Cats
Cats are an important part of our community. They make wonderful pets and provide endless joy, comfort and support for many owners. But if we don’t manage them well, cats can also be a nuisance in our community and a threat to our native wildlife. Cats instinctively hunt, even well-fed pet cats. The prey that they catch can die from injury, shock, infection or disease.
As we live in an area abundant in native wildlife, some of which are threatened, and livestock grazing is important to our local economy and community, we encourage all cat owners to understand their responsibilities as a cat owner.
Declaration of a Cat Management Area under the Cat Management Act 2009
Published 7 June 2023
In accordance with Section 21A of the Cat Management Act 2009 (The Act), Council hereby notifies the public of the declaration under Section 20 of the Act declaring an area of land within the Brighton municipality to be a cat management area.
The area of land that is to be declared a cat management area is 593-595 Briggs Road, Brighton ie Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
Trapping of cats found within the declared cat management area may occur at any time during the declared period.
Cat traps, that are set, will be checked regularly and the following measures may be taken for a cat caught in a cat trap within the declared cat management area:
• Detained and taken to Ten Lives cat management facility.
• Humane destruction of feral cats
• Humane destruction of any cat previously trapped within the cat management area, that is deemed to be a threat to the wildlife being kept at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary staff will be responsible to undertake the measures listed above.
The declaration will take effect on 17 June 2023 and will remain in force until 17 June 2025.
Legislation
Recent amendments to the Cat Management Act 2009 are changing the way cats are cared for and managed in Tasmania.
These amendments will impact all cat owners and it is important all cat owners are aware of these changes.
Some of the amendments came into effect on 1 March 2021, with others starting in March 2022 to give people time to adjust to the new requirements.
As a cat owner you should be aware of what these changes are.
A summary of the key amendments can be found at the Tassie Cat website.
Pet Cats
Responsible cat ownership includes:
- Microchipping your cat so it is identified as your pet.
- De-sexing your cat. You can apply for a discounted service to have your cat de-sexed through the National Desexing Network
- Confining your cat to your property. This means indoors all the time, with suitable stimulation or providing enclosures to allow them outside within a controlled environment. These measures will help to keep your cat safe from disease and injury as well as protect our wildlife.
Feral Cats
Feral cats can carry parasites that could infect other animals, including pet cats and stock, with fatal consequences.
If you’ve seen a feral cat you can map it here.
For further information on feral cat management in Tasmania.
