Summary of findings

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General

3-5% of Australia’s urban stray cats are killed at pounds and shelters each year
An average of 56% of all cats entering pounds and shelters are killed (including friendly ones)
NSW data suggests that the current low level killing isn’t effective – there has been a steady increase, not decrease, in the number of cats and kittens killed
Removal of kittens and friendly adults for adoption is important in achieving early reductions in colony size
It would be wise for welfare agencies and councils to support community groups in desexing, to reduce stray cat numbers and shelter intake

Colony size

Use of CCP overseas

CCP is used in a number of countries including America, Canada, Singapore and Italy
In North America, CCP leads to a marked drop in stray cat numbers entering pounds and shelters and being killed
In a Florida study, shelter intake decreased by 66% where a CCP program was being used, compared to a 12% decrease in the control area. The cat intake was 3.5 times higher, and the number killed was 17.5 times higher in the control area than where CCP was being used
Dog intake where CCP was being used also decreased (36% decrease compared to 9%)
The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends not doing FIV tests for cats in CCP and using the funds for higher priorities, like desexing

Use of CCP in Australia

CCP locations CCP is occurring in all mainland Australian cities. It is mainly being used in residential areas (26%), industrial areas or factory complexes (20%) and streets and lanes (13%)
Colony size Median initial size was 11.5 cats
Effectiveness The effectiveness of CCP appears to increase over time – where CCP had been used for more than two years, the median percent reduction was 49% instead of 33%
Identification 44% of respondents microchip, 33% of respondents ear-tip
Rehoming 92% of respondents rehome kittens up to 12 weeks; 79% rehome kittens over 12 weeks; 83% rehome friendly adults
Feeding Most respondents feed once or twice a day

The argument against CCP being ‘abandonment’

The care provided to cats in this study is not consistent with abandonment
Most cats are fed once or twice a day
Many caregivers give parasite treatment; most kittens are given the F3 vaccination
(separate study) The body condition of CCP’d cats in managed colonies is comparable to that of owned cats
(separate study) 83% of CCP’d cats are still alive after six years; just 42% of pet cats are still in their home after five years
CCP is a useful method of non-lethal control of urban stray cat populations. It generally leads to reduced stray cat numbers, improved health care and markedly reduced cat related complaints

Will people stop feeding stray cats?

Probably not
A separate study indicated that 87% of people feel good about feeding a stray cat and 58% feel it’s the right thing to do
9% of Australians feed a cat daily who they don’t consider to be theirs
22% of Victorian households provide some care to a cat who they don’t consider to be theirs
Most are not desexed
These ‘semi-owned’ cats contribute to the 80-90% of stray cats entering pounds and shelters that are socialised to people

Impact of killing on people

50% of people involved with killing animals at pounds and shelters develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The current method of capturing and killing stray cats therefore has a very significant human cost [it would be interesting to quantify the costs to insurance companies and taxpayers]

Funding

CCP is largely self-funded and by other private funding sources
People may be self-funding CCP because the RSPCA and Australian Veterinary Association currently have policies against it
In contrast, in America, most CCP is funded by philanthropic organizations, animal welfare organisations and councils
Legalizing high quality CCP would facilitate funding and in-kind support

Recommendations

legislative change is essential to reduce:
urban stray cat numbers
cat-related complaints
wildlife predation
cat intake and killing in pounds and shelters
the toll that killing takes on staff
change legislation to define feral cats as those with no reliance on humans for food or shelter, and to specifically exclude urban strays
legalise and encourage CCP for urban stray cats
develop best practice guidelines, including desexing as close to 100% of the colony as possible, and adopting kittens and friendly adults, where foster and adoption resources allow it
aim to desex all cats in the in each colony as quickly as possible, with a goal of desexing all cats within six months
remove uneaten food after 30-60 minutes, to reduce mice and rat problems
target CCP, and prioritise funding, to areas that are over-represented by cat intake into shelters and pounds, and by cat-related complaints
RSPCA to develop a register of CCP colonies and provide low-cost desexing, microchipping, cat traps, food and funding. Include an annual census of cats in the colony, so that CCP’s effectiveness can be measured
implement dispute resolution and lend deterrent equipment if there are people concerned about the cats