Federated Farmers is calling for increased support from local councils to address the growing issue of feral cats, which are causing significant harm to native species and livestock.
In Gisborne, the number of council callouts for stray cat incidents has risen every year for the past three years. Richard McIntyre, Federated Farmers’ pest management spokesman, highlighted that feral cats, which are present on approximately 14% of East Coast farms, present serious risks to biosecurity and biodiversity.
On average, East Coast farmers cull seven feral cats per property each year. The situation is further complicated by people abandoning kittens and adult cats in rural areas or feeding feral cat colonies in nearby urban areas.
“Feral cats not only have a devastating effect on native wildlife, but they also spread toxoplasmosis, a parasite that can cause abortions and other health problems in livestock, particularly sheep, leading to significant economic losses for farmers,” McIntyre said.
Feral cats are more resilient and agile than domestic pets, making them particularly difficult to control. Federated Farmers advocates for the humane culling of all feral cats, calling on councils to allocate more resources to assist farmers and communities in managing the problem.
Rob Telfer, a Gisborne district councillor and former farmer, emphasized that feral cats have been a persistent issue in the region. “When we first bought our farm, we struggled with a major cat problem because they decimated our poultry,” Telfer explained.
Companion Animals New Zealand has also called for local councils and government bodies to mandate microchipping, registration, and desexing of companion animals. In 2023, the organization submitted a proposal to Gisborne District Council’s review of animal bylaws, urging the council to make microchipping and desexing of cats mandatory.
However, Telfer argued that such regulations could lead to higher council costs without effectively reducing the population of stray and wild cats. “People’s behavior needs to change,” he said. “Regulating targets the responsible pet owners, as seen with the microchipping of dogs.”
Telfer pointed out that despite the mandatory microchipping of dogs, many targeted dogs were still not microchipped, resulting in significant costs.
Charlotte Knight, the council’s strategic planning manager, noted that while local councils have the authority to regulate animal keeping, there is no national legal framework requiring desexing or microchipping of cats. “Enforcing these measures at the local level would require significant investment in compliance and clear direction from central government,” Knight said.
The council’s animal control team leader, Ross Hannam, explained that the council responds to wild cat-related incidents on a case-by-case basis, typically when public concerns arise. The council can lend traps for stray cats causing problems in residential areas and help with their removal and destruction.
Over the past four years, the council has dealt with 115 wild cat incidents, which have cost between $17,250 and $25,875. The number of incidents has steadily increased from 29 reported cases in 2022 to 42 in 2024, with 13 incidents reported this year. Most incidents are within Gisborne city limits, though some occur in surrounding areas.
The council’s biosecurity team conducts seasonal possum night-shooting programs on farmland, during which any feral cats encountered are humanely killed. Over the past five years, the team has culled 382 feral cats.
The SPCA distinguishes between feral and stray cats, with feral cats being legally classified as pests in many parts of New Zealand. Bruce Wills, SPCA area manager, explained that the SPCA does not routinely accept wild cats as part of its pest control efforts.
Gisborne’s SPCA took in 149 stray kittens and 72 surrendered kittens in the most recent kitten season, rehoming 90 of them. The SPCA advocates for humane and sustainable management strategies, such as targeted trap-neuter-return programs. They also offer desexing vouchers for individuals willing to allow unsocialized adult cats to stay on their property.
David Lloyd, general manager of Companion Animals NZ, reiterated the organization’s support for local councils and government bodies to require microchipping, registration, and mandatory desexing of all cats and dogs. According to registered microchip data, there are 5,118 cats listed on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register (NZCAR) in Gisborne, with 91% of these cats being desexed.
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