10 February 2026
Greens Councillor Deidre Stuart will call on Wollongong City Council to support the Companion Animals Amendment (Control of Cats) Bill 2025, which is to be debated in the NSW Parliament later this year.
This Bill brought to NSW Parliament by Greens Upper House MP Sue Higginson amends the NSW Companion Animals Act to require cat owners to contain their cats within their property and gives councils powers to issue and enforce containment orders.
It also introduces escalating penalties for repeat breaches, prioritising education over punishment to encourage responsible cat ownership and cultural change.
Effective cat containment protects native wildlife and biodiversity by reducing predation from roaming cats, which have contributed to the extinction of at least 27 Australian species and continue to threaten many more.
Containment also improves cat health and safety by reducing risks from vehicles, dog attacks, ticks, snakebite, poisoning, fights and disease, while limiting the spread of serious cat-borne diseases to humans.
Cr Stuart will ask Council at its 23 February meeting to write to the the NSW Premier, the Minister for Local Government, the NSW Minister for the Environment and the state members for Heathcote, Keira, Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama, to express Wollongong City Council’s support for the Bill; urging the Ministers and MPs to support the Bill; and requesting State funding for councils to support education, compliance and animal shelter capacity.
Quotes attributable to Councillor Deidre Stuart:
“Wollongong has about 30,000 pet cats which may kill about 5 million animals every year, with most of those being native animals,” Cr Stuart said.
“This is a horrific impact on native species, and would include impacts on native species in areas of our LGA with high environmental and conservation values, such as state conservation areas, national parks or special areas of the Sydney drinking water catchment.”
“Australia is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, yet has the highest rate of mammal extinctions globally. Invasive species such as cats contribute to this loss. Containing pet cats is a practical, responsible step to help protect Australia’s unique natural heritage.”
“I was shocked to learn that human diseases related to cats cost Australia about $6 billion every year. That is an average of $200 per person each year, or I estimate, about $44 million per year across Wollongong residents. Toxoplasmosis, for example, is a cat-borne-parasite disease which causes miscarriages and congenital defects in humans, and is also linked to traffic accidents, suicide, and other mental health issues. Experts estimate between a quarter to two thirds of Australians are infected. Cat containment would reduce human exposure and break pathogen transmission cycles.”
“Containment also makes pet cats safer too, because sadly about two-in-three cat owners have lost pets in roaming-related accidents.”
Media Contact:
Cr Deidre Stuart
