There is no legal requirement to register cats. However, we recommend that cat owners have their animal desexed and microchipped.
You must provide adequate shelter, water, food and make sure the animal is healthy and has access to veterinary care if necessary.
Stray cats or cat colonies
If cats have been abandoned on your property by the previous owner or tenant, please phone the Tauranga SPCA.
We cannot do anything about cats straying onto your property. However, if the cats (must be two or more) have started living on your property and are not owned by you, or fed by you or anyone on your property, council may loan you a trap if they have one available.
Traps will not be loaned for cats on commercial or business premises.
It is your responsibility to manage the trap, and release any owned, domesticated cats that get caught. It is also your responsibility to dispose of any wild cats caught in the trap; this must be done humanely, in a manner where the cat does not suffer unreasonable or unnecessary pain or distress. We recommend you use a vet.
Council takes no responsibility or liability for the entrapment, release or disposal of any cats caught by any trap loaned to you by Council.
Reporting cat issues
Neither SPCA nor Council will respond to calls about roaming cats causing nuisance, as this is not an offence. SPCA should be contacted if it is a welfare matter, such as the abuse or neglect of any animal.
Why doesn't the council manage cats
The Dog Control Act makes provisions for the controlling and impounding of uncontrolled dogs. Unfortunately no Government legislation authorises Council to manage cats in the same way. The welfare of cats is controlled by the Animal Welfare Act administered by the SPCA.