NEARLY three-quarters of Western Australian councils want to introduce stricter controls to stop pet cats from roaming according to a new survey.

But many say they’re being stymied by outdated state laws,.

A new report by the WA Feral Cat Working Group reveals that 78% of the state’s local governments are eager to implement permanent containment for pet cats, but lack the legal backing to do so.

“Our report highlights a long-standing challenge for local governments in Western Australia,” said the group’s executive Dr Bruce Webber. “Their communities are calling loudly for cat containment, and they are seeking to implement solutions, but are all too often having their efforts blocked.”

Dr Webber said while a review of the Cat Act is underway, it could take up to five years before any legislative change comes into effect.

“We cannot wait for yet another review of the Cat Act to act on this mandate for cat containment, that solution will take too long to deliver,” he said. “We need immediate change to enable local governments to prevent pet cats from roaming.”

Calls for reform come as public awareness around the risks of roaming cats grows. A 2019 State Government review showed 73% of respondents supported anti-roaming laws — a number that has only risen with time.

“We need to rethink what it means to be a cat owner in Western Australia and see cat containment as a basic responsibility,” Dr Webber said. “It’s better for everyone this way, for pets, people, and wildlife.”

Animal welfare groups say the toll of free-roaming cats is clear. “We get continual requests from members of the public to assist with discounted vet work for their owned cats that have been injured from roaming-related incidents,” said Cat Haven WA CEO Roz Robinson.

“Often the cat is so badly injured that immediate humane euthanasia is the only outcome.”

Robinson said a shift to containment could halve the number of cats the shelter takes in each year. “Loving your cat isn’t about letting it free roam, it is about keeping it as safe as possible,” she said.

Roaming cats not only face car strikes, disease and attacks, but also contribute heavily to Australia’s environmental decline. Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough said pet cats are “sending our suburbs silent,” killing more than 300 million native animals across the country each year.

“WA is lagging the nation when it comes to ensuring responsible pet ownership laws and local councils are crying out for the state government to step up and empower them to protect wildlife,” he said.

“For the sake of our numbats, terns, frogs and skinks, WA can’t afford to fail on cat containment any longer.”