Campbelltown Council mayor Jill Whittaker rallies against cat by-law opposition

An Adelaide mayor says there are three reasons controversial cat rules are being pushed, but one council partner says it will have to walk away over the policy.

The council in the process of imposing “barbaric” cat control by-laws has blamed cats using vegie patches as a toilet as one of the reasons behind a renewed push for the controversial control measures.

Campbelltown Council Mayor Jill Whittaker said the faecal fury was one of three reasons behind the measures.

The claims came as a long time council supporter threatened to withdraw their cat desexing services if the controversial measures are adopted.

Cats Assistance To Sterilise (C.A.T.S.) which is also used by the Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council, has had a partnership with Campbelltown for 32 years, but says continuing would be like “working with the enemy”.

President Christine Pierson said the laws were unjustified and would be impossible to enforce.

C.A.T.S. president Christine Pierson. Picture: Supplied

“(It’s) totally and utterly unjustified, extreme in its requirements, unrealistic in its objectives, unsupported by the science of cat behaviour and has detrimental consequences to both the cats, and the owners,” she said.

“The council, by its own admission, knows nothing about cat control.

“ (C.A.T.S.) will have to resign our services because we can’t work with the enemy.”

Campbelltown Council Mayor Jill Whittaker told The Messenger alongside the veggie patch defecation, there were two other reasons for the council “pursuing change”.

“(There’s) concern for the welfare of cats on increasingly busy roads and the protection of wildlife from cats in an area with an abundance of birds and other native animals,” she said.

“(And) neighbours want to enjoy their gardens without the nuisance behaviours of cats disturbing them or creating health hazards by using their vegetable patch as a toilet.”

Campbelltown City Council Mayor Jill Whittaker. Picture: AAP Image/ Brenton Edwards

Ms Whittaker said the renewed push for the control measures came as the council responded to an increase of 4000 residents to the area since 2016 which had “increased problems with cat management”.

Ms Whittaker had earlier told ABC Radio claims cats would need to be kept on leashes was a “furphy” despite the By-Law describing such measures.

It described that all cats would need to be “under effective control” from the start of 2024.

“Effective control” was defined as by “physical restraint” including on a “chain, cord or leash that does not exceed two metres”.

The council’s renew push for the By-Laws came three years after they first tried to introduce the measures but were blocked by the state government after blow back from animal welfare groups and the community.

Councillor Therese Britton-La Salle yesterday told The Messenger the measures were “barbaric” and said residents had contacted her in devastation.

A council survey of 403 random residents, 75 of who owner cats, indicated 70 per cent support for the change.

A 135-signature-strong petition presented to the council showed only 25 per cent of those respondents were in favour of the By-Law.