Keeping cats safe at home
RSPCA NSW has partnered with Tweed Shire Council to deliver the 'Keeping Cats Safe at Home' project, which encourages cat owners to keep their cats safely contained at home.
For more information, visit Keeping Cats Safe at Home (RSPCA).
Why keep your cat safe at home?
Keeping your cat at home has many benefits for both you and your furry friend!
Firstly, indoor cats live longer, healthier lives if they don't roam away from home as they’re protected from dangers such as traffic, fights with other animals, and exposure to diseases.
Secondly, cats sleep up to 20 hours a day so provide companionship and entertainment for waking hours - you get to spend more quality time with your cat and watch them grow and thrive in their comfortable environment,at home.
And finally, by keeping your cat inside your property, you’ll be helping to protect wildlife. So, why not give your cat the gift of a safe and happy at-home life? They’ll thank you with endless purrs and cuddles.
Tips for indoor cats
- Desex your cat. De-sexed cats typically live longer and wander, fight and spray-mark territory less than undesexed cats.
- Have a scratching post, shelves, boxes and toys to keep your cats amused. Cats love a window seat.
- Provide a clean litter tray.
- Consider having an outdoor enclosure as this protects your cat and native wildlife too.
- Cats are prohibited from all Wildlife Protection Areas.
- Report stray or roaming cats to Council as soon as you see them - call us on 02 6670 2400.
Keep your cat inside at night
There are very good reasons to keep your cat inside at night:
- all cats hunt, regardless of how well fed they are - cats usually hunt at night
- most cat fights occur at night
- most vehicle accidents involving cats occur at night
- cats can also cause considerable damage to the environment if allowed to roam.
Cats should never be fed until it is time for them to be confined. Once you invite them in to be fed, keep them in for the night. For those who don't like cats indoors at all then the garden shed or garage is a suitable alternative for confinement.