Farmers on the East Coast are asking local councils to do more to control feral cats, which are harming native animals and farm livestock. The group Federated Farmers says wild cats are now found on about 14% of East Coast farms and are costing farmers both money and time.
In Gisborne, calls about stray or feral cats have increased every year for the past three years. Farmers in the area say they are removing about seven feral cats per farm each year. These cats can carry diseases that make sheep sick, including one called toxoplasmosis, which can cause miscarriages in animals.
Federated Farmers’ spokesperson Richard McIntyre explained that many of these cats are either dumped in rural areas or are part of large wild colonies near towns. The group wants councils to provide more traps, funding, and support to control the problem. They believe the cats should be removed humanely.
Rob Telfer, a Gisborne councillor and former farmer, said wild cats once killed all the chickens on his farm. He believes better public education and responsible pet ownership are important parts of the solution.
Some groups, like Companion Animals New Zealand, say pet cats should be desexed, registered, and microchipped to stop more wild cat problems. But others argue that rules like this cost money and may not stop people from abandoning cats.
Gisborne District Council says it helps with traps and sometimes removes wild cats, mostly in city areas. Since 2020, the council has handled 115 cat-related cases. Most incidents are in town, not on farms.
The SPCA, which cares for animals, says it doesn’t handle wild pests but supports safer solutions like “trap-neuter-return,” where cats are caught, desexed, and returned to where they were found.
