By Carl Pfieffer

Palmerston Council has rejected a proposal from one of its residents to build a sanctuary for cats, similar to a dog park, in the region.

Gunn resident Raymond Terrance wrote to council suggesting a cat park could be developed on a section of Fish River Park.  

Chief executive officer Luccio Cercarelli said there were a range of reasons why council did not consider the proposal to be feasible.

“Cats are solitary and prefer to roam on their own and not with groups of cats,” he said.  

“If they are raised in a home with no contact with other cats they may react strongly to another cat in their territory.

“It is acknowledged cats can be wonderful companions for individuals or families in our community, however due to their behaviours and personality traits as mentioned, a cat park within our municipality is not considered feasible.”

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Mr Cercarelli said Palmerston already had a dedicated dog park but would not be offering the same facilities for pet cats.

“Unlike domesticated dogs there are other factors to consider in terms of the socialisation of cats due to their territorial nature, threats to their safety and to the safety of native wildlife,” he said.

“Cats (domestic or feral) are known to be prolific and efficient hunters.

“They have caused the extinction of some ground-dwelling birds and small to medium-sized mammals.

“Cats have been identified as a key threat to the survival of several native species by the Federal Government and for this reason council aims to educate the public on keeping domestic cats within the confines of their property.”

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