Feral and Stray Cats (Felis catus)
Previous status: Feral cats were included in the site-led programme for Waimea Estuary.
New management category: Further site-led programmes have been added, targeting both feral and stray cats at several high value sites:
- Nelson City – new site-led programme at numerous named publicly owned/managed sites, and a new pest agent rule.
- Abel Tasman National Park (ATNP) private enclaves – added feral/stray cats to the existing site-led programme and a new pest agent rule.
- St Arnaud - added feral/stray cats to the existing site-led programme and a new pest agent rule.
Pest agent cat definition under this Plan: any cat that in any way leads to the replication or survival of stray or feral cat populations.
The proposed cat management bylaw may assist in distinguishing feral and stray cats from companion cats, by potentially making desexing and microchipping compulsory. The RPMP can only deal with pest cats, but the proposed bylaw can help distinguish the pest cats from companion cats. Both Tasman and Nelson have a proposed cat management bylaw in the works.
The following cat definitions apply when reading this Plan:
Type | Relationships with humans | Considerations |
Companion cat | Directly dependent | Has owner/ guardian |
Stray cat | Directly or indirectly dependent | Community cat(s), semi-owned, unowned, managed or unmanaged as a single cat or colony |
Feral cat | Independent and unsocial | Wild animal, considered a pest in many regions in New Zealand. |
Source: SPCA/NZ Cat Management Strategy
New Plan Rules
Nelson City
Specific rule for feral and stray cats in the Nelson City site-led programme:
Over the duration of this Plan, and with regard to named high value sites within Nelson City;
a) Any person who suspects the presence of any feral or stray cat in any named high value site must report its presence and location to Nelson City Council within 48 hours of their sighting.
b) No person shall feed or shelter any feral or stray cat in any named high value site.
Specific pest agent cat rule for the Nelson City site-led programme:
No person shall deliberately release into the wild (i.e. in any named high value site in Nelson) any companion or stray cat.
Nelson City named sites for feral and stray cat management:
Airport Peninsula Esplanade | Eureka Park | Marsden Valley Reserve | Tantragee Reserve |
Andrews Farm Reserve | Grampians Reserve | Oyster Island | Titoki Reserve |
Atmore Reserve | Haulashore Island | Paremata Flats Foreshore | Venner Reserve |
Botanical Hill | Lighthouse (PNL) | Raupō Swamp (DOC) | Waahi Taakaro Golf Course |
Boulder Bank Reserve (DOC) | Maitai River Esplanade | Roding Water Reserve | Wakapuaka Sandflats Esplanade |
Brook Conservation Reserve | Maitai Valley Motor Camp | Tāhunanui Beach Foreshore | Wakapuaka Treatment Plant |
Brook Reservoir Motorcamp | Maitai Water Reserve | York Valley Detention Reserve | York Valley Landfill |
St Arnaud
Specific rule for feral and stray cats in the St Arnaud environs site led programme:
Over the duration of this Plan, and with regard to the St Arnaud site-led programme;
Any person who suspects the presence of any feral or stray cat observed within the mapped area must report its presence and location to Tasman District Council within 48 hours of their sighting.
Specific pest agent cat rule for the St Arnaud environs site-led programme:
Over the duration of this Plan, and with regard to the St Arnaud site-led programme;
a. No person shall keep, hold or harbour any companion cat within the mapped area unless it is desexed and its identity is microchipped, and the chip is registered on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.
b. No person shall deliberately release into the wild (i.e. Nelson Lakes National Park and environs) any companion cat from or living within the mapped area.
Abel Tasman National Park
Additional rule for Abel Tasman National Park (ATNP) private enclaves:
Over the duration of this Plan, and with regard to the ATNP site-led programme;
c. Any person who suspects the presence of any feral or stray cat within the ATNP site-led programme must report its presence and location to Tasman District Council within 48 hours of their sighting.
d. No person shall deliberately release into the wild (into the Abel Tasman National Park and private enclaves) any cat, including a companion cat. This is a specific pest agent cat rule for the Abel Tasman National Park and enclaves site-led programme.
A breach of these rules is an offence under Section 154N(19) of the Act.
Maps
Nelson City
ATNP - No change to maps
St Arnaud – note, this area is slightly different to the existing area for the St Arnaud site-led weed programme.
