WA councils are pushing to tighten up Australian cat laws. 

Australian National University wildlife ecologist Sarah Legge spoke at a cat symposium this week, saying that pet cats kill an estimated 340 million native animals a year.

“For a start, there's actually more pet cats in the country than there are feral cats so we have over five million pet cats but … a bit over two million feral cats,” Professor Legge said.

“Pet cats kill wildlife but a lot of pet owners aren't aware of that because they don't see their pet cats hunting.

“But your cat will only bring back on average 20 per cent of of what it kills.

“So for every bird you find on your doormat, there's another four lying somewhere under the bushes on average.”

Research from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub has found feral cats in the bush can kill about 790 mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs a year, while a pet cat that is allowed to roam and hunt kills about 186 of those creatures a year.

The ACT has 17 suburbs where cats need to be contained in sealed cat runs or kept inside entirely. There are 38 local governments in Victoria that either have 24/7 containment or some form of curfew for cats. 

City of Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams says there is strong support in the Perth region to keep pet cats out of sprawling areas of natural bush.

The council has tried to introduce a local law to contain pet cats, but it was knocked back by a parliamentary committee because it did not comply with state laws. 

Councillor Adams says the 2011 state legislation needs an overhaul.

“Local governments, all we can do at the moment is educate, through micro-chipping, sterilisation, registration…really promoting responsible cat ownership,” she said. 

“Last year when we attempted to do that, the parliamentary-delegated legislation committee actually disallowed us and other local governments from attempting to make this local law.”