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Simon Landow, a councillor for Sydney south-west area Wollondilly, is leading a push to restrict the number of cats you can own in NSW.

The Council is lobbying the State Government to limit the number of cats for non-breeders to create “an equal playing field between dogs and cats”.

Speaking to the ABC, Simon Landow said he thinks owners should have no more than six cats unless they’re registered breeders.

Essentially, the Council doesn’t want Sydney to be overrun by this:

Councillor Landow pointed out the fact that according to the NSW Companion Animals Act 2008, stray dogs off a leash can be picked up by council rangers or the RSPA to have their microchips scanned and owners fined. The same law doesn’t apply to cats and cat owners.

Landow also said millions of native species are killed each year by cats: “I’m about protecting wildlife and this is one measure that we could help solve that.”

“We need the legislation changed,” Landow told the ABC. “[…] so there’s actually a notion of a stray cat, because currently there isn’t.

“What my proposal seeks is to restrict the numbers of cats someone can have, and [introduce] compulsory desexing of cats if you’re not a registered breeder.”

The overpopulation of cats is already front of mind for the State Government, recent amendments to state legislation sought to request annual permits for owners of female cats not desexed by four months of age, and a penalty for pet owners who repeatedly fail to register their cat.

NSW Cat Fanciers Association president Joanne Greentree, has reacted in just the way you’d expect from the president of a Cat Fanciers Association.

The registered breeder and owner of six (!) cats told the ABC: “I think they’re penalising a majority for what a minority is doing wrong,” .who owns six cats and is a registered breeder, said the cap would be unfair on responsible pet owners.