KEY POINTS:
My neighbour's cat is making a nuisance of itself. It's continually on my section, it eats my cat's food and it has scratched my daughter a couple of times. There are lots of stories about dangerous dogs, but what can I do about a rogue cat?
Brent Scott,
Auckland City.
Not a lot, it seems. Auckland City Council has no cat control policy, and there is no limit to the numbers of cats you can keep, unless they are of such large numbers that they are creating a nuisance.
Geoff Keber of Animal Control Services, who contract to the council, says that they do not pick up cats as they do unregistered or straying dogs. He suggests using cat repellents, which can be bought from hardware stores, or you can mix up your own using pepper, onions, garlic and similar odorous substances. Water pistols or a squirt from the hose can also help.
Manukau City has no policies on cat control, although that might change as housing density increases and areas where small animals can do their business decrease. Bad cat behaviour is not a huge safety issue in their area, and the council would prefer that neighbours talked to each other about the problem rather than involve the local authorities.
North Shore City Council's bylaw on the keeping of animals restricts the number of cats per residence to five. Felines are not generally a problem in the city, except where a large number can create a health nuisance because of, for example, large quantities of faecal material. The council suggests talking to the SPCA on ways to control raiders.
Neil Wells, manager of animal welfare for Waitakere City, says that talking to the neighbours is always the best place to start. If the marauding cat is a tom, you might suggest that the neighbours have it neutered, which may slow down its straying habit.
A cat will not normally attack children unless they are teasing it or it feels threatened, so be sure that your child knows how to treat the animal.
If you have a cat yourself, make sure that its feeding dishes are taken inside after a meal, to remove temptation from other cats. Keeping a supply of water-filled cans to throw near (not at) the prowler can work, and so can children's water bombs.
Bob Kerridge of the SPCA says because cats are by nature free-range and independent, they have no idea of boundaries. Talking to your neighbours is a good place to start, says Mr Kerridge. One thing not to do is kidnap the offending feline and dispose of it. The cat is the property of the neighbour, and catnapping amounts to theft.
New Zealand as a whole has no requirement for registration or licensing of cats, but things are more regulated across the Tasman.
In ACT, for example, a cat must wear a collar and tag or be microchipped, and if it is more than 6-years-old you may be required to have it desexed. If you live near a nature reserve, a cat curfew may also be enforced.
