Cat Management Plan 2023 A4 - v3 - SPREADS (002) - Flipbook - Page 9
CATS IN CAMDEN & AUSTRALIA
Camden has a population of
approximately 120,000 people
and 40,000 dwellings.
There are over 13,000 cats within
the Camden LGA identified on
the NSW Pet Register. Around
5,500 of these cats have been
registered.
There are no accurate
records to show the number
of households in Camden
LGA that have cats as pets
but according to the Animal
Medicines Australia (2022) Pets
in Australia: A national survey of
pets and people 2 report ‘a third
of Australian households have
a cat (33%), with the estimated
number of pet cats at 5.3
million.
There are also no current
accurate records that show
the number of semi-owned,
unowned or feral cats in the
Camden LGA.
The Invasive Species Council 3
estimates that throughout
Australia, depending on rainfall
conditions there are between 1.4
and 5.6 million feral cats in the
bush and 0.7 million feral cats in
urban areas.
Camden’s Biodiversity Strategy
2023 recognises the impact of
pest animals upon biodiversity.
Camden is home to 35 recorded
species of pest animal. Council
has identified a number of
species that have a significant
impact on biodiversity in the
Camden LGA, including the Red
Fox, European Rabbit, Deer and
the Indian Myna Bird.
Invasive animals have
significant environmental
impacts, including destruction
of habitat, land and water
degradation, competition
with native animals for food
and shelter, and disease
transmission.
The Biodiversity Strategy 2023
states that it is not only invasive
species that impact upon
biodiversity. In an urbanised
environment such as Camden,
predation by domestic
animals (including cats) is a
considerable threat to native
wildlife.
“There are over 13,000 microchipped cats entered
into the NSW Pet Register in the Camden LGA.”
2
Pets in Australia: A National Survey of Pets and People by Animal Medicines Australia
3
Cats in Australia by Invasive Species Council
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