Conservationists call for new cat rules in Mid Canterbury

The Ashburton District Council has been asked to investigate the introduction of a cat management policy. Photo/ 123rf

Mid Canterbury could be on course for introducing some form of cat management policy after conservationists asked for help to keep bird songs ringing out.

The Ashburton District Council will investigate a cat policy after a request from the Methven and Foothill Birdsong Initiative.

Project representatives Barry Maister and Mac McElwain went to the district’s biodiversity advisory group on Tuesday asking for them to recommend the council introduce a cat management policy.

The group, which consists of representatives from groups like Federated Farmers, Department of Conservation, ECan, Fish & Game, Forest and Bird, the birdsong initiative, as well as the council, supported the recommendation.

McElwain said the impacts of cats on biodiversity are well known but it’s “more of a people issue”.

“We don’t have as many responsible cat owners as we should.”

If they can’t get on top of the problem cats, the birdsong project will fail, he said.

A landscape concept plan is being considered by the Methven Community Board and the council to develop a 2.5 hectare block of vacant council-owned land beside an established planting area, known as the Garden of Harmony, with the objective to increase the native birdsong in Methven.

A trapping programme in Methven has already removed around 80 possums, plenty of hedgehogs, rats, mice and a stoat in three months.

Standing in the way is how they manage the town’s cat population.

McElwain said desexing is the most important aspect of managing the population while microchipping and registration ensure the safety of pet cats if they are caught in the trap.

Council ecologist and biodiversity adviser Christian Chukwuka said feral cats are an increasing issue in the foothills and high country areas.

The Lake Heron Conservation Society’s trapping has caught 97 cats in the last seven years, he said.

“The question to ask is where are these cats coming from as there are about three or four houses up there.”

Cats are hunters and are migrating from urban centres into the rich food-source high-country areas, he said.

Methven and Foothill Birdsong Initiative members Mac McElwain and Barry Maister put their case forward for a cat management policy in Mid Canterbury at the biodiversity advisory group meeting on Tuesday. Photo / Jonathan Leask, LDR

“It is something that we need to tackle and see how we can manage that population, or it will be a big issue for our biodiversity – not in Methven or Ashburton, but along the rivers and high country.”

Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown questioned if a policy will achieve the desired results or “is there another way”.

The group recommended the council investigates a cat management policy.

That report will consider what other councils do.

The Selwyn District Council updated its Keeping Animals, Poultry and Bees Bylaw in July 2022 to require all domestic cats in the district over the age of 4 months to be microchipped and registered.

Selwyn’s head of regulatory Susan Atherton said the council do not manage cats and does not charge a fee as there is no national legislation requiring compulsory registration of cats, unlike dogs.

“Microchipping and registration on a companion pet register gives pet owners confidence that trapped cats may be identified as pets and can assist in reuniting them with their owners.

“The cost of microchipping and registration of cats is covered by the cat owners.”

The microchipping cost is around $15-20 plus vet fee, while registrations with NZCAR are a one-off fee of $15.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.