Responsible Cat Ownership

Protect Your Cat – Protect Your Community

Cats play an important
role in our community.
Not only do they act as wonderful companions but many cats develop important social skills and cats have also been shown to improve the health and well being of many people.

Brisbane has an estimated 200,000 cats. These cats have been associated with losses of wildlife and are the subject of many neighbourhood complaints. It is obvious that we need to learn to manage our feline friends more effectively.

Management at a local level can reduce the impact that cats have on wildlife and the local community. All cat owners have a responsibility for their neighbours and for their wildlife. Here are some helpful hints to help you manage your feline friends more effectively.

 

Helpful Hints:

 Identify your cat. If it becomes lost your cat may be returned to you.
 
Provide a cosy, cool and dry sleeping area and fresh food and water daily.

Desex your cat. A cat can produce 15 kittens every year from the age of five months. Neutered cats are more contented companions and are less likely to annoy neighbours by spraying, calling, wandering or fighting.

 Keep your cat confined to your property, and keep it insight at night. Night time is when wildlife is most likely to be endangered by cats and cats prefer night cover to fight and call. A caged outdoor run or a litter tray inside your home will keep your cat safe.

When you go on holidays leave your cat at a reputable boarding cattery.

Place two or more bells on your cat's collar
to act as a warning to wildlife.

 Do not dump your cat. Dumped cats suffer sever stress and usually die. If they do survive they have the potential to cause a huge amount of destruction to wildlife. Council disposes of unwanted cats humanely at no cost.

 Report stray or feral cats to your Council or RSPCA.

 

The Pine Rivers Shire Council expects to provide more stringent measures for the control of cats in the future. These measures will include compulsory cat identification of cats to their home property.

Your can start to protect your cat, your wildlife and your community now. Be a responsible animal owner - RESPONSIBLE CAT OWNERSHIP STARTS AT HOME.