Get active: Support cat containment rules to help cats and local wildlife thrive

If you grow local native plants, you are making a difference for biodiversity and local wildlife. Even a small patch of garden can host dozens or hundreds of insects, lizards and small birds. And a balcony or verge garden can help support genetic diversity of local plants such as grasses and ground covers. 

A male King Parrot in a Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana), just one of the many colourful and interesting birds that call the Illawarra home, and that are vulnerable to cat attack. Image by Ann O'Donnell.

 Unfortunately, some current policy settings in New South Wales make life much harder for local wildlife. In particular, rules that allow cats to roam free away from the properties of their owners place native fauna at high risk. NSW is now the only state in Australia that does not have enforceable laws to keep domestic cats contained, and this means local councils are powerless to introduce restrictions on the movement of pet cats, even where a majority of citizens are in favour.

The Invasive Species Council estimates that cats kill 96 million native animals in NSW every year. So a shift that allows local government to impose cat curfews would be of huge benefit. It would also be better for the cats themselves, reducing their risk of being killed on the road. And it would help protect humans from the cat-borne illness toxoplasmosis. Suze Giuffre, Conservation Officer for the Illawarra Birders, was quoted in the Illawarra Mercury recently pointing out these benefits. For example: 

"There's the cat owners themselves who find that contained cats are happier and live longer because they're being shielded from many issues which impact cats when they're roaming, like fighting other cats or car strike," she said.

Greens MLA Sue Higginson has prepared a bill that will allow local councils to create and enforce reasonable orders to keep cats contained. A summary of the bill and a way to support it are included here. There's also a local petition that you can sign if you're in the Wollongong LGA. If you're in Shellharbour or Kiama, writing directly to your elected councillors is another option. 

The Illawarra Mercury's social media post on cat containment, featuring Illawarra Birders' Conservation Officer Suze Giuffre. Look at that happy indoor cat!

 So if you've got five minutes, take action and help push for change that will protect local wildlife, cats and cat owners. 

Letter to state representatives: https://www.suehigginson.org/support_cat_containment_bill  

Wollongong Council petition: https://www.illawarragreens.org.au/cat_containment_2026