Dodges Ferry Cat Trapping

Media Release – Ten Lives Cat Centre, 28 July 2026

Dodges Ferry Cat Trapping

The Ten Lives Cat Centre has launched a new cat management project to address the impacts of roaming cats in Dodges Ferry.

“We received 271 submissions during the recent community consultation survey,” Ten Lives CEO Noel Hunt said.

“Eighty-three per cent of respondents identified as Dodges Ferry residents, which highlights significant local interest in cat management.

“More than half of respondents (56 per cent) do not own cats, while almost 70% of cat owners reported that they already keep their cats fully contained on their property.”

Mr. Hunt said concern about roaming cats was widespread, with 72 per cent of respondents identifying issues including impacts on native wildlife, disease transmission and nuisance behaviour.

“The strongest themes that emerged were the protection of wildlife, the importance of cat containment and the need for responsible cat ownership.

“The project will now move into the next phase, with a coordinated trapping program planned to help manage roaming and feral cat populations.”

Landcare Tasmania Chair Bill Harvey said collecting good information is critical to effective conservation and builds community awareness.

“This survey has generated valuable local insights, which will support local action groups to prioritise cat management activities,” Mr. Harvey said.

“This better understanding of cat movements and populations will guide future management decisions that benefit both wildlife and the community.”

Mr Hunt said residents are encouraged to keep their cats securely contained on their property throughout August while coordinated trapping activities are underway and to ensure their cat’s microchip details are current and up to date.
“All trapped cats will be surrendered into the care of Ten Lives Cat Centre.

“At Ten Lives, we love cats and care deeply for their welfare. Keeping cats safely contained at home not only protects them from injury, disease and traffic incidents, it also helps reduce their impact on native wildlife and the environment.”

Sorell Mayor Janet Gatehouse said the response from our community has shown that people care deeply about both their pets and the local wildlife.

“This next phase builds on what we’ve heard, providing practical advice and encouraging small changes that will have a substantial positive impact,” Mayor Gatehouse said.

“By working together, we can help keep our cats safe while protecting the wildlife and broader natural environment that make Dodges Ferry such a special place.”

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