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Care for Cardinia Creek |
Is your cat a Cute Kitty OR Cunning Killer: You Decide!!! |
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Beaconsfield Flora and
Fauna Reserve Friends of Cardinia Creek Sanctuary Managing the
Beaconsfield Flora and Fauna Reserve Cardinia Creek Catchment
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Cats are great pets. They are also fantastic
hunters. In Australia we have a number of native predators, a local
example being our birds of prey. Our local wildlife has adapted to
living with these predators over time, finding shelter and living in
ways to minimise the chances of becoming someone's dinner. There is
little that can protect our wildlife from the cunning and agile hunter
that is the cat. So how big is the problem? According to the Department of Sustainability and Environment, there are approximately 500,000 cats kept as pets in Victoria, as well as over 300,00 stray cats and around 200,000 feral cats. Pet cats in Victoria are can kill around 12.5 million animals each year. Feral cats are known to kill another 70 million animals each year, including birds, small mammals (eg. Antechinus, Bandicoots) and reptiles. In 1996, the Domestic (Feral and Nuisance) Animals Act declared that cat owners were legally required to register their cat with the local council and to wear a registration tag (as with pet dogs). Since then, the Cardinia and Casey council have established regulations requiring cats to remain on their owners property at all times and be kept inside at night time. What impact are cats having in BFFR? With the expansion of local suburbs, the problem of cats hunting in the BFFR is increasing. Cat trapping has been conducted in the past by the Cardinia Shire Council. Since the Friends Group have been working in the reserve, wildlife populations have grown to include many species that were previously unseen or uncommon. One such example is the Antechinus, which has flourished with the regeneration of ground layer vegetation. Unfortunately this animal, often called a "marsupial mouse", is a prime target for cats. Cats are seen daily crossing Emerald Rd from the Berwick Views estate into the reserve, as well as entering from the Cardinia Street area. Even a well-fed cat can hunt for the 'thrill' if not for the feed! Where is your cat right now? Love your Cat, Love your Wildlife... Keeping your cat safe inside your home does not mean locking it up in an unstimulating environment. You can create your own kitty palace - enclose an area of your house, garden or verandah, construct a large outside aviary-style area or build a cat proof fence. Furnish the palace with scratching posts, places to sunbake, toys and things to climb. More information here... Also:
There are responsible owners out there who should be thanked...... like the lady in Berwick Views estate whose cat sunbakes in her garden, tethered by its own kitty harness. And the family who visited Allan Street Reserve with their cat walking on a lead! If you are a responsible cat owner, your wildlife thank you! |
