National Code of Practice for the Humane Control of Feral Cats
In Australia, feral cat control is guided by the National Code of Practice for the Humane Control of Feral Cats, which provides information and guidance to people responsible for managing feral cats. States and territories may chose to apply further or more stringent requirements in their jurisdictions.
The National Code of Practice for the Humane Control of Feral Cats (and more information on PestSmart) provides recommendations and standards for conducting humane and effective control of feral cat populations. It outlines a framework for managing feral cats to minimise their impacts on agriculture, biodiversity and public safety, while ensuring ethical treatment of the animals.
The code emphasises the use of targeted control methods (such as trapping, shooting and poison baits) and discourages inhumane or non-selective methods. It stresses the importance of considering the welfare of both target and off-target animals during control efforts.
The code promotes responsible planning and monitoring of feral cat control programs, including assessing population impacts and the effectiveness of control methods. It also highlights the importance of complying with laws and regulations, and engaging with local communities and stakeholders to foster understanding and support for managing feral cats.
Humane and effective feral cat control is important to protect our precious wildlife, like this threatened boodie or burrowing bettong. Photo: Gill Basnett.
Feral cat control methods humaneness matrix
In Australia, many feral cat control methods have been assessed and compiled in a humaneness matrix. The relative ‘humaneness’ of a pest animal control method refers to the overall welfare impact that the method has on an individual pest animal.
The Feral cat control methods humaneness matrix assesses the humaneness of feral cat control methods using the same assessment methodology, so they can be compared.
It uses a matrix that considers the degree of suffering experienced by the animal prior to death and from the mode of death. A relatively more humane method will have less impact on an animal than a relatively less humane method. This does not always mean that the more humane method is the most appropriate tool to use in your feral cat management program. The techniques used need to be weighed up with effectiveness in terms of overall control, so that we are not just killing feral cats for the sake of killing feral cats, but are reducing the impacts of these invasive predators.
Banner photo: Tony Buckmaster.
Source: Sharp and Saunders, 2008.