Our community is committed to ensuring a harmonious coexistence between residents and their beloved feline companions, while also protecting our local wildlife and the environment. Together, we can create a safe and enjoyable environment for both our feline friends and the whole Meander Valley community.

Responsible Cat Ownership

Being a responsible cat owner means providing for your pet's needs while minimising their impact on our community and the environment. Key aspects of responsible ownership include:

• Identification: Ensure your cat is microchipped and wears a collar with an ID tag. This helps return lost pets to their owners quickly.
• Desexing: Desex your cat to prevent unwanted litters and reduce aggressive behaviour.
• Containment: Keep your cat indoors or within a secure enclosure, especially at night, to protect them, nativewildlife and prevent nuisance behaviour.
• Health Care: Regular veterinary check-ups, vaccinations, and parasite control are essential for your cat's well-being.

By following these practices, you contribute to a safer and more enjoyable community for everyone.

Legal Responsibilities

As a cat owner in Meander Valley, you must comply with the Cat Management Act 2009 and Cat Management Regulations 2022. This legislation is designed to promote responsible pet ownership and manage the impact of cats on our environment.

Key responsibilities for owners include:

• Containment: Owners must ensure their cats do not roam freely, particularly in designated wildlife protection areas.
• Desexing and Microchipping: All cats over four months old must be desexed and microchipped, with some exemptions.
• Breeding: To breed cats, you must be a registered breeder or have a cat breeding permit.
• Cat Limit: You can keep up to four cats over four months old on your property without a permit.
• Selling or Giving Away Cats: Cats must be over eight weeks old, desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, treated for worms, and free of external parasites.
• Cat Control: In certain situations, you are allowed to trap, seize, and humanely destroy cats.

Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines and other penalties. By adhering to these laws, you help safeguard our native wildlife and ensure your cat's safety.

Support and Resources

Tasmania's Department of Natural Rescource and Environment offers resources and support to help residents manage their cats responsibly. This includes:

• Responsible Cat Ownership in Tasmania
• Information on desexing and microchipping cats
• Trapping roaming and nuisance cats and further FAQs
• Permits for owning multiple cats
• Breeding, selling and buying cats

For more advice and resources about keeping cats, communities and wildlife safe visit:

www.tassiecat.com

Types of Cats in Our Community

Understanding the different types of cats can help in addressing various management issues. In Meander Valley, as defined in the Cat Management Act 2009, cats fall into three categories:

• Domestic Cats: These are owned pets that live with people. They rely on their owners for food, shelter, and medical care.
• Stray Cats: These cats have been abandoned or lost and now live in the wild. They may have once been domesticated but now fend for themselves.
• Feral Cats: These cats have never had significant human contact and live entirely independently. They are usually born in the wild and are not socialized to people.

Effective cat management requires different strategies for each category to ensure humane treatment and control of the population.

For more information, please contact NRE's Invasive Species Branch here.

Approved Cat Management Facility - Just Cats Tasmania

Council is not directly involved in the management of cats but we do endorse the work of Just Cats Tasmania, a State Government Approved Cat Management Facility, in their work to help manage the cat population in the North.

Just Cats Tasmania relies on public donations and fundraising for the work they do.

Before bringing a cat to Just Cats:

• Contact the facility for their procedures, hours, and any fees.

Services Offered:

• Accept surrenders and unwanted or stray cats by appointment
• Reunite microchipped cats with their owners
• Facilitate adoption or re-homing of cats and kittens
• Provide veterinary services like desexing and microchipping
• Ensure cats are desexed and microchipped before being reclaimed

If a microchipped cat is brought in, the facility will try to notify the owner. Cats must be desexed and microchipped before being reclaimed, with exemptions for health reasons certified by a vet or for breeding purposes by registered breeders. Owners may need to cover care and treatment costs.

If the owner cannot be found or does not reclaim the cat within a specified time, the facility may re-home the cat.

Just Cats Tasmania
Mowbray and Longford
Ph. 03 6388 9202
www.justcats.org.au

Animal welfare and reporting cruelty

There are a number of ways anyone with concerns about the welfare of an animal can report it confidentially. You can call the National Animal Cruelty Hotline on 1300 139 947. Details taken are passed on to the Tasmanian RSPCA for investigation.

Alternatively, you can send an email to: reportit@rspcatas.org.au or you can report it online. Your details will remain strictly confidential.

Report animal cruelty and animal welfare issues online