Responsible cat ownership

Like most New Zealanders, we love cats: we just want to minimise their impact on native biodiversity.

Around 44% of New Zealand households have at least one cat – one of the highest rates of cat ownership in the world. Cats are opportunistic, generalist and efficient feeders. Almost every cat owner has seen moggy proudly returning with a lizard hanging from its mouth, and one US study found that cats only brought home one in five of their kills.

A year-long investigation of 208 cats in urban Dunedin showed that they kill more birds, skinks, geckos, and wētā than rats and mice. Forest & Bird estimates that New Zealand’s domestic cats kill around 19 million animals a year, including over a million native birds. This behaviour has directly led to the extinction of at least five endemic species including, famously, the Stephens Island Wren.

Domestic, stray and feral

From a conservation perspective, cats are classified into three groups:

• Domestic Your ordinary house cat, well-fed, looked after and hopefully de-sexed and microchipped.
• Stray Homeless but often fed by well-meaning individuals. Rely on humans for some degree of welfare. They sometimes form colonies around shelter and a good food source.
• Feral Essentially wild and do not rely on humans for food or shelter. Legally designated a pest in New Zealand.

Being a responsible cat owner

In some parts of the world, leaving your cat to roam freely is frowned upon, if not illegal. Microchipping is compulsory in the Australian state of Victoria, where cats can be impounded if found wandering off their property. Having an outdoor cat is considered irresponsible in much of Canada. Some people build a catio, to give their indoor cat some outdoor time.

In New Zealand, there is a growing movement towards having a nationwide act governing cat ownership, much like the Dog Control Act. In July 2023, Parliament’s Environment Committee released its report on mandating the registration and desexing (PDF, 454.12 kB), though it is likely to be some time before any legislation gets enacted. If you’d like to dig a little deeper check out the SPCA’s National Cat Legislation for New Zealand (PDF, 717.04 kB) policy brief.

In the meantime, here are six simple tips to help your cat and wildlife:

1. Bring your cat in at nighttime Keeping cats in after dark saves native birds which are particularly vulnerable at dawn and dusk. This also keeps your cat safe from passing cars: a Wellington study found that cats crossed an average of 4 roads per day. Try a catnip jungle gym to keep them entertained.
2. Feed cats well Go for a complete and balanced diet, and ensure your cat is appropriately fed while you are away on holiday (either at home or in a cattery).
3. Add a bell to your cat’s collar Give native wildlife a fighting chance. Ensure your cat is wearing a collar and bell to limit silent hunting. There is some evidence that Birdsbesafe collars are more effective than bells because birds are visual creatures.
4. Entertain kitty with moving toys Keep your cat entertained and amused with moving toys, to stop them using real wildlife as toys.
5. Microchip your cat Websites like lostpet.co.nz and neighbourly.co.nz are full of listings from anxious owners desperate to find their missing cats. The chances of being reunited with your furry family member are much higher if people know how to find you. Microchipping puts a tiny chip (smaller than a grain of rice) with a unique ID number under the skin of your cat. It is painless and fairly cheap ($50–80). If the cat is found, a vet or the SPCA can read the chip and you’ll be reunited. After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, 85% of microchipped animals were reunited with their owners, compared with just 15% for those without microchips.
6. De-sex your cat Both males and females should be de-sexed. A female can have up to 300 kittens in her lifetime. Kittens without homes can become feral cats, which kill native wildlife.

Dealing with strays

Many cat welfare advocates promote trap-neuter-return (TNR), a method of reducing cat suffering while gradually reducing the size of the feral population. Stray cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated against disease, and (if no adoptive home can be found) returned to their communities. The fixed cats no longer reproduce, and the population of stray cats declines over time. Cat suffering is also reduced because many kittens that would have died before reaching adulthood are never born in the first place. Local practitioners of TNR include the Community Cat Coalition.

Information

For more information, read Auckland Council’s advice on Responsible Pet Ownership download the SPCA’s Keeping your cat safe and happy at home., and peruse the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Code of Welfare for Companion Cats.

Responsible dog ownership

In Auckland we don’t need to worry about dogs attacking kiwi, but there are many other bird species at risk and dog behaviour still needs to be managed.

This is particularly true on beaches where shorebirds nest and feed up for long migrations. The presence of a dog scatters the birds and limits their fattening up potential. They can also predate on burrowing species such as penguins (kororā) and petrels. Keeping your dog on a lead and under control on designated beaches and shores is the best way to prevent these tragedies. The Department of Conservation’s Lead the Way programme “empowers dog owners to know how to act to protect both coastal wildlife and their dog”.

Auckland Council manages dogs on its land through the Dog Management Bylaw. You can also Find where and when you can walk your dog.

Responsible bird ownership

Exotic parrots and parakeets can be an exciting pet to care for, but a University of Auckland study shows that 500 pet birds go missing each month, and this becomes a real problem. Exotic species such as rainbow lorikeets and Indian ring-necked parakeets are considered pests within Auckland as they are highly aggresive to our native species, can spread disease, and out compete natives birds for food and habitat.

If you own exotic bird species make sure you know the laws around breeding and distributing certain species, and make sure to never accidentally or intentionally release them outside.