The Stray Cat Conundrum: Balancing Compassion and Conservation in Omokoroa
The issue of stray and feral cats is one that resonates with communities across New Zealand. Opening our semi-rural clinic has shed light on the complex and often contentious relationship between humans, cats, and wildlife in our region. While our love for felines is undeniable, the challenge of managing their population is a balancing act—one that affects not only the cats themselves but also the native wildlife that calls Omokoroa home.
In this article, we aim to explore the various facets of the stray cat issue, highlighting the challenges and offering practical solutions for managing these cats in a way that benefits both our community and the environment.
The Growing Stray Cat Population: A Nationwide Issue
In every region of New Zealand, communities are grappling with the same dilemma: how to deal with the increasing 2,5 million stray and feral cat population. The situation is further complicated by the fact that cats are, by nature, independent animals.
Not all cats are created equal!
There are three categories of cats:
Domestic (domestic living and domestic fed), stray (wild living but supplementary fed), and feral (wild living and wild self-fed).
Stray: this category is where the line starts to get blurry. They aren’t the true feral cat living wild, we often find they are microchipped and neutered and were once owned. Often contact details are missing from the microchip database or there is no response.
Feral: are born into the outdoors, have no human contact, and are fearful of people. Typically, they look the same as a stray cat!
Even so, all three categories of cats can appear feral when trapped and taken to the unfamiliar surroundings of a vet clinic. We won’t always be able to tell what category they fall into by simply by looking at them in a cage.
Stray and feral cats often roam freely, scavenging food, territorial spraying inside and outside of houses, and in some cases, fighting with pet cats. They can also contribute to the decline of native wildlife, particularly birds, which are at the mercy of the cats' hunting instincts.
The Tension: Cats vs. Wildlife
One of the most difficult aspects of the stray cat conundrum is balancing the welfare of our feline friends with the protection of New Zealand's fragile native wildlife. As a country with a rich and diverse array of bird species, New Zealand is particularly vulnerable to the negative impact of invasive species, including feral cats.
Cats are natural predators, and in the absence of natural checks on their population, they can wreak havoc on local ecosystems. This has raised significant concerns about the future of some of our most endangered species, such as the kiwi, kōkako, and whio.
The community in Omokoroa is no exception. Our local wildlife—particularly our unique bird population—faces daily threats from stray and feral cats.
The Role of Omokoroa Pet Vets
As a veterinary clinic, our primary responsibility is to provide care for Omokoroa's companion animal population. We are deeply committed to the health and wellbeing of the animals in our community. We understand the frustration of residents dealing with stray cats that steal food, fight with pets, or spray in and around properties. However, as a small clinic, we are limited in the resources we can dedicate to managing the stray cat problem directly.
Our clinic is not equipped to take in stray or feral cats, nor do we have the legal right to euthanize a cat simply because it has been brought in without an owner.
‘The legal standpoint is: an otherwise healthy stray or feral cat must be kept for 7 days to ensure it is not owned before rehoming or euthanasia can be considered.’
For the safety of our staff and the health of the hospitalized animal we treat in the clinic, we need to be clear that our role is not to act as a dumping ground for unwanted and stray animals. While we care deeply for the animals we treat, as we are a small team of eight, our resources are best utilized in providing quality veterinary care for pets in our community.
Nevertheless, we are always open to working with local rescue organizations such as the SPCA to ensure that any stray or feral cats we encounter receive the help they need.
What Can You Do? Managing Stray Cats in Omokoroa
There are several ways you can help manage the situation. If you trap a cat, please have a plan as to what the next step is for the trapped cat.
1. Contact the SPCA or Local Rescue Groups
The SPCA and other rescue organizations play a vital role in helping to manage the stray cat population. These groups can provide advice, assistance, and sometimes even take in cats that need rehoming or veterinary care. They are also better equipped to handle the specific needs of feral cats, such as trapping, neutering, and releasing (TNR) programs.
Check out the SPCA stray cat position statement on:
https://www.spca.nz/advocacy/position-statements/article/stray-cats
The SPCA may request you take the trapped cat to a local veterinarian for microchip scanning and assessment. This is a free service at Omokoroa Pet Vets, but if the cat is in a reasonable condition (at the Vet’s discretion), under the SPCA standpoint, you may be asked to re-release the cat.
Legally, a healthy unidentified cat must be kept for 7 days, before euthanasia or rehoming can occur. Omokoroa is a small clinic and we do not have the resources to do this for every stray brought in.
2. Consider Trapping, Neutering, and Releasing (TNR)
TNR is an effective method for controlling the stray and feral cat population. The process involves trapping a cat, having it neutered or spayed, and then returning it to its original location. This prevents further reproduction, reducing the number of kittens born into the wild, while also allowing the adult cats to live out their lives without contributing to the population problem.
3. Create Safe Outdoor Spaces for Cats
For those with pet cats, consider creating a safe outdoor space for them to enjoy, such as a ‘catio’. This could be in the form of a cat enclosure or a securely fenced yard. This allows pet cats to engage in natural behaviors, like hunting and exploring, without posing a risk to local wildlife or other animals in the area.
Adding bells on a collar add both a hindrance to a cat hunting, but also is an aid in identifying your cat.
4. Educate the Community
Education plays a crucial role in solving the stray cat issue. By educating pet owners about the importance of responsible pet ownership, including spaying, neutering and microchipping their cats, we can help prevent the problem from escalating.
Microchipping cats is currently optional in most of New Zealand but this is changing as Wellington City Council is one example that mandates microchipping and registration for cats over 12 weeks old.
This greatly aids Vets in tracking original owners of cats and holding them accountable for their pets' care.
Lastly, encouraging people to keep their cats indoors or within secure enclosures with enriched environments can also significantly reduce the impact on local wildlife.
A Community Effort
The stray cat conundrum is not one that can be solved by any single group or individual. It requires a collaborative effort between regional councils, SPCA, veterinarians, local rescue organizations, pet owners, and the wider community. At Omokoroa Pet Vets, we are committed to doing what we can to help, but we also recognize that the issue requires a broader, more coordinated approach.
By working together, we can find solutions that not only improve the lives of stray and feral cats but also protect the fragile native wildlife that makes Omokoroa—and New Zealand as a whole—so unique.
If you're facing a stray cat issue, we encourage you to reach out to local rescue services, take advantage of TNR programs, and remember that small actions can make a big difference in preserving the delicate balance of our environment. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in making Omokoroa a safer, more sustainable place for both people and animals.