FORTY cats in the City of Bayswater will be the first in WA to take part in the national Cat Tracker project.
The City is the only WA local government to join University of South Australia researcherPhilip Roetman’s study, which will involve about 1400 cats across Australia.
Selected owners will be sent a GPS tracker and once tracking is complete, they will receive a report on their cat’s personality and a map indicating where their cat has travelled to.
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READ NOWBayswater Mayor Dan Bull said the City wanted to be at the “forefront” of educating residents on responsible pet ownership.
“Cat Tracker will provide cat owners with information to help them care for their pets – from establishing how far they travel from home, to monitoring whether they’re crossing any main roads, or venturing into parklands,” he said.
“The findings will not only help cat owners make more informed decisions about their cats, but will also provide us with insights that will help reduce the risk of cat predation on native animals.
“The information collected helps owners understand their cat’s movements and keep animals safe from harm.”
Funded and supported by state, territory and local governments plus other stakeholders from around Australia, the project will start on February 1.
At the end of the project, the City would receive a full report based on how cats moved in an urban area.
To register, visit: www.discoverycircle.org.au/projects/cat-tracker.
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