies, and also birds such as forest ravens. It can also cause abortion in sheep, goats and pigs and defects in their offspring.
The Bruny Island Cat By-law is scheduled to be introduced in July this year. It aims to promote responsible cat ownership in order to improve outcomes for native wildlife, livestock, cats and the community. The By-law will make the management of cats consistent with controls for domestic dogs. It includes compulsory desexing and microchipping of domestic cats, keeping cat/s within an owner’s property boundaries, a limit of two cats without a permit and the prohibition on feeding stray cats. It also requires that domestic cats do not create a nuisance and those cat faeces are removed from public places.
Planning for the By-law commenced in 2015. Critically the By-law has included a three year implementation period starting in 2016 to engage the community, optimize compliance and avoid any unintended consequences, such as financial stress or the abandonment of cats.
One of the first steps undertaken was to survey the Bruny Island community to get an idea of the number of Bruny residents and rate-payers that own cats and to demonstrate to Council the high level of community support. Two surveys of the broader Bruny community were undertaken and both showed that the vast majority of respondents (over 80%) wanted domestic cats to be managed.
A three-year implementation plan was then developed (2016-2019) and grants were secured from the Ten Lives Cat Centre (TLCC), Bruny Island Environment Network (BIEN) and Bruny Island Community Association (BICA). The plan and funds were critical to show the Council how the By-law could be practically implemented and enforced, and the community effectively engaged. Several workshops and reports were presented to Council management and Councillors.
In 2016 a survey of known cats owners was also undertaken to understand how domestic cats are being managed and to find out how we could assist owners to comply with the By-law. Of the 22 cat owners surveyed over 86% owned only 1 or 2 cats and 96% of their cats were desexed and 86% microchipped. However, 59% allowed their cat to roam at least some of the time and the beliefs that containment is not natural and ‘my cat doesn’t roam’ were the most common reasons (53%) given. Interestingly when asked what would help them to contain their cats, 36% identified the phasing in of compulsory cat containment over several years and a further 36% identified access to cheap materials, building and technical assistance.
A range of community education and engagement activities have and are being undertaken in partnership with TLCC and with funds from TLCC, BIEN and BICA to support compliance with the By-law. The activities include offering subsidized cat desexing, microchipping and rehoming of cats; assistance to cat owners to plan and build containment options for their cats (e.g. enclosures, cat flaps, fence-top systems); and advice from an animal behaviourist on how to help cats make the transition.
Workshops (in partnership with the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) with students from the Bruny District School culminated in the creation of delightful posters promoting responsible cat ownership. These have been made into a bumper sticker and fridge magnets to increase the profile and support for the program.
Importantly the impending By-law has enabled us to work effectively with several households that were feeding stray cats out of concern for their welfare. Stray cats including many that are able to be safely handled are not owned but rely on food from people and/or refuse around settled areas. To date we have managed over 70 stray cats, and due to the incredibly generous work of the TenLives Cat Centre, approximately 41% of these cats have been socialized, vaccinated and rehomed off the island.
One-on-one contact and visits to cat owners has been critical to build trust and to understand and address their concerns. This will ultimately ensure the success of the By-law. Discussions have revealed for example, the concern that cat enclosures will be required and inspected. This has helped us clarify that our approach will be consistent with the Dog Control Act 2000 and enforced in response to community complaints and evidence of a cat being outside the owner’s property boundaries. Cat owners can choose to keep their cat inside their house, within an enclosure, use a fence-top system or a harness and lead (when outside with their cat). As is the case with dogs, it is fine for a cat to be unrestrained on their owner’s property e.g. when household members are outside with them and thus effectively under their control. Cat owners are happier with this approach.
We are also working towards Council partnering with weetapoona Aboriginal Corporation and PWS to develop an Aboriginal Community Ranger program for Bruny Island. The program will provide a local presence to help implement the By-law. In an exciting initiative, a small cat holding facility funded by Council and the Ten Lives Cat Centre has been installed at Council’s depot at Alonnah. The facility will provide a place for the community to bring trapped cats for assessment and care and where vets can perform de-sexing and microchipping of domestic cats. The facility will help to reassure cat owners that any domestic cats trapped will be safely returned.
Cats can be wonderful companions for many people. We are optimistic that the By-law will provide improved outcomes for domestic cats, wildlife and neighborly relations.
Kaylene Allan
Cat Management Officer Kingborough Council