Jordan Doherty
Brimbank cat owners are being encouraged to have their felines desexed as the number of kittens born in the municipality “escalates”.
According to Brimbank council, the later start to the cat breeding season in 2022 has resulted in a higher number of kittens born between November and January.
Council’s city development director Kelvin Walsh urged cat owners to desex and register their cats so they do not add to the large number of stray, semi-owned and feral cats in the municipality.
“We encourage people who feed unowned cats to take full ownership including having them desexed and microchipped,” he said.
“If they are not prepared to do this, unowned cats should be reported or trapped and handed over to Brimbank’s animal management team or shelter for assessment and possible adoption.”
Non-profit veterinary clinic West Side provides affordable pet desexing for Brimbank residents.
West Side’s Ann Enright said Brimbank’s growing feline population was a concern.
“A lot of people in local areas are not aware that kitten numbers are very high at the minute, if we are able to reduce these numbers then there will not be as many stray cats wandering the streets,” she said.
“There is also a high euthanasia rate when it comes to strays as there are very limited resources to care for them. We know around 45 per cent of cats and kittens entering pounds in the Melbourne area are killed.
“Cats start breeding by four months of age and can have three litters a year with three to five kittens.
“If left un-desexed, one female cat and her offspring can produce 2000 kittens in four years. The main reason people don’t desex their cats is because they can’t afford it, so our aim to provide these services at an affordable rate for pet owners.”
