Local governments have a central role in cat management in Australia, holding primary responsibility for managing the estimated 4.9 million pet and 0.7 million feral cats living in towns and cities. Cat management is a complex, significant and ongoing issue for local governments but, prior to this study, there has been no national assessment of how local governments manage cats and the specific challenges faced on the ground.
We invited local governments to participate in a national survey during 2020, that aimed to gather information on how they manage pet and feral cats, how their management activities and outcomes are monitored, and what resources and actions could support improved cat management practices around Australia. As well as examining differences between jurisdictions, and the connection between state/territory legislation and local government practices, we also examined whether the remoteness or socio-economic status of local government areas influenced cat management practices, as this might flag regional variation in the measures needed to support better cat management.