Cat plan’s push to microchip, desex

CAT owners will be forced to desex and microchip their pets and the number of felines per household will be restricted under sweeping changes proposed by the State Government.

Tasmania’s first comprehensive cat management plan was released yesterday in a bid to control the impact of feral cats on the environment.

Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the plan focused on improving knowledge of feral cats, promoting responsible cat ownership and increasing community awareness to minimise the impacts on agriculture and the environment.

Key measures include: COMPULSORY desexing and microchipping of all cats. PERMITS required for more than four cats on a property. SEPARATE arrangements for cat breeders. IMPROVED property protec- tion rights for controlling roaming cats. ALLOWING all farmers to trap, seize or humanely destroy cats on primary production land.

Mr Rockliff said $1.44 million over the next four years, in partnership with local government, would back the plan’s implementation.

Local governments will be responsible for the enforcement of the legislation to the degree they consider necessary or relevant.

“Cats play a valuable and important social role within the Tasmanian community as much loved companion pets, however the problems of stray and feral cats also needs to be managed,” Mr Rockliff said.

“This plan balances all areas recognising cat management is a shared responsibility across different levels of government and the community.”

Ten Lives, the largest cat shelter in Tasmania, which rehomes about 3000 cats and kittens and handles about 500 feral cats a year, has backed the plan. President David Rees said his organisation supported containment, mandatory desexing and microchipping of cats and kittens.

RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Peter West described the previous Act as a “poorly drafted toothless tiger,” and welcomed the new plan’s release after two years of consultation and development.

Upper Meander Valley Catchment Landcare Group leader Kevin Knowles, who sits on three cat management committees, said it was essential cats be registered.

“Dogs are registered so why not cats. Councils need the funds from registrations for cat management,” Mr Knowles said.

“All councils need to be making by-laws relating to cat management, it’s useless if one council opts in and another opts out.”

The plan recognises stray and feral cats can harm native wildlife and spread disease.

A statewide eradication of feral cats has not been deemed feasible and a parasite carried by cats, toxoplasma gondii, is rife in Tasmania.

Toxoplasmosis has long been recognised as a significant problem for farmers.

Input into the plan came from the Cat Management Reference Group, which included representatives from key interest groups.