Phase two of RSPCA NSW’s Keeping Cats Safe at Home Project officially launched on Sunday 26 October at the RSPCA NSW Sydney Adoption and Education Centre.
The initiative started in 2021 as a pilot program supported by the NSW Government and its Environmental Trust with the aim of keeping cats healthy and happy at home, whilst also protecting 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.
During phase one of the Keeping Cats Safe at Home program, RSPCA NSW developed and implemented a holistic human behaviour change strategy to protect both cats and wildlife through partnering with 11 diverse NSW councils.
Key results from the pilot program include:
- A reduction in free-roaming cats by 50% in the Blue Mountains, 35% in Campbelltown, and 25% in Tweed Shire council areas.
- More than 2,700 cats desexed and 1,700 microchipped across the 11 council areas.
- A reduction in cat-related nuisance complaints by more than 40% in seven of the council areas.
Thanks to a $6 million investment from the NSW Government and its Environmental Trust, the program is expanding, with an additional 19 local councils across the state partnering with RSPCA NSW, bringing the overall total to 30.
Phase two of the project aims to:
- Reduce free-roaming cat populations in project LGAS by 30%.
- Increase the proportion of cat caregivers in NSW who are containing their cats to over 50%.
- Reduce council pound cat intake in project LGAs by 20%.
The expansion will include targeted desexing initiatives, microchipping programs and a state-wide social marketing campaign aimed at providing educational resources promoting cat safety, enrichment and supporting owners to explore voluntary cat containment.
Through combining ecology and behavioural research with practical support and working with communities at a grassroots level, RSPCA NSW is honoured to have the opportunity to continue building a best-practice model for cat management that can be scaled nationally.
Dr Gemma Ma, RSPCA NSW Senior Manager of the Keeping Cats Safe at Home program with Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe.
“This collaborative project is a simple but effective solution, created by people who care deeply for cats and native wildlife,” said Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe.
“As Chair of the NSW Environmental Trust, I’m proud to be helping RSPCA NSW take the next step in shifting pet owners’ behaviour by tripling the number of local councils onboard to a record 30. This will drive real change to protect wildlife.”
RSPCA NSW CEO Steve Coleman said, “This initiative is another example of how RSPCA NSW’s One Welfare focus is working to shape compassionate communities that care for their animals, while collaboratively supporting councils and wildlife groups across the state to achieve better outcomes.”
“We are incredibly grateful to the NSW Government and the Environmental Trust for their significant investment in this program, which will allow us to proactively help more people and animals in need while fostering a statewide cultural shift in how Australians care for their cats.”
Dr Gemma Ma, RSPCA NSW Senior Manager of the Keeping Cats Safe at Home program added “RSPCA NSW supports evidence-based approaches to cat management and will continue to support the voluntary uptake of cat containment by cat caregivers.”
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.
