The Keeping Cats Safe at Home project is a behavioural change project being run by RSPCA NSW in conjunction with Councils across NSW, including Weddin Shire. It is funded by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. The project aims to reduce the impact pet cats have on wildlife and improve domestic cats’ health and safety by encouraging responsible cat ownership.
Domestic cats are estimated to kill many of our native animals each year, including an estimated 53 million reptiles, 61 million birds, and 67 million mammals. We also know that two-in-three cat owners have lost a pet to a roaming-related accident, with a third of accidents involving cars. This project offered a different approach to managing cat populations in the Weddin Shire.
Preventing cats from roaming by entertaining them indoors can help minimise the impact they have on native wildlife.
Weddin Landcare worked with the local Council Ranger to apply for the first 4-year iteration of the program in 2021 to help instigate cat management programs in the Weddin Shire. Weddin Shire was one of eleven Councils selected to participate in the program from 2021 – 2024. A community consultation phase guided project activities for the Shire for the first 4-years.
From 2021-2024 Weddin Landcare worked with the Weddin Shire Council Ranger Allison Knowles, Lachlan Valley Vets and RSPCA NSW to implement a free desexing and microchipping program; distribute project messages through communication materials and promotions; deliver educational sessions to local primary schools about the benefits of keeping cats at home; and offer an incentive program for backyard Catnets enclosures to assist cat owners to contain their cat to their property.
The free microchipping and desexing program through the Keeping Cats Safe at Home project has proved to be very popular in the Weddin Shire.
The initial 4-year program was incredibly successful, with a unique partnership forming between RSPCA NSW, Weddin Shire Council, Lachlan Valley Vets, Weddin Landcare and members of the community to achieve the following results in the Weddin Shire:
- 335 cats were desexed and microchipped, reducing free-roaming, unowned
cats. - Provided education and support to cat owners, including 30 cat enclosures.
- Achieved up to a 75% reduction in cat-related complaints and decreased
- pound intake.
- Increased community awareness, with over 100 students participating in
educational programs.
The Keeping Cats Safe at Home program also involved an educational component with local schools.
In 2025, RSPCA NSW were successful in gaining further funding through the Environmental Trust to expand the program to an additional 19 councils, taking the total to 30 councils involved in the project.
The expansion of the program focuses on increasing rates of desexing, microchipping and lifetime registration while encouraging the uptake of voluntary containment of pet cats. It will also include a new statewide social marketing campaign to encourage communities to end cat homelessness and prevent domestic cats from roaming away from their home.
Weddin Shire Council has already commenced the new phase of the program and is again running a free microchipping and desexing program through the Lachlan Valley Vet clinic in Grenfell. Anyone wanting to have their cat desexed and microchipped must complete an application form, which can be returned to Weddin Shire Council or emailed to enviroservices@weddin.nsw.gov.au
Contact Allison Knowles on 0427 246 787 or Melanie Cooper on 0417 963 475 with any questions about this project.
