Responsible Cat Guardianship

Cats are a beloved companion for many; in fact, research shows they’re our second most common companion animal, and around 33% of Australian households care for one or more. While there are many owners keeping their cats safe at home, there continue to be cats that are allowed to roam, putting them and local wildlife at risk.

The Issue

Many owned cats are allowed to roam outside the boundary of their caregiver’s property. Roaming exposes cats to some significant risks to their health and wellbeing, as well as potentially impacting local wildlife, neighbours, and the broader community.

Cats who are allowed to roam risk injury, being lost or stolen, getting into fights, exposure to infectious diseases such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), cruelty from individuals who may view them as a pest, and even death from traffic incidents or other dangerous scenarios. Alarmingly, 2 out of 3 cat caregivers have reported losing a cat to roaming-related accidents, with a third of those involving cars. Roaming cats are also more likely to interact with other roaming or stray cats, which can also result in injury, illness, and unintended breeding if the cats are not desexed.

Allowing cats to roam can also affect wildlife. Many caregivers believe that their well-fed feline doesn’t hunt, but just because their cat doesn’t bring their prey home, does not mean that they abstain from hunting. Roaming cats may also enter neighbouring properties or engage in behaviours that lead to disputes between neighbours or among local communities.

What needs to change

Cat management is a complex issue in Australia. Cat caregivers have an essential role to play through guardianship practices that keep their cats safe and happy and improve outcomes for cats, wildlife, and the community.

Cat caregivers can make an important difference by ensuring their cats remain within the boundaries of their property, which can include indoors and a secure outdoor environment like a fenced area or a ‘catio’. When cats are safely contained within their home environment, they are protected from many of the risks associated with roaming. Safe cat-friendly containment can support improved welfare outcomes for cats while also helping to reduce impacts on wildlife and minimise conflict within the community.

For cats to thrive in their home, they require a cat-friendly environment that safeguards their welfare and supports their behavioural and emotional needs.

An ideal environment for a cat is one that fully supports the Five Pillars of a Healthy Feline Environment by providing safety, choice, and opportunities for natural behaviour. This means the home should include quiet, secure retreat spaces where a cat can hide or rest undisturbed, alongside multiple and well-separated key resources such as food, water, litter trays, scratching areas, and sleeping spots to reduce stress and competition and enhance a cat’s sense of safety and contentment.

Responsible Cat Guardianship

Stay updated for future developments on this key issue

The Issue

What needs to change

Stay updated for future developments on this key issue

Stay informed on big issues and how you can help improve animal welfare across Australia.