Why Has The WA Government Been Urged To Reform Law To Stop Pet Cats Wandering?


A regional shire says the state government needs to bolster its multi-million-dollar plan to kill feral cats with a law change forcing cat owners to keep their pets at home. The state government announced it will spend $7.6 million dropping baits from the sky, spraying toxic gels, and expanding programs to wipe out feral cats over the next four years. Yet the law allows pet cats to roam the streets. Feral and domestic cats also kill more than a billion mammals each year in Australia? What are your thoughts LiveTribers? Why has the WA Government been urged to reform law to stop pet cats wandering?

Posted by on 10 Aug 2023

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  • [0] [0]
    kendallx3

    All governments should do the same

    Posted by kendallx3 on 15 May 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    yelsha42

    Makes sense to preserve nature

    Posted by yelsha42 on 15 May 2024
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  • [0] [0]
    MS

    Yes, protecting our wildlife.

    Posted by MS on 14 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    sulter

    Cats will always be hunters so must be kept indoors to save out wild life. I don't think poisons should be used as the wrong animals may take them and die instead or even wildlife may end up taking in the poisons and dying.

    Posted by sulter on 14 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Aussie5

    I know feral and domestic cats and dogs can be a problem when allowed to roam. I used to visit a beautiful National Park when I was younger and always saw at least 10 Lyrebirds roaming freely and sometimes even dancing on each visit. It was incredible. After a number of years I would go and not see one. Apparently the feral and domestic cats and dogs had wiped them out. It was very sad. That area now has a ban on all animals roaming free day and night. Probably too late. I also had a neighbour who allowed their cat to roam free day and night. It was constantly in our yard. We had a fountain at our home to encourage the birds to come. One day I was watching the birds and the neighbour's cat rushed up and grabbed a parrot and ran off with it. I tried to get it to drop it but to no avail. I told the neighbour what had happened and she said "Yes, he is a good hunter". With attitudes like that, what hope do we have? I think that WA has realised that things have gotten out of hand with uncontrolled pets and they need to do something about it.

    Posted by Aussie5 on 13 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    coaster

    How sad. People are just plain unreasonable and blind I think most of the time when it comes to their animal. I wonder how they would feel if a dog took their cat. Dogs also roam wildly and causing problems but not to the extent of the cats. Foxes are also a problem but again nothing like the cats. Cats need to be eliminated from the wild. All cats should be microchipped and if found wandering a huge fine given to the owners.

    Posted by coaster on 24 Aug 2023
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  • [2] [1]
    Lily

    I can't understand it ,Cats are so cute .It's cruel to do this .

    Posted by Lily on 13 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    coaster

    Yes cute but deadly. Our animals are also cute and the biodiversity is being threatened by the cats killing millions of our native animals.

    Posted by coaster on 24 Aug 2023
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  • [2] [1]
    Ally42

    Because it is important to take action now to reduce the threat of feral and domestic cats killing native wildlife.

    Posted by Ally42 on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [2] [1]
    tassiegirl

    Personally I think constant barking and constant whining from dogs at all times of the day and all times of the night is a much bigger problem for most people. People have several dogs on their small blocks who are not taken for any walks. Cats are normally fairly quiet creatures. I am surrounded by people who have several dogs on their tiny blocks for security. The main problem is that they are never walked and are causing endless noise for all their neighbours. I wish all of my neighhbours had cats instead of dogs. Then we would have a much quieter neighbourhood.

    Posted by tassiegirl on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    coaster

    You can complain to the council and if enough do usually something will be done.

    Posted by coaster on 24 Aug 2023
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  • [2] [0]
    SagoLeo

    Stray feral cats are a big problem and endanger native wildlife.

    Posted by SagoLeo on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    coaster

    Yes they are a huge problem but domestic cats are just as bad.

    Posted by coaster on 24 Aug 2023
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  • [2] [0]
    tutti_cutie

    People should just keep cats indoors and sterilise them, not hard. The most annoying thing is dogs barking and whining in my neighbourhood. Can't people control or look after their pets at all these days?

    Posted by tutti_cutie on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Bonnie

    Regulations should be in place in stop feral cats harming wildlife and destroying the natural environment. I think if it is in a controlled purging fashion and not of danger to domesticated pets or the environment, it should be fine. I don't love the idea but I understand why it has been implemented. If you have cats, maintain them properly and don't breed to the point where they become feral cats.

