Cat education program expanded to Port Stephens

THE RSPCA’s Keeping Cats Safe at Home program will be expanded to another 19 local council areas in NSW, including Port Stephens.

The $6 million information and advice program, funded by the NSW Environmental Trust and supported by the NSW Government, aims to curb the impact cats have on our native wildlife and help domestic cats live longer.

The program focuses on increasing rates of desexing, microchipping and lifetime registration while encouraging the uptake of voluntary containment of pet cats.

Domestic cats are estimated to kill an estimated 53 million reptiles, 61 million birds, and 67 million mammals each year.

Two-in-three cat owners have lost a pet to a roaming-related accident, with a third of accidents involving cars.

Results from a Keeping Cats Safe at Home pilot program involving 11 councils include:

● Reducing free-roaming cats by 50 percent in the Blue Mountains, 35 percent in Campbelltown, and 25 percent in Tweed Shire council areas.

● Desexing more than 2,700 cats and microchipping more than 1,700 cats across 11 council areas.

● Cutting cat-related nuisance complaints by more than 40 percent in seven council areas.

The expansion of the program will include a new statewide social marketing campaign to encourage communities to end cat homelessness and prevent domestic cats from roaming away from their home.

Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe said, “This collaborative project is a simple but effective solution, created by people who care deeply for cats and native wildlife.

“As Chair of the NSW Environmental Trust, I’m proud to be helping RSPCA NSW take the next step in shifting pet owners’ behaviour by tripling the number of local councils onboard to a record 30.

This will drive real change to protect wildlife.”

RSPCA NSW CEO Steven Coleman said the Keeping Cats Safe At Home program delivers a “win-win solution that benefits both pets and native wildlife”.

“RSPCA NSW supports evidence-based approaches to cat management and will continue to support the voluntary uptake of cat containment by cat caregivers,” he said.

“We are incredibly grateful to the NSW Government and the Environmental Trust for their significant investment in this program, which will allow us to proactively help more people and animals in need while fostering a statewide cultural shift in how Australians care for their cats.”

While the NSW Government is pushing voluntary containment of pet cats, the Greens are pushing for stronger reform.

Last week Greens MLC Sue Higginson introduced the Companion Animals Amendment (Control of Cats) Bill 2025 to NSW Parliament.

aThe bill would require cat owners to take reasonable steps to prevent their pet from roaming, and introduce a tiered fine system to encourage community education and cultural change.