KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Sharon
We don't have a cat, because there are enough of other people's cats using our place as a highway. We have to keep our garage door closed, and had to cat-proof it as well to stop them sleeping and then getting trapped in there overnight ... they do impact on our life, so some restraint on numbers seems a good idea, but policing any bylaw may become academic. I say good luck to the Council that's brave enough to attempt this. I await further news.
Sonia
To the people complaining about cats doing their business in your garden, do you think that the number of cats people are allowed to own is really going to impact on this? Most people will only have one or two cats as it is. This by-law is not actually going to stop them from doodooing on your lawn! To the person talking about teenage mothers getting paid to have babies, try and stay on the topic, not only is that statement a load of rubbish, it also has nothing to do with a regional council enforcing its own bylaws. Anyway, I think it is stupid idea, waste of time and money to enforce and it impinges on the civil liberties of those that are involved.
Cat Lover
I would prefer to see Councils concentrate on not allowing high density building areas which is the base of many problems. Cats just being one.
kayeayeaye (Papatoetoe)
I think we should only be allowed 2 cats per household, we have a neighbour who has around 8-10 cats he cant even afford to feed them, he says that the SPCA come around once a month to feed them. My husband and I keep our 1 cat inside at night so she doesn't get into any fights with them. thanks
Rod
I am a responsible dog owner. Owning a cat should be the same as owning a dog e.g. cat registration etc... In my place there are so many cats around and I dont have any idea who owns it. There are so many cats' phoooh around my lawn and I cant even ask someone to clean it because I dont know who owns it. In short there is no control!!! Cats can easily trespass into your property just simply climbing over the fence and simply do its toilet around your property. What a mess!!! I even saw dead birds around and some are half eaten by cats. Government should do something about it.
Ian
I agree with a limit of two but more importantly they should be covered by the same legislation that applies to dogs. I am sick and tired of cats fouling my property, ripping open rubbish bags on collection days and roaming freely were ever they please!
Rachel
Finally! I have never owned a cat, but we have two dogs - on a fully fenced section and with a licence. There are people further down our road who complain if the puppy slips out the gate with the children to play in the front garden... and yet their two cats treat our property as a second home. It's about time cat owners had to take responsibility - why shouldn't they, too, be registered and contained on their own properties as dogs have to be?
Richard
Yes, absolutely, I think everyone, from the lowliest school kid up to the Prime Minister should be only allowed 2 pets. This means of course that Helen can only pick just 2 of Winston, Peter, Jeannette and Tariana. So, Helen, who's it to be?
Kylie (Christchurch)
I agree with all those people who are sick of cleaning up after other peoples cats. A limit is a great way of reducing the amount of cats using my garden as a toilet. The smell is awful and I dont see why I should have to suffer it not owning any cats myself. Perhaps if people could train their cats to not leave their property then a limit would not be needed - and this can be done, I have a friend who has 4 cats that she has trained to remain on her property. I am constantly chasing other peoples cats off my property, as I have 4 pet chooks and dont want them to get attacked. Having similar rules for all pets, including cats, as there as for dogs is a good idea - registering them and having the capacity to issue fines for trespassing cats. I would happily register my chickens!
nails
Ban them all! Cat owners have had it all their way for far too long. Talk of invasion of peoples 'right' to keep as many pets as they like is just nonsense. What 'right' do my neighbours have to allow their cat(s) to foul and damage my property? What 'right' do they have to allow them to chase the wildlife I wish to attract to my garden? Cats are just another exotic pest, right up there with possums, rats and stoats. Unless cat owners start acting responsibly and confine their pets to their own property I expect people less enamoured with them may take things into their own hands.
Tania Langford (Greymouth)
Didn't any of you see How Clean is your house on Wednesday night?. I think limiting pets is a great idea. Cats roam all around the neighbourhood in neighbours properties. Often these cats are not fixed up so kittens are also everywhere. I have no problem with cats, I have one myself. With the size of properties we have it is necessary to limit the number of pets so that they can be looked after adequately and hygienically. To those who say that no limit should be made, does this mean they would keep say 50 cats. I would expect the SPCA to have something to say about that. Lots of cats is cruel to the cats because you cannot adequately care for them and give the love to each cat is needs. Lets be sensible and limit the amount of cats we can keep. Its better for the community and the cats. Also I want to say that we should all be responsible cat owners and get out cats fixed so we don't have unwanted kittens. I am sure that the SPCA does not want to have to put down the kittens it cannot rehome. Looking after a cat is not something we should do because we think a kitten is cute it is a long term committment.
Sauj (Auckland)
This is a terrible idea. I for one plan to have an army of cats, how can I achieve this with this silly policy?
