News

New Rules for Cats

The declaration of Algona, Coffee Creek and Huntingfield Reserves as Cat Prohibited Areas (CPA) is an exciting step in further protecting Kingborough’s wildlife, said Mayor Paula Wriedt.

“These Reserves all lie adjacent to Peter Murrell Reserve which is managed by Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services and is prohibited to cats,” Cr Wriedt said.

“They provide a network of important wildlife habitat for many species which include threatened species, such as the eastern quoll, eastern-barred bandicoot and forty-spotted pardalote.

“Monitoring for the last ten years within Peter Murrell Reserve has consistently found cats throughout, and especially close to areas of dense housing.

“It is not uncommon to hear reports that once a cat moves into an area, wildlife becomes scarce.

“There have been a number of cases reported across Australia, of a single pet cat wiping out a native species in a local area.

“Across the Kingborough Municipality at least 627,100 native animals are killed each year from domestic cats alone.

“Now I totally understand as a cat owner myself that cats make fantastic companions, and they are an important part of many families lives.

“Owning a cat though, comes with a serious responsibility as well as consequences in Kingborough.

“From Tuesday 30 November 2021, the new Cat Prohibited Areas take effect, which means cats can be trapped by Council within these Council Reserves.

“All the cats trapped in the reserves will be taken to Ten Lives Cat Shelter for care and assessment.

“If they have a microchip their owners will be contacted, though there will be a fee required for their release.

“As well as fee, all cats must be desexed prior to being returned to owners.

“This means that if any cat is desexed by Ten Lives, there will be procedure cost on top of the release fee.

Information on Council’s Cat Prohibited Areas can be found on the Council’s website.