A WODONGA woman who lost her cat two years ago says she knows why cats are disappearing, but not what is happening to them.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bronnie Lehmann was devastated when her cat Pearches went missing from her Leonard Street home.
She discovered a neighbour had been using cat traps on private property outside of those provided by Wodonga Council.
More cats from the same area and West Wodonga have also gone missing in recent weeks.
“The owners are pretty distressed because they’re just nowhere to be seen,” Ms Lehmann said.
A petition calling on the council to outlaw unauthorised cat traps – the same way cruel rabbit traps were banned – attracted more than 300 signatures in just seven days.
Council rules state “cats must be confined to their owner's property between 7pm and 7am, seven days a week – outside the curfew hours cats may wander freely”.
Ms Lehmann said the real worry for the pet owners was what was happening to their beloved cats once they were caught, because they had not been turned into veterinarians or the pound.
“People aren’t doing that, they’re just getting rid of cats … as soon as a cat is on their property, they want them gone” Ms Lehmann said.
“I’m an animal person, I don’t like any cats under distress.”
She said council-owned traps were available to residents on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Wodonga, but cats were also going missing on other days.
The cat-lover pleaded with neighbours not to hurt the pets, advising people to squirt the unwanted visitors with water to send the animals away.
“Cats do wander, but it doesn’t take much to shoo them off, Ms Lehmann said.
“People have got to be more humane when it comes to cats.”
Ms Lehmann has two cats of her own and says she continues to be scared for their safety.
“I’ve been keeping them inside because I just don’t know what’s going to happen to them,” she said.
“You’d rather not lock them up and not let them out of the house.”
Ms Lehmann said she hoped the petition could reach 500 signatures and planned to submit it to the council to make authorities aware of the problem.
A dislike of cats may have led to the problem, but the response to the petition showed there were many more who would defend the pets.
“That proves that people care about cats,” Ms Lehmann said.
“I’m just overwhelmed.
“I was hoping I’d just get some sort of response.”
