Cat owners none the wiser

Cat owners are still in the dark about new control legislation.

The Cat Act 2011 will come into full effect on November 1 and will require all cats older than six months to be micro chipped, sterilised and registered with the local council.

The Act indicated local governments would be able to take cat registrations from November 1, 2012, but the State Government has not yet released details of registration fees.

Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said the City would not be taking cat registrations or formally informing residents until the fees and charges were finalised.

“Following release of the regulations by the State Government, the City will implement a comprehensive implementation and communication strategy,” she said.

The City of Rockingham is taking names and contact details of people who are interested in registering their cat and compiling a database.

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels said owners were encouraged to microchip and sterilise their cats.

“Residents are also advised to check with their local vet for any microchip and sterilisation discounts and special offers,” he said.

Mr Sammels said that subsidies to sterilise and microchip cats were available to pensioners and Health Care Card holders at Cat Haven in Shenton Park.

Rockingham resident Tabatha Driscoll, who owns three cats, said she was unclear about when the cat laws would come into effect.

“I thought it was meant to come in last year, but then we never heard anything about it,” she said.

Cat Haven spokesman David Settelmaier said he hoped the new legislation would encourage responsible pet ownership.

Mr Settelmaier said the Shenton Park refuge took in 8296 cats and kittens in 2012, and while 4398 cats were rehomed, 3804 had to be euthanised.

“A lot of cats are handed in as strays or because their owners can’t look after them any longer, but most commonly we receive unwanted litters of kittens,” he said.

Mr Settelmaier said the new laws of mandatory sterilisation would help reduce the number of kittens dumped at Cat Haven.

Ms Driscoll said she got her female cats sterilised after one fell pregnant twice in three months.