Cat cut call

By Casey Neill
KNOX cats could be forced under the knife if councillors approve a controversial new pet plan.
Cat owners will find out in June if Knox Council’s Domestic Animal Management Plan will include mandatory moggy desexing and a cat curfew.
Dinsdale Ward councillor Adam Gill sparked heated debate when he moved to include the measures at the council’s 24 March meeting.
Councillors deferred a decision to their 30 June meeting to investigate amending the three-year plan.
Cr Gill said the changes would prevent cats being unnecessarily put down more effectively than a proposed education program. “There’s far too many irresponsible cat owners,” he said. “I don’t think education is the appropriate response. We need to be taking action and setting standards.”
Chandler Ward Cr John Mortimore said stray cats were “an absolute menace”. “They destroy our native wildlife in huge numbers,” he said.
Cr Mortimore said there were millions of stray cats suffering.
“If you loved cats, you’d want them desexed,” he said.
Baird Ward Cr Peter Cole said the proposal was “ridiculous”.
“You think you can come into my house and tell me I can’t breed my cat?” he said. “You must be kidding.”
Mayor David Cooper agreed.
“You’re putting one level onto all cat owners,” he said.
CEO Graeme Emonson recommended the council further investigate costing and enforcement. “It needs to be much more thoroughly researched,” he said. “The plan does not contemplate this action, or how it should be implemented.”
Crs Gill, Mortimore, Darren Pearce, Sue McMillan and Mick Van de Vreede agreed to refer the matter for consideration at the council’s 30 June meeting.
Crs Cooper, Cole and Andrew Walter voted against the move.
The draft Domestic Animal Management Plan was released for community consultation in October last year.
It will guide the council to promote responsible pet ownership, minimise dog attacks, address over population and encourage registration.
The plan said the issue of a cat curfew and desexing was raised during discussions and was subject to “considerable investigation”.
More than 76 per cent of survey respondents supported compulsory cat desexing.
The Cat Coalition, RSPCA, Cat Protection Society of Victoria and Lost Dogs Home recommended mandatory desexing at three months.
The plan said a night curfew would be unenforceable without cat owners complying. “To carry out 10 hours surveillance a week in support of a curfew would be an additional cost per annum of approximately $30,000,” it said.
Some 94 per cent of the 5721 registered cats in Knox were listed as desexed.
Knox has an estimated cat population of 18,483.