Casey Council has urged residents to take responsibility for feral and semi-owned cats and to stop feeding strays.
Casey Council connected communities manager Callum Pattie said cats were one of the most devastating invasive species in Australia.
“We can all play our part in mitigating the impact of cats – and we must if we are serious about preventing more extinctions of our precious native wildlife such as the Southern Brown Bandicoot, an endangered and protected species in the City of Casey,” he said.
Cats have been responsible for the extinction of many native animals and continue to pose a risk to local wildlife.
Being an endangered and protected species in Casey, stray cats are a threat to the Southern Brown Bandicoot, and being fed increases the chances of overpopulation and impacts the local ecosystem.
Casey Council’s domestic animal management plan and local law outline stated cats must be registered with the council and must always remain on the owner’s property.
“If we genuinely care about our wildlife, we need to make sure that owners comply with the City of Casey Local Law and keep cats confined to their property at all times,” Mr Pattie said.
Cats are also not allowed in Botanic Ridge or Settlers Run, both of which are protected areas for the southern brown bandicoot.
Tips from the council include taking ownership of stray cats, having them desexed, microchipped and registered with the council and to report any nuisance cats.
For more information on how to manage cats, visit casey.vic.gov.au/cats-casey
