Wellington felines will be strutting their stuff around the capital with new "glamourpuss" collars that aim to protect themselves and native birds.
The Wellington City Council has launched a new spring collection of collars making cats more visible in low light conditions and to the brains of birds.
"The reflective strip around the collar will make them more visible in low light conditions. The collars are brightly coloured red, orange, green, yellow and blue spots making cats highly visible to eagle eyes and bird brains."
Animal Liaison Officer Kate Baoumgren said in a statement the new collars are a move by the Council to support responsible cat ownership.
Baoumgren said the collars are made by the Newlands Community House and are designed to loop over the cat's regular collar so it doesn't obstruct the safety release.
“These cat collars help to keep both our pets and native birds safe. Other options include installing a catio, keeping your cat in at dusk and dawn, and feeding them a high protein meat diet.”
The Council's Urban Ecology manager Henk Louw said native bird numbers are soaring in Pōneke, and Louw is keen to keep it that way.
“Bird numbers have increased significantly over the past decade because of Wellingtonians taking action for nature. These collars make cats more visible and it gives our birds a little bit more time to move away safely," Louw said.
“It’s encouraging to see those efforts to keep cats safe also has benefits for Wellington’s biodiversity.”
The collars cost $17 each with $2 shipping.
