Cat lovers: does the containment policy affect your decision to have a cat of your own?
For some, the idea of having to keep cats confined 24/7 means they won't get another; for others, it's not a problem.
Finding information on cat numbers and living conditions and owner motivations is, well, a bit like herding cats. But we know some things.
It's been just over two years since the ACT government implemented the ACT Cat Management Plan 2021-31 on July 1, 2022, requiring cat owners to keep cats on their premises 24 hours a day. The intention was to keep cats safe and to minimise their impact on wildlife, particularly birds.
The law was grandfathered to apply only to cats born after July 1, 2022, taking into account older cats might not adjust well to the sudden change. In 17 newer ACT suburbs, the containment law already applies to all cats.
The cats owned by Dr Rex Martin and his parents are examples of the two categories.
Dr Martin, of Downer, has had what he called his "lapcat", Dolores, for four years. She lives in his apartment. He moved back to Canberra last year from Melbourne where he also kept her indoors.
"She seems happy enough," he said.
"Cats being crepuscular, not nocturnal, are most active at dusk and dawn."
Going onto the balcony for a sniff and a look around seemed to satisfy her desire to be outdoors.
By contrast, his parents' cat, Mr Pusskins, is bigger, older - about 15 - and comes and goes through his catflap as he pleases. Mice, rather than birds, are his prey.
An ACT government spokesperson said there were 3832 cats registered in the ACT prior to the laws being introduced on July 1, 2022. Since then, 11,176 cat registrations have been recorded in the ACT.
There were 1558 cats with registered birth dates from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 and 1796 cats had registered birth dates from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
There were 1079 cats with registered birth dates from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 and 569 cats had registered birth dates from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.
Microchipping and desexing (except in special circumstances such as breeders) are also required.
The chief executive officer of RSPCA ACT, Michelle Robertson, said, "there is no evidence cat containment has become a deterrent" to having a cat.
Ms Robertson said: "In addition to people returning to offices and workplace, we are also in a cost-of-living crisis so that is now driving [the number of animals being surrendered to the RSPCA] up."
Between 3000 and 3200 cats were surrendered to the RSPCA in the years just before COVID.
Ms Robertson said during the COVID isolation period the number of cats and other animals being surrendered to the RSPCA dropped - people were confined to their homes and enjoyed having pets around.
"The trendlines show that animal intake is now in an upward trajectory returning to what it was prior to COVID levels," she added.
The number of cats surrendered is now between 2600 and 2800 a year.
Ms Robertson said the RSPCA supported the government's containment policy. However, she felt investing in "a strategy of supports and compliance" was also needed to ensure people were aware of and obeyed the law regarding containment, desexing and microchipping.
"Probably 70 to 80 per cent of the cats that arrive with us are not microchipped," Ms Robertson said, adding many were not desexed, either.
Since 2019 the RSPCA has adopted out 7084 cats and reunited 771 cats with their owners.
Dr Martin said he and his parents would continue to have cats in the future under the containment law.
"Cats are a way of life," he said.
- For more information on ACT cat containment policies see: cityservices.act.gov.au.
Correction: The breakdown of cat registrations by year have been updated in this piece.
