Reply To: Stray cats being fed by owner

Thanks you for your responses. It is very difficult to get stray cats collected. The RSPCA and NSW cat society won’t do it. Keep in mind that strays are not tagged, vaccinated etc. I have enquired and I have their negative responses. These type of organisations are about rehoming already owned animals that are already well cared for IMHO.

The Canterbury Bankstown Council have been very helpful. As the real issue here is that cats are permitted to “roam” in NSW and the council animal welfare officer was able to explain that it would not be appropriate to catch and remove as we have no way of knowing if they actually “belong” to someone.

As an aside, if these cats were nuisance unowned stays, the council do make available a trap so they can be captured and taken to the councils animal containment facility conveniently located 38kms away from the council area however the council website currently advises that the trap is unavailable  “Please note, there has been an outbreak of Feline Panleukopaenia virus in Sydney. As a result, Council has been forced to suspend the cat trap cage service”.

So the council have taken it on as a health issue and advising that it is the availability of food (garbage) that attracts the cats and ibis. Their advice includes spraying citronella.

I will propose a by-law at the upcoming AGM to ban feeding strays which (if approved) will give some strength to the notes sent around by strata.