However, there are gaps in responsible cat ownership resulting in cat overpopulation that negatively impacts our urban, rural, and wild communities.  There are approximately 1.2 million companion cats in 35-41% of households across New Zealand, but only:    

• 88% of owners desex their cats (a reduction from previous reports),   
• 49% microchip their cats; and  
• 11% keep their cats at home.   

Firstly, people with cats who roam enjoy the benefits of companionship, but do not pay the true cost for letting their cat roam, especially if they are not desexed or microchipped. Secondly, there is a failure of government to protect public goods of cat welfare, native wildlife, reducing transmission of toxoplasmosis to native marine mammals and pastoral animals, and controlling nuisance in communities.

With no national approach to minimising the negative impacts of cats, we are left with a patchwork quilt of local regulations that cannot fully address the complexities of cat management throughout New Zealand.

National legislation should include requirements for cats to be desexed unless they are registered breeding animals animals and for cats to be microchipped and the microchip registered on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register. SPCA further supports national legislation that enables local councils to pass bylaws to manage cats to protect biodiversity, including the registration of cats on a government database.

The National Cat Management Strategy Group (members include SPCA, the New Zealand Veterinary Association, the Morgan Foundation, Local Government New Zealand, Companion Animals New Zealand, Predator Free New Zealand Trust, Forest and Bird, and observer members MPI and DOC) has extensively reviewed cat management in New Zealand. They recommend comprehensive cat management legislation that requires companion cats are desexed, microchipped and microchip registered, and kept at home.

• SPCA Mandatory Desexing Policy Brief June 2024

• New Zealand needs a National Cat Act - Infographic.pdf
• National Cat Legislation - Policy Brief.pdf
• National Cat Legislation - Background Document.pdf
• The implications of policies on the welfare of free-roaming cats in New Zealand - Scientific Paper.pdf

SPCA is deeply disappointed that the Government has rejected the recommendations of the Environment Select Committee report and refused to take action to make cat desexing and microchipping mandatory.

Desexing and microchipping are broadly supported as essential tools to help manage cat populations, protect biodiversity, and reduce the spread of toxoplasmosis. Several local councils have enjoyed broad support in developing bylaws for cat desexing and microchipping, but many believe this would be easier with central government leadership. SPCA considers the Government's failure to act on the committee recommendations a missed opportunity to address the cat over population crisis.

In August 2023, the Environment Select Committee released their report recommending Parliament progress national legislation requiring companion cats desexed, microchipped, and registered. SPCA applauds the report's recommendations. We are now waiting for the current Government to respond to the report’s recommendations.

As of June 2024, we have nine local councils that have passed bylaws requiring cats to be desexed with exemptions for registered breeding cats and health reasons and to be microchipped:

• Manawatu District Council (2019) (desexing only)
• Whanganui District Council (2020)
• Selwyn District Council (2020) (microchipping only)
• Whangārei District Council (2021)
• Ruapehu District Council (2022)
• Buller District Council (2023)
• Hutt City Council (2024)
• Wellington City Council (2024)
• Palmerston North City Council (2024)