Responsible cat ownership: the status quo on past attempts, current efforts and future aspirations of local governments in Western Australia

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is a popular pet and ownership is increasing in Australia. While there is increasing evidence-based agreement on core components of responsible pet cat ownership – desexing, registration and microchipping, and permanent containment – there is inconsistent enabling policy and enforcement across the country, particularly at the local government level where these issues are managed. We sought to clarify past, current and planned future efforts in Western Australia (WA