Nuisance Cats
As pets, cats are wonderful companion animals and have a range of health benefits for their owners. But, if not managed well, cats can also be a nuisance in our community and have serious impacts on our agriculture and wildlife.
If you are experiencing a problem with a nuisance cat, you should try to talk with its owner about the problem or drop a friendly letter in their letter box. TassieCat has a handy letter template that you could consider using. If this proves unsuccessful or you are not comfortable with this approach, the Cat Management Act 2009 permits trapping of cats under certain conditions.
Trapping of Cats
Any person is permitted to trap, seize or detain a cat on their private property. If a person sets a trap, the person must check the trap and remove any animals contained in the trap, at least once every 24 hours after first setting the trap.
A person, within 24 hours of trapping, seizing or detaining a cat, must either:
- return the cat to its owner; or
- arrange for the cat to be taken to a Cat Management Facility; or
- arrange for the cat to be taken to a nominee of a Cat Management Facility.
Cat Management Facilities are run by not-for-profit organisations and operate on public donations and other fundraising activities.
Before setting a trap, a person needs to contact their local Cat Management Facility to understand the facility’s processes for accepting a trapped cat and any associated fees.
Before you decide to start trapping, there are a number of things you need to consider:
- Under the Animal Welfare Act 1993, if you set a trap you are automatically deemed to be responsible for the care of any animal caught in the trap and have a duty to take all reasonable measures to ensure the welfare of any animal caught in the trap.
- All trapped cats must be returned to their owner or taken to a Cat Management Facility or their nominee, within 24 hours of the cat being trapped.
- Have you been in contact with a cat management facility about your intention to set a trap, and is the facility willing to accept a trapped cat?
- Have you advised your neighbours through a letterbox drop that you intend to trap any cats that roam onto your property? This is not required by legislation, but is considered good practice. A template for a neighbourhood letter on cat trapping can be downloaded from TassieCat - Cats in the Neighbourhood.
- Will you be able to check the trap at least once, but preferably twice a day?
- Are you able to safely transport the cat by car to a cat management facility within 24 hours of it being trapped?
Please read the TassieCat Guideline for the rules and processes related to trapping a cat in urban and peri-urban areas.
Don't Feed Stray cats or kittens
About one in five households feed a stray cat that does not belong to them. Many stray cats are not desexed, and feeding them supports breeding, resulting in greater impacts on native wildlife, disease spread, public nuisance and more cats in the stray/feral population. DO NOT feed a cat that is not yours.