Chairman calls his council 'silly' over stray cat row

Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee says his council's proposal to ban the feeding of stray cats is "silly" and should be dropped.

Mr Lee yesterday added his voice to protests by the bands of volunteers who feed cats in shopping centres and reserves.

The ARC suggests such cat colonies should be banished in its discussion paper on how to stop animal and plant pests harming ecology.

But Mr Lee agreed with SPCA chief executive Bob Kerridge, who warned the council about lumping stray cats in with feral cats in any new law.

"Mr Kerridge has it right - there is a difference between feral and stray cats," said Mr Lee.

"There is no doubt that a feral is totally wild and kills so much of our bird life to live while a stray cat needs human company and support.' I don't think the ARC has got it right and it needs to give priority to what threatens our natural areas. I will oppose restrictions on feeding of stray cats because it's silly."

Mr Kerridge said the society was concerned that councils would call stray cats, which have owners, feral and they would be "eliminated willy-nilly".

The Animal Welfare Act says a stray cat must be kept for seven days before it can be destroyed or adopted - the same as for dogs.

"But a feral cat can be shot on sight, or hit on the head with a hammer," said Mr Kerridge.

Mr Lee said he was worried that the cat-feeding row was drawing public attention away from the debate needed about serious pest and weed problems.