By Carmen Bush
I’VE always loved cats. They’ve been a part of my family life ever since childhood. The love stems from my maternal grandfather, a butcher, who fed the local cats leftover tit-bits from his shop door.
I’VE always loved cats. They’ve been a part of my family life ever since childhood. The love stems from my maternal grandfather, a butcher, who fed the local cats leftover tit-bits from his shop door.
Perhaps it’s a Mediterranean tradition. My recent trip to Greece and Turkey revealed that cats and dogs roam the streets and roads, not really belonging to any individual but to the “community”, our tour guides explained. People feed them but do not house them, and pets are not kept in houses, although someone does take responsibility for their health.
My first cat, a short-haired tortoiseshell, was called Marmalade. I loved the mix of colours and markings on her face and body. She would purr when cuddled and was a great companion to an only child. Many years later, a young cat was found inside the wall of a house my husband was building. Tiddles, a ginger tom, became a great family pet when our children were young.
In those days cats were put out at night and you would often hear them fighting in the dark. Cats also looked in on neighbours who might feed them table scraps. My parents found a few cats that way and I’m sure we lost a few that way too. I have never had to buy a cat; kittens were always available to “a good home”.
Prospective cat owners need to be committed. Cats can live 15 to 20 years. They can breed from about 12 months of age and have up to three litters a year with an average of four kittens per litter, so early desexing of cats is a good idea.
These days we are more aware of the need to keep cats safe and away from harm. The Department of Environment and Primary Industries tells us that around 80 per cent of accidents involving cats occur at night. Animal welfare organisations and DEPI both promote the need for a cat curfew for the cat’s welfare.
Isn’t that what it’s all about? Keeping those we love safe from harm?
There’s another reason to favour a cat curfew and cat containment policy.
Abandoned cats become feral within a matter of weeks and can grow to six kilograms in the wild. Photo: DEPIEven well-fed cats are known to hunt and catch small ground-dwelling animals. Depending on the documentation, 80-100 native species are threatened by cats. The economic cost of bird predation by domestic and feral cats has been estimated at $144 million annually.
In a 2011 council survey, wandering and stray cats were identified as “key matters of concern”. I have heard it said that it only takes two weeks for a domestic cat to become a feral cat. Some holiday home owners have a “weekend cat”, which they leave behind, in some cases to the unofficial care of a kind neighbour. Others are simply abandoned for good. Phillip Island Nature Parks removes 150 cats a year from the parks.
Currently, our council has minimal expectations of domestic cat owners: they are required only to microchip and register all cats over three months old. Not everyone appreciates a cat in their backyard. The council recommends trapping any cat that wanders onto neighbouring property. Owners are fined, which doesn’t foster positive neighbourly relations!
People I speak with are surprised that Bass Coast does not have a cat containment policy. Many new residents come from municipalities and shires that do. I was living in the Shire of Yarra Ranges when the council introduced a cat curfew a number of years ago. We simply complied. It was an adjustment, but then cats love to snuggle up. The council prepared a good public education campaign, using the local press, leafleting households and including schools. Now Yarra Ranges has extended the cat curfew to include total containment to the owner’s property.
I believe it’s time for Bass Coast to implement a similar strategy: stage one would be the implementation of a cat curfew from dusk until dawn; stage two, to be phased in after, say, a year or two, would require cats to be contained to the owner’s property at all times.
Over time, and with a good public education campaign, we could reduce the number of abandoned and wandering cats. This is a great opportunity to bring in a policy that keeps wanted and loved cats safe, minimises the spread of disease and protects our narive wildlife and environment. It is a win-win scenario for everyone.
Bass Coast’s domestic animal management plan is up for review. We need your letters to the CEO, Paul Buckley, supporting the introduction of a cat containment policy.
COMMENTS
March 8, 2015
I couldn’t agree more with Carmen Bush about the need to contain cats within the property.
We had a cat who was the greatest bird catcher ever – even though she wore every possible bell, whistle and flashing light we could find to hang around her neck - and who was in ever-present danger from local traffic.
We hated the thought of keeping her inside permanently, and so installed a fabulous system of varying size and shape interconnecting cages which she accessed through her cat door in the laundry anytime she desired. In these cages she could look down on the world from a great height, play tiger in the long grass or stretch full length to warm her tummy in the sun.
I can highly recommend this way of keeping cats contained on the property.
Jennie Deane, Inverloch
March 8, 2015
Carmen, Thank you for such a thoughtful article. I also came to Bass Coast from the Yarra Ranges Shire and had, in fact, rescued a tiny Russian Blue cross who had been dumped on the expensive cat food shelf at Belgrave's Safeway! The vet reckoned he was five weeks old and could barely lap!
He grew into the most gorgeous companion for both me and my young poodle. They cuddled up together and slept together. I called him "Meecieman" and, boy, was he a great mouser!
We moved down here to Bass Coast Shire and, in the fullness of time Rosie died. Meecieman survived helping to clear all the mice and rats every autumn ... Still one of the most loving animal companions I've ever had.