Steve (Swannanoa)
We live in a rural area, on a couple of acres of land, and have two cats. While I can understand the outcry from people who own more than two cats and who feel such a limit would be an unreasonable imposition on their freedoms, I would be entirely happy to see a council impose a limit such as has been suggested. Why? Because in spite of cats looking cute and cuddly, they are four legged furry killing machines! Native (and non native) birds are favoured prey for domestic cats. They kill for sport, not for food, so no matter how well fed and cared for they may be, they'll still enjoy killing birds. We used to live in the city, again, with the same two cats, on a quarter acre section. All around were other homes, all seemingly with their own cats. Our back yard was a favourite crossing place for the neighbourhood, and there were constant battles for control. We had to endure constant use of our ground and back porch as a toilet, and the stress of a high population of cats in the area was too much for our two, such that they started to spray indoors to mark the house, at least, as being "theirs". This stopped instantly when we moved.Town limits of two may be too many!
jan
What is NZ coming to? I have 1 dog and 3 cats, 1 is a rescue moggie from the UK and 2 are Ragdolls which are not allowed outside (a responsible action for this breed)The moggie is old and comes out in the garden with us and never strays - so as to hunting birds is not relevant in this case.I am sick of nanny state interfering in peoples' lives - we have got it so wrong in this country I am considering moving back overseas. We don't limit the number of children that kids get paid for to keep having by us taxpayers. The ethos in NZ is for teenage girls to have children rather than get a job as they know the state will pay for housing and upkeep. Issue is these kids end up either neglected or abused and the cycle continues. The real limit should be put on these teenage mothers- stop paying them to keep on having kids.
Jimlad (Nelson)
It's about time one Council has the balls to consider regulating cats - when will others follow suit? If my well behaved dog was allowed to crap and pee on my neighbours' property like their bloomin' cats do on mine, they would not be pleased - to say the least. Many's the time I have been tempted to throw their deposits back over to their side of the fence.I am sick of clearing my front door step of their deposits - cat owners should face the same responsibilities as dog owners in controlling their animals - and limit the number as well.
Pablo
Ridiculous. Do we limit the size of stereo systems to counter noise control problems? No, we deal with the people who cause the problems.
Alana
I have a cat; our section is too small to own a dog. I agree with other people that maybe a maximum of 3-4 cats would be better. I am surrounded by cats and dogs were I live now. I got the cat we have now for my children, to teach them responsibility and in return our cat is very loving towards them. My cat has been fixed so there will be no unwanted kittens. Owners have to be responsible, but I don't know who would enforce a new law - "The kitty police"
Albert
limiting cats:
To all inconsiderate cat owners - you are probably well aware that cats take care of their own territory, as such, will not do their "business" big and small on it. They go elsewhere, like your neighbours' compound to do their "business", and who ended up clearing them? Sure you can have your rights and freedom to own as many cats as possible, but do you also want to take the responsibility of being the rightful owner of the unwanted "souvenirs" your cats leave behind each day after they've done their "business"? I want my rights and freedom of fresh air, not stinking smelly air when I leave my house each morning. What would you have said if my dogs go over to your house and poole everyday and you end up picking them up? Would that be nice?
Beedle
That's the most stupidest proposition I've ever heard! I like my one way better; it's logical, it gets to the heart of the problem & it'll sort a lot of crap in society out, potentially saving the tax payer. I'll call it Proposition Beedle: Anyone that wants to have a child must apply to have one, which will include agents coming around and checking out the home, ensure the standards of living are acceptable, scope out the parent's intentions, and ensure they will have a steady income that will provide the child with the necessities of life...you know, just like one goes through when applying for a gun licence? I'm so logical, I know, why didn't they think of this beforehand?! Imagine if this came to pass: crime stats will drop because there won't be the broken home snowball scenario where an individual deals with their upbringing negatively. Let's focus on the real issues here. Cats?! That's too funny.
Luke Mason
Has anyone heard of human rights? I can't believe that this is happening. We are not communists, and as far as I'm aware, as long as you have the funds and the right environment then you can have as many pets as you like. I don't think that this may be legal?
Celtic (Auckland)
I think this is ridiculous! Why don't the councils spend time and money on dealing with the people who abuse animals.. the people who neglect their animals, who don't get them desexed!
Essy (Auckland)
I'm a pet lover and have had 2 cats and 2 dogs in the one household when I lived rurally. Now living in the inner city I just have the one cat. I believe that there shouldn't be a limit on the number of cats as long as people are responsible for example; spay/neuter cats, collar and bell to help protect birds and identify ownership.
Chris
I tend to agree with the limit. We do have a cat, and 1 is enough for us.The problem with cats are that they are never up to mischief in your yard, instead they are in the neighbours yards up to who knows what. This does not endear them to your neighbours, and this creates bad feelings towards the cat owners. People are generally too PC to approach you about cat issues, and even if they do there isn't much you can do about what your cat gets up to.So, the avoid less impact on the neighbours it may just be a good idea to limit the number of cats per household. Or even better, introduce a "cat license", maybe the cost of this will deter inconsiderate people from having too many cats.
