Wellington City Council has launched a new collection of collars designed to keep local cats safe – and native birds even safer.
The colourful collars have a reflective strip around the collar, making the animals more visible to birds in low light conditions
This initiative is just one of many ways Council supports responsible cat ownership, says Animal Liaison Officer, Kate Baoumgren.
“In Wellington cats need to be microchipped and we encourage the de-sexing of cats. These are some of the first steps towards responsible pet ownership,” she said.
“These cat collars help to keep both our pets and native birds safe. Other options include installing a catio, keeping your cat in at dusk and dawn, and feeding them a high protein meat diet.”
The cat collars, made by a group at the Newlands Community House, are designed to loop over a cat’s regular collar.
Recent reports show native bird numbers are soaring in Pōneke, says Council’s Urban Ecology Manager, Henk Louw.
“Bird numbers have increased significantly over the past decade because of Wellingtonians taking action for nature. These collars make cats more visible and it gives our birds a little bit more time to move away safely,” he says.
“It’s encouraging to see those efforts to keep cats safe also has benefits for Wellington’s biodiversity.”
You can buy Smart Cat Collars online or at the Arapaki Service Centre and Wellington Botanic Garden Treehouse Visitor Centre for $17 each + $2 shipping.