Rescuing a poorly treated male poodle who needed love and guidance resulted in enormous jealousy and, in spite of my precautions, Meecieman was killed by this poodle. He was 22 years at the time and, thank goodness , the killing was swift!
I have never dared to own another cat and I miss their special kind of loving. They are beautiful , loving and intelligent creatures who can be trained to live reasonably confined lives.
Maureen Sherrin, Wonthaggi
My first cat, a short-haired tortoiseshell, was called Marmalade. I loved the mix of colours and markings on her face and body. She would purr when cuddled and was a great companion to an only child. Many years later, a young cat was found inside the wall of a house my husband was building. Tiddles, a ginger tom, became a great family pet when our children were young.
In those days cats were put out at night and you would often hear them fighting in the dark. Cats also looked in on neighbours who might feed them table scraps. My parents found a few cats that way and I’m sure we lost a few that way too. I have never had to buy a cat; kittens were always available to “a good home”.
Prospective cat owners need to be committed. Cats can live 15 to 20 years. They can breed from about 12 months of age and have up to three litters a year with an average of four kittens per litter, so early desexing of cats is a good idea.
These days we are more aware of the need to keep cats safe and away from harm. The Department of Environment and Primary Industries tells us that around 80 per cent of accidents involving cats occur at night. Animal welfare organisations and DEPI both promote the need for a cat curfew for the cat’s welfare.
Isn’t that what it’s all about? Keeping those we love safe from harm?
There’s another reason to favour a cat curfew and cat containment policy.
Abandoned cats become feral within a matter of weeks and can grow to six kilograms in the wild. Photo: DEPIEven well-fed cats are known to hunt and catch small ground-dwelling animals. Depending on the documentation, 80-100 native species are threatened by cats. The economic cost of bird predation by domestic and feral cats has been estimated at $144 million annually.
In a 2011 council survey, wandering and stray cats were identified as “key matters of concern”. I have heard it said that it only takes two weeks for a domestic cat to become a feral cat. Some holiday home owners have a “weekend cat”, which they leave behind, in some cases to the unofficial care of a kind neighbour. Others are simply abandoned for good. Phillip Island Nature Parks removes 150 cats a year from the parks.
Currently, our council has minimal expectations of domestic cat owners: they are required only to microchip and register all cats over three months old. Not everyone appreciates a cat in their backyard. The council recommends trapping any cat that wanders onto neighbouring property. Owners are fined, which doesn’t foster positive neighbourly relations!
People I speak with are surprised that Bass Coast does not have a cat containment policy. Many new residents come from municipalities and shires that do. I was living in the Shire of Yarra Ranges when the council introduced a cat curfew a number of years ago. We simply complied. It was an adjustment, but then cats love to snuggle up. The council prepared a good public education campaign, using the local press, leafleting households and including schools. Now Yarra Ranges has extended the cat curfew to include total containment to the owner’s property.
I believe it’s time for Bass Coast to implement a similar strategy: stage one would be the implementation of a cat curfew from dusk until dawn; stage two, to be phased in after, say, a year or two, would require cats to be contained to the owner’s property at all times.
Over time, and with a good public education campaign, we could reduce the number of abandoned and wandering cats. This is a great opportunity to bring in a policy that keeps wanted and loved cats safe, minimises the spread of disease and protects our narive wildlife and environment. It is a win-win scenario for everyone.
Bass Coast’s domestic animal management plan is up for review. We need your letters to the CEO, Paul Buckley, supporting the introduction of a cat containment policy.
COMMENTS
March 8, 2015
I couldn’t agree more with Carmen Bush about the need to contain cats within the property.
We had a cat who was the greatest bird catcher ever – even though she wore every possible bell, whistle and flashing light we could find to hang around her neck - and who was in ever-present danger from local traffic.
We hated the thought of keeping her inside permanently, and so installed a fabulous system of varying size and shape interconnecting cages which she accessed through her cat door in the laundry anytime she desired. In these cages she could look down on the world from a great height, play tiger in the long grass or stretch full length to warm her tummy in the sun.
I can highly recommend this way of keeping cats contained on the property.
Jennie Deane, Inverloch
March 8, 2015
Carmen, Thank you for such a thoughtful article. I also came to Bass Coast from the Yarra Ranges Shire and had, in fact, rescued a tiny Russian Blue cross who had been dumped on the expensive cat food shelf at Belgrave's Safeway! The vet reckoned he was five weeks old and could barely lap!
He grew into the most gorgeous companion for both me and my young poodle. They cuddled up together and slept together. I called him "Meecieman" and, boy, was he a great mouser!
We moved down here to Bass Coast Shire and, in the fullness of time Rosie died. Meecieman survived helping to clear all the mice and rats every autumn ... Still one of the most loving animal companions I've ever had.
Rescuing a poorly treated male poodle who needed love and guidance resulted in enormous jealousy and, in spite of my precautions, Meecieman was killed by this poodle. He was 22 years at the time and, thank goodness , the killing was swift!
I have never dared to own another cat and I miss their special kind of loving. They are beautiful , loving and intelligent creatures who can be trained to live reasonably confined lives.
Maureen Sherrin, Wonthaggi