Responsible Cat Ownership

Responsible cat ownership plays a key part in protecting our unique native wildlife.

Being a cat owner can be tremendously rewarding. They offer companionship and have many positive impacts on human health. However, it is important to be vigilant and protect our native wildlife.

The Lithgow Local Government area has many sections of native bushland that contains rare and threatened plants as well as providing habitat for a range of threatened native animals. In Australia, cats have no natural predators. They are most active at night, dusk and down when much of our native wildlife is also active. Even well fed cats will prey on native wildlife due to their natural hunting instincts.

The types of native animals killed by domestic cats include possums, birds, lizards, snakes, geckos, bats native rats and marsupials. A domestic cat can kill on average about 30 native animals per year.

For tips on ensuring you protect our native wildlife and prevent your cat from being a hunter visit Council’s fact sheet located on Council’s Website http://council.lithgow.com/lithgow-animal-shelter/