Keeping Cats Safe at Home

Around a third of households in Australia care for cats and research shows that people can experience physical and mental health benefits associated with cat ownership. Humanely and effectively managing domestic cat populations is essential to alleviate their impact on our native wildlife and increase cat safety and wellbeing.

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The issue

Domestic cats can have a negative impact on native species in Australia, so managing them effectively in and around our communities is crucial to protecting our environment.

Roaming cats are also at risk of injury and death from road accidents, fighting and disease. For example, two in three cat owners have lost a pet to a roaming-related incident, with a third of these involving cars.

Humanely and effectively managing cat populations helps mitigate their impact on the environment and increases cats’ safety and wellbeing.

A national approach is needed to promote cat caregiving practices that protect our precious biodiversity while keeping cats safe and happy. It could help achieve the Australian Government’s goals of no new extinctions and protecting and managing threatened species.

The solution

The RSPCA NSW Keeping Cats Safe at Home program has been successful in significantly reducing free-roaming cat populations during a four-year pilot program, by increasing rates of desexing and microchipping while encouraging the uptake of voluntary containment of companion cats. It aims to reduce the risks cats face when roaming, such as injury, disease or getting lost, and to lessen the impact of cat predation on native wildlife.

The RSPCA is calling on the Australian Government to provide funding over four years to deliver a coordinated, evidence-based national program that builds on the success of RSPCA NSW’s Keeping Cats Safe at Home program. The expansion will include targeted desexing initiatives, microchipping programs and a national education campaign aimed at providing resources to members of the public. These resources will promote cat caregiving practices that enhance cat welfare and safety and support owners to explore voluntary cat containment. The program will also build partnerships that tailor intervention to local needs and deliver school and community education initiatives.

Expanding the program both in location and capacity would help meet increasing need in communities across Australia and bring a much-needed national approach to cat management.

Keeping Cats Safe at Home

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The issue

The solution

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