Eddie (Auckland)
All animals should be limited and confined to the owners property. Strays have no owners and therefore should be caught and immediately put down. Why should I have to put up with other people's "pets" on the loose and on the leash coming onto and being deliberately led onto my front lawn, nature strip, carport or garage because the owners don't want their own properties soiled by their animals. Maybe these so-called "Owners" should also be confined (or put down)along with their animals. Check out any dog on or off-leash areas and parks and see how many so-called responsible pet owners use pooper-scoopers, the residue speaks for itself!
Earl
Yeah, cats are great. Who else would slowly kill the wildlife in your area: Tuis, frogs, geckos, fantails etc etc. Yup, if cats were gone I would truly miss them using my pot plants for a toilet the lawn for -number twos- and all manner of other uses that I am told they have. Man, would I miss cats if they all just went away.
Clint (Wellington)
People should lock up their cats from 9pm like in Aussie to stop them eating the wildlife...
CJ (Takapuna)
I'm with Jonesie on tis one. I love cats but gee I get sick of them digging up my freshly planted vegetables and annuals to deposit something stinky and disease ridden in its place. Limiting the number of cats however will not stop the inconvenience of their cat habits but it will reduce volume and frequency of their deposits.
Georgie (Auckland)
After reading the article on limiting the number of cats per household and banning alcohol on beaches all year round I would like to make the following points: I believe responsible cat owners should have the right to have as many cats as they want...The problem is not in the number of cats it is in people not desexing them. I think there needs to be harsher penalties for people not desexing their cats. Responsible cat owners who take their cat to vet regularly, worm them, flea them and feed them should be left alone to have as many cats as they want. However, obviously something needs to be done about the people that do not desex or look after their cats and have felines for Africa coming out of their ears. The cats are often hungry and unhealthy. This is animal cruelty.On a different note I feel very strongly about the proposal to ban alcohol on New Zealand beaches all year round. I am totally against this. It is part of kiwi culture to go to the beach and have a few beers. Taking this freedom away is a sin against kiwi culture.I know many New Zealanders who feel the same way as I do. Thanks.
Mike
The people who want to limit the number of cats per household have unerringly missed the point: how do they propose to tell the cats that only two can stay in a house?
This measure is the usual "Blunt instrument" - it is not the cats that cause the problems, it is the 'owners'!
Babycat
I think it is a great idea. Long overdue.
Milly (Auckland)
If the owners can afford to keep more then 2 cats then they should be allowed to do so. As far as pets get good home, love and care I don't think people should be restricted to number of pets they can keep. If we don't take care of animals who will?
Kiwi Bloke
It never ceases to amaze me how quick we are to dispose of our freedoms. Today pets, Tomorrow Kids?
Jonesie
Our neighbours are very nice people but they have 5 cats (at last count) the cats spend a lot of time on our property, especially our garden doing what they do best. We have a nice garden and they dig up our plants.The cats are very cheeky and although I wouldn't hurt them, we really do get very annoyed with their presence. Especially the smell they leave around our front door. I can't speak for our other neighbours however who are really upset, one of whom has told me that he would dispose of them if he could catch them. Two cats would be better but no cats would be ideal.
Susan O'Neill
No I don't think the council should limit the amount of pets a person has, that is a person's choice. If they can afford to feed and look after them properly what business is it of the council, neighbours or anyone else.I have 2 dogs and 4 cats, all cats have been rescue cats, why should I have to ask my neighbours if I can keep these four cats, they do no harm, do not hunt native birds (maybe the odd sparrow), lets have a change and start butting out of people's lives. I am sick to death of bureaucracy imposing their police state rules on others isn't it time that people were just left alone.
me cat lover
This is not a communist state ,so leave people to have as many pets as they want , and what would happen to the pets that dont have homes ? Are you going to limit the number of children too or maybe have people sterilized. I have never heard of such nonsense in all my life, maybe people dont have any other pressing matters or is it a control issue with egos involved move on to more important business and use intelligence.
Vicky Young
I agree there should be a limit but think 2 is a bit steep. Four may be a better number.
Shaz (Whangaparaoa)
Limiting the number of pets,Yes. Cats do their toileting were it suits them. Their owners are not made to clean up after them (as dog owners are). When the little cute thing (not) has pissed in someone elses garden or yard, whose going to clean up? I do not know why I should clean up after someone else's cats. Property owners with children should not have to clean up, after other owners animals, just so their kids can play in the sand pit or yard.
We have rules for dog owners, what about rules for cat owners.
I'm sick of cleaning up the pee.. But what do, I do to stop cats from using my gardens and yard as a toilet. Maybe if I catch them and take them to the SPCA, let the owner collect it from there. Would it cost them? I hope so.