WHILE they’re the beloved pets of many cat owners, there is plenty of evidence that cats will prey on local wildlife if given the chance to roam at night.
In Wodonga, the council has countered the threat from these attacks by introducing a curfew requiring cats to be confined to their owner’s property between 7pm and 7am.
No curfew exists in Albury but the city did inherit two housing estates from the former Hume Shire that carry a “no cat” caveat.
Both estates at Table Top were declared cat-free to protect the turquoise parrot, however, Albury Council admits it has never been required to enforce the caveat, nor has it received complaints about cats in the area.
The issue has taken the spotlight again this week with Wodonga councillors giving some consideration to the idea of declaring a cat-free estate within its city boundaries.
However, the questions arise as to how such a ruling might be policed and who would wear the cost of employing someone to do so.
Instead, the Wodonga curfew is a step in the right direction and perhaps one that the NSW Government, and in turn the Albury Council, should consider.
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