Position Statements

Desexing Position Statement

The Dog and Cat Management Board (the Board) supports the desexing of companion cats. Research indicates that desexing brings a number of benefits for cats, cat owners, and the community.

Desexed cats are better behaved, have improved temperament and show reductions in nuisance behaviour, including spraying, yowling and wandering. Desexing companion reduces the number of unwanted kittens in the community. Cats have the potential to become pregnant from an early age, and need to be desexed or confined effectively (in a cat enclosure or kept indoors) to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

Importantly, a reduction in the number of unwanted litters reduces the number of cats abandoned to shelters, where sadly, many are euthanised. Desexed cats have an increased life expectancy and improved health, with a reduced risk of certain cancers.

The Board recommends that all companion cats are desexed, or if un-desexed, are confined effectively to avoid unwanted litters. In any desexing arrangements, exemptions should be made for cats belonging to registered breeders or show societies, and where desexing presents a health risk determined by a veterinarian. The Board will continue to actively promote desexing as a key aspect of responsible cat ownership and educate the community to increase the number of desexed cats in South Australia.

From 1 July 2018, all new generations of cats (subject to the above exemptions) must be desexed and microchipped.

References:
Denny, E & Dickman C (2010). Review of Cat Ecology and Management Strategies in Australia. A report for the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.

Stubbs, W. P., & Bloomberg, M. S. (1995, February). Implications of early neutering in the dog and cat. In Seminars in veterinary medicine and surgery (small animal) (Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 8-12).

Microchipping Position Statement

The Dog and Cat Management Board (the Board) supports mandatory microchipping of companion dogs and cats. Microchipping is the most effective form of permanent identification which imparts accountability on owners and breeders and assists the recovery of pets should they become lost or injured.

The Board will continue to promote the use of microchips in permanently identifying dogs and cats and the importance of keeping details current in an accredited registry.

From 1 July 2018, it will be compulsory to have your cat microchipped. You can access discount microchipping via www.chipblitz.com

Management of Feral Cats Position Statement

The Dog and Cat Management Board (the Board) recognises the importance of managing feral cats to reduce the threat they pose to native wildlife and to minimise the number of homeless cats which suffer starvation, disease and injury living in the wild. The Board supports the management of feral cat colonies in remote areas, provided it is done in the most humane manner practicable and that the methods used do not pose risks to the health and safety of domestic cats or other species.

Responsible cat ownership is central to reducing the impact domestic cats have on wildlife and ensuring pets do not contribute to the feral cat population. Any cat may transition from being a domestic pet to a stray cat to a feral cat.

The Board encourages cat owners to:

• Desex their pets; removing the chance of breeding with unowned and semi-owned cats, and having unwanted litters which contribute to the population of unowned and feral cats.
• Microchip and identify their pet with a collar and tag; increasing the likelihood that a lost cat will be returned to its owner.
• Keep them confined to your property, a cat enclosure or indoors; keeping them safe, minimising the threat domestic pets pose to native wildlife through their hunting behaviour, and reducing the risk they’ll become lost and enter the feral cat population.

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