Survey shows local government support of cat containment
The WA Feral Cat Working Group has unveiled the findings of a new survey that show 78 per cent of local governments are interested in implementing permanent containment laws for pet cats.
Despite overwhelming evidence Australia's more than 5.3 million pet cats are capable of unleashing unprecedented damage to the country's biodiversity, according to the working group WA has some of the most relaxed laws around responsible cat ownership.
Despite a 2019 review from the State Government showing 73 per cent of respondents supported laws to prevent cats from roaming, which has likely only grown in the past six years, no such rules are in place.
Working group executive Dr Bruce Webber said with such overwhelming support from local governments, WA could quickly go from national laggards to national leaders when it came to responsible ownership for pet cats.
'Our report highlights a long-standing challenge for local governments in Western Australia,' he said.
'Their communities are calling loudly for cat containment, and they are seeking to implement solutions, but are all too often having their efforts blocked.'
Dr Webber said WA could not wait for yet another review of the Cat Act as any solution would take too long to deliver and while the WAFCWG supported a review, there was a need for immediate change to give local governments more power.
A State Government spokesperson said the Cook Government was progressing with the initial scoping phase of its next statutory review of the Cat Act.
'The Cat Act already provides all Western Australian local governments with a range of powers to proactively manage cats within their district,' they said.
'This includes powers to make local laws to address cats including to designate certain areas, such as nature reserves and parks, as cat prohibited areas.'
Cat Haven CEO Roz Robinson said she supported changing the laws as the shelter often took cats injured roaming coming into care.
'What is so frustrating for us is that the poor welfare outcomes from roaming could all be avoided with owners simply containing their cats to their properties,' she said.
'Whilst there will always be the need for people to re-home owned cats, we could literally halve our annual intake.
'Loving your cat isn't about letting it free roam, it is about keeping it as safe as possible, and the only way you can do this is to keep it safe at home contained where you know it is all the time.'
Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough said for the sake of several native animals, cats could not be allowed to roam any longer.
'Roaming pet cats are sending our suburbs silent,' he said.
'Every year across Australia they kill more than 300 million native animals — wiping out birds, reptiles, frogs and small mammals.
'WA is lagging the nation when it comes to ensuring responsible pet ownership laws and local councils are crying out for the State Government to step up and empower them to protect wildlife.'
The review came after the WAFCWG was approached by Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley in 2024 to look at how local governments were progressing best practice ownership of pet cats.
The State Government spokesperson said Ms Beazley continued to engage with the WAFCWG and appreciated its input.
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