Unwanted cats are being called out as major catalysts for the woes of Kāinga Ora tenants in Whangārei. Photo / File
Unwanted cats are being called out as major catalysts for the woes of Kāinga Ora tenants in Whangārei. Photo / File
Putrid smells of dead cats and feline thieves pinching food from kitchens are some of the problems stray and abandoned cats are causing Kāinga Ora residents in Whangārei.
The cat-related concerns - just two plucked from a list of 16 nuisances - were revealed in a submission by a KāingaOra Whangārei tenancy manager and put forward to the Whangārei District Council (WDC) as part of its 2021-31 Long Term Plan (LTP).
The manager added her support to 1008 submissions calling for new bylaws that mandated all pet cats are de-sexed, microchipped and registered by 6 months old.
Submissions also backed an appeal for WDC to financially contribute to a Whangārei based Snip n Chip programme - involving either the SPCA or local vets - to subsidise de-sexing, microchipping and registering of cats for people on low incomes.
The cost, anywhere between $70 for community service card holders and $170, is out of reach for many cat lovers, while others simply do not care to de-sex them.
Kāinga Ora clients were fed up with the health risks and property damage large numbers of feral felines caused.
Among the frequent complaints outlined in the manager's submission were flea infestations and skin infections on young children caused by flea bites, cats spraying on carpet and furniture, damaging insulation under homes, and spreading diseases like cat flu and feline aids which created unnecessary expensive vet bills that could cause the premature death of clients' pets when they could not afford vet bills.
"Most of our clients are beneficiaries or have low incomes. They often have limited resources, support and money, so are unable to resolve the problem themselves."
The majority of affected residents were distressed by the "desperate, skinny, starving cats and kittens in their gardens and on their doorstep all year round".
But the community organisations who could help Kāinga Ora clients with the multiplying population of stray cats "do not exist", her submission claimed.
Northland Vet Group (NVG) - the region's largest veterinary practice - said the local SPCA currently de-sexed many cats "but are becoming overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of unwanted cats".
Vulnerable animals are the highest priority for the SPCA, such as sick, injured, young, lactating, or at risk of abuse.
They use a managed entry procedure to prioritise the intake of animals from the community and can take in strays provided steps have been taken to ensure the cat is not owned and they have available space plus resources to meet their welfare needs.
SPCA animal attendant and volunteer co-ordinator Viv Webb with kitten Zorro, who at one stage was one of the region's many unwanted kittens. Photo / File
Cat populations can boom as cats can become pregnant by 4 months old and are able to have three to five kittens in each of their two to four litters a year.
The NVG said action was needed in the next 10 years as hungry stray, lost, and abandoned cats caused problems, not just for people, but for the area's wild bird population.
"With the aims for a predator-free New Zealand by 2050 it is essential to have some effective programmes in place to control the populations of these very efficient hunters in our extensive bush and native flora areas."
The SPCA's nationwide aim is to halve the number of unwanted animals needing their care and support by 2029.
A letter from the organisation's National Operations Support Manager, Ros Alsford, to WDC councillors, part of an LTP submission, highlighted their de-sexing programme as a "humane and effective way to reduce the number of unwanted cats and dogs".
Proof was the launch of the SPCA's Snip 'n' Chip programme into the Far North in December last year where uptake had been "phenomenal", Alsford said.
The SPCA was on target to desex 4000 cats across Northland by the end of June 2021 but needed Snip 'n' Chip to be repeated annually to achieve the 2029 target.
"SPCA is therefore requesting funding from the Whangārei District Council to assist us to expand and continue running this programme for the foreseeable future."
Alsford said any funding received would be used exclusively in the district and the charity organisation would bear all administration and marketing costs.
Currently the SPCA needs $47m annually to operate nationwide, $2.5m of which is provided by the Government.
The microchipping of cats is currently mandatory in France, Belgium, Greece, and some parts of Spain and Australia.
Japan and the United Kingdom are currently considering new guidelines regarding the issue.
