12/05/2026
Cats need your compassion. In an environment where cats are too often demonised, it must be remembered that cats are sentient beings. The Tasmanian government has an open cat management consultation which closes this Friday 15 May: https://nre.tas.gov.au/invasive-species/responsible-cat-ownership/cat-management-consultation . This consultation asks many questions.
The Australian Pet Welfare Foundation has answered these questions and made them available on their site: https://petwelfare.org.au/government-submissions/tasmania . Broadly they ask that cats, and people who love and care for cats, be treated with compassion and support, rather than with punitive, expensive and onerous measures. A few key points:
- no to cat registration, microchipping is sufficient
- support and education for cat carers to keep cats on their properties rather than legislation and punishment
-no to prohibiting the feeding of stray cats - feeding hungry cats lessens their reliance on catching food, and people providing care for these cats should be supported to bring these cats into homes, and use measures to reduce breeding
-being very clear about the distinction between lost or roaming companion cats, strays and semi domesticated cats that live near humans, and truly wild-living (feral) cats.
The Australian Pet Welfare Foundation have been doing wonderful groundbreaking work in this area, finding practical and compassionate solutions. Yes, it is contentious in some circles, but being compassionate and long-sighted should never be ignored.