Rural
4 November, 2025
Cat program to be expanded
Cat owners across the state will be encouraged to keep their pets indoors as the RSPCA prepares to expand its successful Keeping Cats Safe at Home program.
Cat owners across the state will be encouraged to keep their pets indoors as the RSPCA prepares to expand its successful Keeping Cats Safe at Home program.
The State Government will provide $6 million for the program to be rolled out into another 19 local government areas, taking the total to 30.
Expansion of the program will include a statewide social marketing campaign to encourage communities to end cat homelessness and prevent domestic cats roaming from home.
Campbelltown was one of the 11 councils that took part in the pilot program and reported a 35 per cent reduction in the number of free-roaming cats.
The program – funded through the Environmental Trust – focuses on increasing rates of desexing, microchipping and lifetime registration while encouraging the uptake of ‘voluntary containment’ of pet cats.
Domestic cats are estimated to kill 53 million reptiles, 61 million birds and 67 million mammals in Australia every year. Two-in-three cat owners have lost a pet to a roaming related accident, with a third of them involving cars.
RSPCA NSW chief executive officer Steven Colman described the Keeping Cats Safe at Home program as a ‘win-win solution’ for pets and native wildlife and would help foster a state-wide cultural shift in how people care for their cats.
Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said there was a significant amount of evidence to show cat desexing not only helped the environment but also reduced pressure on council pounds and rehoming organisations.
According to the RSPCA, around 30 per cent of households across Australia care for cats. A cat kept safe at home will live 10 years longer on average than a cat who roams.
The program – which has been running since 2021 – has resulted in a significant increase in new cat registration and a decrease in the number of cat-related nuisance complaints and the number of cats impounded.
Campbelltown City Council reported a 59 per cent drop in the number of cat impoundments during the pilot program.
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