Cats are a free roaming animal and make great pets. Instinctively, they like to hunt which can affect our local native wildlife and environment.
If a cat is frequently destroying your property or harming local wildlife, follow the steps below to resolve the issue.
Cats are not governed by the same laws as dogs. They do not need to be confined to properties, they don't have curfews and they aren't required to have collars or be on a lead.
If the cat is proven to be killing local wildlife or destroying property, we can look at declaring the cat a nuisance. We need evidence to support the claim and we need to know who owns the cat to issue a nuisance order. We cannot issue a nuisance order for stray cats.
If you know who the cat belongs to, try talking to the owner or drop a friendly letter in their mailbox. They may be unaware that their cat is impacting you and would be happy to take action to amend the behaviour to keep their pet safe.
Gather evidence of the cat consistently causing a nuisance. Keep a record of times and dates when the cat is visiting and include photos or video of the cat causing the nuisance.
We can only take action if we know who the cat belongs to. Make sure you include these details with your report.
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A cat is considered a nuisance if it is hunting local wildlife or is consistently destroying other people's property.
A cat must be declared a nuisance before we can impose fines on the owner of the cat.
It is natural behaviour for cats to roam, hunt and mark their scent on their surroundings. This includes urinating, spraying or scratching. Leaving their scent marks their territory and helps them feel secure.
There’s no law prohibiting cats from roaming, but there may be consequences if a cat roams beyond their owner's property or is considered a nuisance. The Companion Animals Act outlines what constitutes a nuisance cat.