Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01747:reg:4:p13
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01747
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 4 (pt 13/80)
Character Range: 39129–42107

across the jurisdictions. While consistency would be beneficial, achieving consensus across jurisdictions, cat management organisations and stakeholder cohorts may not be feasible.

For the purposes of this threat abatement plan, a categorisation of 'feral' cats and 'pet' cats has been used. This corresponds with the differences in the management focus required to address the impacts of cats on native wildlife, and the actions most likely to be in-scope having regard to the management context and location. This is not a prescribed categorisation, rather an organising framework for the information in this plan; it does not override the legal categorisations that apply in jurisdictions across Australia.

The actions outlined in this plan will need to be implemented in accordance with the legislative, planning and policy frameworks that exist in the jurisdiction within which the management is being undertaken. The actions identified under Objective 1 of this plan seek legislative, regulatory and planning harmonisation across jurisdictions, where this is possible and it makes sense to do so. These kinds of improvements would better enable landscape-scale management approaches, which may involve multiple jurisdictions, and would better support conservation organisations who work across multiple jurisdictions to protect native wildlife from the impacts of cats.

   Feral cats, as discussed in this plan, are those that are not formally owned by people. Typically, they survive by hunting or scavenging for themselves and live in diverse habitats. Most feral cats live in natural environments and have no or few interactions with people. A subset of feral cats is found in and around cities, towns and rural properties; these cats may rely on resources that are indirectly (e.g. rubbish tips or abundant rodent populations), or deliberately and periodically, provided by people (e.g. placing food out for cats). These cats are sometimes called 'stray cats'.

       * In this plan, management approaches, actions and objectives for feral cats seek to reduce their impacts on wildlife, particularly the most susceptible native species. This can be done through reducing cat abundance or changing their hunting behaviours.

       * Some actions for feral cats living in and around human infrastructure (refer to Objective 9), and which sometimes have a higher degree of interaction with humans, differ from those in scope in more natural environments. In these scenarios, management actions are tailored to the context whereby these cats either become responsibly owned pet cats through socialisation and adoption where possible, or they are humanely controlled where ownership is not feasible or is unrealistic.

   Pet cats, as discussed in this plan, are owned by a person or people and their needs (food, shelter, veterinary care) may be wholly supplied by their owners. Some pet cats are contained indoors, but others roam.

       * In this plan, management