Submissions to the draft updated threat abatement plan (TAP) on feral cats close 4pm Monday 11 December 2023

Cats are sentient animals who deserve to be treated humanely.

Cats do not belong in all environments but demonising them as a species is to deliberately distract from the human-caused drivers of biodiversity loss overseen by this and previous governments. It achieves nothing more than to direct cruelty towards cats.

Habitat loss and climate change are the greatest threats to biodiversity.

A “war” on cats will not undo land-clearing, mining, and logging in native forests. Creating moral panic using numbers extrapolated from guesstimates based on ballpark figures founded on false assumptions is not constructive. And make no mistake, this plan goes well beyond “feral” cats (who have no dependency on people, directly or indirectly) and also targets cats who are loved, lost, homeless, fed and cared for in the community. Perhaps we should be grateful it notes shooting or poisoning these cats might be problematic …

Cat Protection operates in, and advocates for, a One Welfare framework that recognises the interdependency of human, animal, and environmental wellbeing. Focus on a single species is flawed. A multifaceted, humane approach which respects the importance of cats to people (as well as cats’ intrinsic dignity), as well as the importance of the human role in animal care and ecological management, is needed.

We don’t disagree there is an urgency to protecting our environment, we do disagree with singling out cats. Here’s what we presented to the National Domestic Cat Management Working Group earlier this year: Cruelty won’t solve a wicked problem (catprotection.org.au)

You can submit your views on the TAP here: Consultation hub | Draft updated threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats. – Climate (dcceew.gov.au)

The Australian Pet Welfare Foundation (whose community cat research we support) has lots of great information: Response to Draft TAP – Australian Pet Welfare Foundation

Please let the government know that kindness, not cruelty, is the way forward.