As Australian Wildlife Week approaches in the first week of October, the City of Casey is urging residents to take responsibility for feral and semi-owned cats and to stop feeding strays.
Feeding stray cats may seem kind, but it perpetuates their overpopulation and impacts the local ecosystem. In addition to the environmental impact, feral cats can also pose a nuisance to residents.
The City of Casey’s Domestic Animal Management Plan and Local Law outline measures relating to responsible cat ownership. Cats must be registered with Council and must always remain on your property. Cats are also not allowed in Botanic Ridge or Settlers Run, which are protected areas for the endangered Southern Brown Bandicoot.
City of Casey Manager Connected Communities Callum Pattie emphasised that cats are one of the most devastating invasive species in Australia, responsible for the extinction of many native animals, and which continue to pose risk to local wildlife.
“We can all play our part in mitigating the impact of cats – and we must if we are serious about preventing more extinctions of our precious native wildlife such as the Southern Brown Bandicoot, an endangered and protected species in the City of Casey,” Mr Pattie said.
“If we genuinely care about our native wildlife, we need to make sure that owners comply with the City of Casey Local Law and keep cats confined to their property at all times.”
Tips for reducing the feral and semi-owned cat population include refraining from feeding stray cats, taking ownership of strays and have them desexed, microchipped and registered with the City of Casey, and report any nuisance cats to the city.
