The Keeping Cats Safe at Home project aims to encourage and empower cat carers to keep their cats indoors to keep them safe from threats to their health and to protect our native wildlife.
Cats threaten the survival of many native animal species through predation and are estimated to hunt close to two billion native mammals, birds, and reptiles in Australia each year. We also know that two-in-three cat owners have lost a pet to a roaming-related accident, with a third of these involving cars.
Phase 1 of the program, supported by the NSW Government and its Environmental Trust began in 2021 and ran until 2024. It aimed to reduce the risks cats face when roaming, such as injury, disease, or getting lost, and to lessen the impact of cat predation on native wildlife. As a result of the first phase, we saw a reduction of roaming cats in the Blue Mountains by 51%, Campbelltown by 35% and 25% in Tweed Shire council areas. Across the 11 councils RSPCA NSW worked with, more than 2,700 cats were desexed, with 1,700 cats microchipped.
Phase two – expanding to 19 more councils.
Thanks to a $6 million investment from the NSW Government and the Environmental Trust, the project has now entered its second phase, running from July 2025 to December 2026. This expansion includes 30 councils across NSW, allowing RSPCA NSW to continue to work closely with local councils and communities to encourage responsible cat ownership and voluntary containment.
Phase Two aims to:
This next stage of the program will deliver targeted desexing and microchipping initiatives, along with a statewide education and social marketing campaign to help cat owners create enriching home environments and understand the benefits of keeping cats safely contained.
The 30 Councils that will take part in the expanded program are:
Blacktown City Council
Blue Mountains City Council*
Brewarrina Shire Council
Broken Hill City Council
Byron Shire Council*
Camden Council
Campbelltown City Council*
Canterbury Bankstown
Council
Central Darling Shire Council
Cessnock City Council
City of Parramatta*
Cumberland Council
Fairfield City Council
Hawkesbury City Council
Hornsby Shire Council*
Kyogle Council*
Lake Macquarie City Council
Liverpool City Council
Maitland City Council
Muswellbrook Shire Council
Newcastle City Council
Northern Beaches Council*
Penrith City Council
Port Stephens Council
Shoalhaven City Council*
Singleton Shire Council
The Hills Shire Council
Tweed Shire Council*
Walgett Shire Council*
Weddin Shire Council*
* Indicates councils that took part in the pilot program.
If you’re looking to find out more about Keeping Cats Safe at Home, get in touch with our team via email at safecats@rspcansw.org.au. You can also find out more about the phase one of the Keeping Cats Safe at Home project by downloading and reading our latest impact report.
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No matter your situation, there are many practical and affordable ways you can encourage you cat to stay indoors.
While it’s easier to keeping a new feline friend indoors, any cat can transition to an at-home lifestyle with enough planning, patience, and in-house preparation. There are three main ways to keep your cat safe and enriched at home:
Keeping your cat exclusively indoors is often the easiest and cheapest option. Even a small home can be fun and interesting for your cat by making the most of vertical space and offering opportunities to interact and play.
You can provide for all your cat’s needs within your home, including different areas for eating and drinking, sleeping, hiding, toileting, scratching, and playing.
You can create different levels for your cat using furniture, shelving, and scratching posts. If you install cat-proof fly screens, windows and doors can be opened for your cat to safely enjoy outdoor sights, smells and sounds without escaping.
Providing a secure outdoor enclosure is a great way of keeping your cat happy and safe at home. Either using a window, cat flap, or another accessible opening, you can grant your cat access to an enclosure (otherwise known as a catio), allowing your feline friend to choose where they want to spend their time.
An escape-proof balcony or veranda is a great option if you’re looking for a space to convert. If you have the space, you also could build a free-standing enclosure or cat condo to give your pet an attractive and comfortable place to relax.
Every enclosure should include essential resources like food, water, a litter tray, a range of platforms at different heights, scratching posts, and adequate protection from the weather. Any type of outdoor enclosure needs to be escape-proof and secure, able to not only prevent your cat from getting out, but also able to prevent other animals from getting in.
It is also recommended to keep bird feeding stations away from the enclosure, as spotting birds but not being able to get to them can be very frustrating for your cat.
There are many ways to modify your property to accommodate for your cat. You can either upgrade existing fences to prevent your cat from climbing over or set up a new solid fence, complete with netting to prevent escape.
While you still need to take steps to reduce risks that your cat might face in your backyard, escape-proof fencing allows your cat the best of indoor and outdoor living.
Regularly check for potential escape routes (e.g., gaps in the fence, around gates, where fences meet buildings, overhanging trees) and minimising wildlife attractants like certain plants, as well as food or water sources that may attract wildlife and, by extension, your feline friend.
Life is better with a cat, and there’s nothing better when they’re safe at home, living their best and healthiest lives. That’s why it is important to provide them with a secure and enriching indoor environment. By taking preventative steps to protect your cat and provide them with a stimulating home, you’re helping ensure the health and wellbeing of both your cat and the natural environment.
Whether you’re caring for a dutiful dog or an independent cat, it’s important to use different types of enrichment to engage your pet’s natural instincts and stimulate their body and mind. The benefits of enrichment can be surprisingly far-reaching, from reductions in stress and anxiety, to reducing the risk of behavioural issues.
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