MELVILLE council won’t be following Cockburn and Fremantle’s lead and keep cats contained within their owners’ property, but will look to ban them from bushland areas.

The council has released a draft Cat Management Plan which includes plans to lobby the state government to introduce a night-time cat curfew.

Mayor George Gear says the state’s current Cat Act doesn’t give the council the power to enforce curfews.

A council survey found that more than 50 per cent of cat owners allowed their pets to roam, though most reckon none came home with a honeyeater hanging from its mouth.

Mr Gear says that’s “in contrast with other research that suggests, despite their valued role as companion animals, cats are a major threat to native wildlife with the average roaming cat killing 186 mammals, birds and reptiles a year”.

The survey is open until December 3 at http://www.melvillecity.com.au/catplan