    Posted by Bonnie on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [2]
    Angieilyxxx

    All pets should be sterilized and phased out due to the effects on the environment and the amount of rubbish from pet food

    Posted by Angieilyxxx on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    coaster

    Does that go for humans also?

    Posted by coaster on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    MsAils

    Regulations should be made to keep cats indoors, especially at night. We have those restrictions here in Victoria. Ferral cats are a menace to the wildlife. My 17 year old cat stays indoors, she has never been an outdoor cat.

    Posted by MsAils on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [2] [0]
    T33

    During our camping trip around Australia, we encountered feral cats in the middle of nowhere. We got a big surprise when we saw our first cat halfway across the Nullabor, hundreds of miles from anywhere. Later we were to find out that this is a common problem. Something needs to be done about it.

    Posted by T33 on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Casey

    Domestic cats are going to be exposed to the same baits and “gels” as feral cats, so if owners don’t want their cats affected by these then they need to start keeping their pets indoors

    Posted by Casey on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    little puss

    They are, unfortunately the number one animals that destroy our local wild life. Especially if let outside at night to wander.

    Posted by little puss on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Michelle

    probably to stop all the wildlife from being eaten

    Posted by Michelle on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Tara Rata

    Cats a menance to society. They should be kept under the same restrictions as dogs. Unless on a leash, should be kept inside. They kill too much wildlife.

    Posted by Tara Rata on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Jigsaw

    Seems cruel and extreme. There must be a better way to solve the problem.

    Posted by Jigsaw on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [3] [0]
    hunting

    All cats should be kept indoors or in a run. All cats are hunters no matter what the time. I have seen the most innocent looking cat kill native wild life for fun and i have seen big pet cats kill my chickens. Cats should never be outdoors

    Posted by hunting on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    purplesp8y

    Seems a lot of money to be spent on killing feral cats. All cats should be kept inside or on a leash or cat run if outside. I live in Tasmania and have seen feral cats bring down and gut pademelons. We're allowed to catch feral cats and perhaps that would be a better solution.

    Posted by purplesp8y on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [1]
    DENNISRAE

    nearly all AUSTRALIAN do not know that domestic cats, when they go wild after no more than 3 litter for the kitten return to their wild cat DVA & revert to a cat the size a working terror dog & very vicious if cornered. which requires the destruction of much wild life, especialy since they can climb & have become nocturnal once more thereffore not seen or noticed during the day.even a domestic cat will attack wild life as it is a deeply buried port of their nature therefore at the very least should be desexed or preferabler have their own inner /exit into a sealed yard, this is costly but so is the loss of our wild life that is all ready being driven into extinsion due to constint population.

    Posted by DENNISRAE on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Ian

    All cats should have to wear bells and be kept in doors after dusk. Whilst a previous cat owner I understand the damage they do to our native animals, we humans do enough without adding cats.

    Posted by Ian on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    bmlglp

    It is OK for the government to take some action. However, 7.6 M is a lot of money.

    Posted by bmlglp on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [1]
    Kittykato

    All cats should be kept on their owner's property. Why should they be able to roam free to do as they please?

    Posted by Kittykato on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [3] [0]
    Karen

    This idea sounds pretty dubious to me and cruel.

    Posted by Karen on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    Jidonskii

    $7.6 million is a lot just to kill cats, I guess that's the reason why I will support the notion of cat owners keeping their cats at home

    Posted by Jidonskii on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [0] [0]
    Guntis

    Never seen feral cats in Sutherland Shire or even in all of Sydney. Looks like a corrupted project. What do you think about ''spraying toxic gels''?

    Posted by Guntis on 11 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    coaster

    Cats kill birds, snakes, lizards, and other small animals. As to the billion count who knows. However, feral cats need to be eliminated and cats should be microchipped and kept inside or on a lead if a walk is required and also should be licenced such as dogs do. I think dropping baits and spraying toxic gel will kill more animals than the cats would so seems to be a rash idea. Trap cats and if other animals get caught they can be released and the cats can be humanely euthanised. Up North this is an ongoing situation and it is working.

    Posted by coaster on 10 Aug 2023
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  • [1] [0]
    ere

    " Feral and domestic cats also kill more than a billion mammals each year in Australia" Who counted them? If more than a billion mammals were killed every year there'd be no mammals left in Australia. I call BS on this. The $7.6 million would be better spent on hospitals and housing for the homeless. Typical Bureaucrats wasting taxpayers' money.

    Posted by ere on 10 Aug 2023
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