[Misc] 24/7 Cat Curfew - Australia

[highflyer]

As pointed out at Longleat, the primary destroyer of fauna is mankind. On a different scale to any animal.

Although the massive explosion of domesticated animals, including cats, is a major part of mankind's impact?

I am torn.

On one hand I know cats are hugely destructive and I have great sympathy with the need to stop selfish and over-indulgent owners let their cats wreak havoc on local wildlife.

On the other hand, my little tibbles would hate it. And I loves him.

 

[Beanstalk]

In New Zealand, which has a remarkably unique and beautiful ecosystem, they estimate that cats kill close to 19 million animals a year, including over 1 million native birds. Even as a cat person, it's ridiculous that you wouldn't make a move to protect native wildlife from the largest threat, especially as it's estimated that almost half of cats globally are indoors only.

 

[perth seagull]

My cat is contained indoors and has no interest in going outside. I can't let him outside anyway due to it being a white cat who would very easily get skin cancer on the nose or ears here under the Australian sun.

That said, even without this I wouldn't want a pet to be roaming around unsupervised in an uncontrolled environment - too many risks to the animal - i.e. traffic hazards, nasty people, attacks by other animals, eating or drinking something poisonous., etc. For my own piece of mind I'd prefer to keep my cat inside.

 

[Cordwainer]

Some appawling puns on this thread.

 

[GT49er]

Good for Geelong! Any law that stops the little buggers shitting in my garden would be fine by me!

 

[Brok]

Out of interest, are we talking stereotypically massive Aussie garden with enough room to raise about 15 young test cricketers to be in it, or something closer to what might be expected from the back yard of a terraced house in Doncaster?

Not that it really alters the fact that people shouldn't let their cats out to eat whatever passing animal takes their fancy. It's just it's an easier adjustment for the cat if they've got more space to be confined in.

I was going to say the same thing. The average back garden in Australia must be about the size of Lancashire?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Humans are also responsible for making sure their cats (and dogs) are neutered so they aren't breeding too much. That applies to Britain too.

 

[Fungus]

Can’t really compare it to the UK, though - apparently “Cats are an invasive species in Australia. Because they are not native to Australia and were only introduced by European colonists as pets in the early 1800s, native Australian animals did not co-evolve with them”. So, all cats in Australia are descended from the criminal classes.Bit late to do anything now, I’d guess.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Can’t really compare it to the UK, though - apparently “Cats are an invasive species in Australia. Because they are not native to Australia and were only introduced by European colonists as pets in the early 1800s, native Australian animals did not co-evolve with them”. So, all cats in Australia are descended from the criminal classes.Bit late to do anything now, I’d guess.

To be fair, farmers took cats to control the rat problem, but cats should be neutered not left to turn feral.

 

[chickens]

I’m not sure how to feel about that. How is this policed? Do they just nab any cats they find out on the street and then try to contact the owner via the details on the cat’s microchip?

I think I’d be annoyed by taxes being spent on this. Plus what do they do with the cats that are feral and not chipped, do they all just get destroyed?

I’d fear the impact on shelters too, especially for those who felt their own properties weren’t of a sufficient size to be comfortable homes for their pets. I could see local shelters getting overloaded with cats being returned to them.

I’d be interested to know how it goes.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I was going to say the same thing. The average back garden in Australia must be about the size of Lancashire?

I think for the majority of people that's not true anymore, but it's the obvious question to ask when somebody says their cats are happy with the change from being free to roam to being contained in a garden.

To be clear, I do think it's a good idea. But having said that, I haven't got a cat partly because the idea of keeping one (or more) cooped up inside has always struck me as a bit sad.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I’m not sure how to feel about that. How is this policed? Do they just nab any cats they find out on the street and then try to contact the owner via the details on the cat’s microchip?

I think I’d be annoyed by taxes being spent on this. Plus what do they do with the cats that are feral and not chipped, do they all just get destroyed?

I’d fear the impact on shelters too, especially for those who felt their own properties weren’t of a sufficient size to be comfortable homes for their pets. I could see local shelters getting overloaded with cats being returned to them.

I’d be interested to know how it goes.

They're releasing salties onto the streets to eat any cats that get let loose.

What to do about the impact this will have on the local wildlife is on the agenda for next week's council meeting. It's the second item after deciding who'll replace the chairman who's indisposed after a tragic and shocking crocodile attack.

 

[sydney]

Impossible to police. Ridiculous idea.

cats here have to be chipped and spayed , if your cat is caught outdoors of a night time by a ranger or irate enough neighbour who has set a trap in their garden then you have to go and pay 200 bucks to get it back off the council ....fair enough i reckon, there's not much left worth killing in Britain but native wildlife takes a nocturnal hammerring off cats so i say thats fair enough , big problem is feral cats that are basically 15kg tigers , ****s of things , a mate of mine trapped one in his laundry and thought he would teach it a lesson as it was coming in and terrorising his cats and stealing their food and spraying all over his house ......4 days in hospital , he armed himself with welders, leather gauntlets and a bucket of cold water , the thing got on top of his head and nearly scalped him .... he's a wolves fan...

 

[sydney]

When you go into a house cat home it always stinks of cat piss which I think the owners get used to.

thats why you let them out.

 

[sydney]

Have 3 cats live in Brisbane would never let them out over here cats and other animals cause chaos to native wildlife. Our cats are very happy and don't need to go outside.

let em out in the day Micky...in at night

 

[sydney]

I have to say, after a period of adjustment my three are pretty happy with the situation. I reckon even happier.

most small native mammals in oz are nocturnal , this is just another ruse by the Australian nazi , local govt. to fine people , if you don't go and pick the animal up and pay the fine they are euthanised and you get the bill for that anyway .........ffs , cats ... massive problem ....?? i 100% agree they should be kept in at night but apparently a lot of cat owners are too f***ing dense to realise this.

 

[chickens]

They're releasing salties onto the streets to eat any cats that get let loose.

What to do about the impact this will have on the local wildlife is on the agenda for next week's council meeting. It's the second item after deciding who'll replace the chairman who's indisposed after a tragic and shocking crocodile attack.

I was picturing something like the child catcher van from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but dragging a decomposing shark behind it.

 

[schmunk]

I had a little stroke of my neighbour's pussy before setting off for work today. If I was in Australia I wouldn't have been able to do that...






...mainly because I couldn't reach that far.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Geelong curfew closing in on cats

Geelong cats could soon follow their Surf Coast feline friends and be contained to their own property 24-hours a day. Local councillors will vote on new cat confinement orders on Tuesday night.

www.bay939.com.au

Where I live in Geelong, Australia, the council are voting tomorrow night on keeping cats on your own property 24/7. I have three cats and have recently successfully contained them to my house and garden (took a while to stop the little blighters escaping!).

I mentioned it to a few people in the UK who seemed stunned by the whole idea. I wondered what your thoughts were on the possibility of this ever happening over there?

We have two RSPCA rescue cats, where we keep indoors.
Reasons for this are we don't have any catflaps, busy roads nearby and as mentioned already, don't want any high vet bills.
Only negative side is that when our cats do a dump, it bloody stinks, doesn't last long though.

Our nephew and his partner are in Oz at the moment, and they've been cat sitting in Sydney and Melbourne as part of having lodgings.
They were instructed to keep the cats indoors whilst in Geelong recently.

 

[beorhthelm]

for the non-house cats, going to busy at the vets.