Make a contribution to the future of responsible cat ownership in Western Australia
The WA Government is currently reviewing the Cat Act 2011 (the Cat Act), which (a) provides for the control and management of cats and (b) promotes the responsible ownership of cats. Feedback for the review is being sought from the wider community up until 31 August 2026. This is your opportunity to help shape the future of cat welfare and responsible pet ownership across our state.
About us
The WA Feral Cat Working Group (WAFCWG) is an independent organisation that provides a strategic focal point for cat management in the state. Our vision is to enable more effective, resource-efficient and humane management outcomes for cats. Our membership spans all key stakeholders in WA involved in conservation and animal welfare. We take a cross-tenure, context specific approach to coordinating and sharing information, prioritising and facilitating research, and enabling collaborative management. The WAFCWG is a one stop shop for information, data and methodologies on cat management in Western Australia.
How you can participate
The WAFCWG will be making a submission to this call for feedback. We encourage everyone with an interest in responsible cat ownership to do the same.
Here we share some of our priorities for the seven questions listed in the survey from the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety. Our positions are evidence-based and draw on only the best, robust scientific studies.
Download our Cat Act Review guidance
Feel free to use this content to prepare your own submission. If you would like to know more about any of the points raised or read any of the primary research articles that support our position, please get in touch and we can share this content with you.
Our highest priority recommendations
- A centralised registration and management system for cats (and ideally all pets).
- Early age sterilisation no later than four months of age.
- Mandatory permanent containment at the state level.
- A significant education campaign for all aspects of responsible pet cat ownership.
- A clearer binary approach to terminology (owned, unowned) across WA’s cat-related policy and legislation.
- Consistency in laws across the state, including enforcement, numbers of cats a household can own and the reporting of cat management metrics.
- Use-based cost sharing to support centralised cat management facilities.
Submit your feedback to the WA Government here
If you hear odd information about cat containment, check our guidance document on urban myths and fallacies here: