Auckland Council has clarified felines without microchips won't be put down in urban areas.
Their comments follow concerns from cat lovers their moggies were in danger if they weren't microchipped.
The council is in the process of reviewing its Regional Pest Management Plan, which suggests any cat caught in an "ecologically significant site" without a microchip could be put down.
Auckland Council's biosecurity manager Phil Brown said the proposed approach did not involve controlling non-microchipped cats in urban areas. The approach in the plan instead "represents the continuation of current practice" in many ways.
The proposed programme provides for management of cats at high biodiversity value sites.
"As is currently the case, trapping may be used at those sites identified as ecologically significant where cat control is carried out alongside other pest control. It's not a reactive programme; it will be well planned at specific sites of ecological significance where rats, possums and other pests are also being managed."
The new aspect is that council is clarifying when a cat is considered a "pest cat".
"The absence of a microchip will be used to determine whether a cat is considered a pest at these sites. At high-biodiversity-value sites, some non-microchipped cats will be euthanised, as is the case with other pest animals."
The proposed plan also does not involve compulsory microchipping, Brown added.
"The council does, however, encourage voluntary microchipping as part of being a responsible pet owner."