Treat cats like dogs. That’s the call for action in a letter written by the Victoria Natural History Society and sent to every mayor in the Capital Regional District.

In it, the group asks for local councils to consider applying local animal control regulations to cats. 

The group wants all cats to be confined to their owner’s properties. If the cats go beyond an owner’s property line, it believes cats should be physically restrained, using a leash, similar to dogs. 

"This isn’t that unusual," says Claudia Copley with the Victoria Natural History Society. "A lot of communities in the country have cat licensing rules in effect, and they have for decades, Calgary has had cat licensing for at least 20 years."

Other requests include mandatory licensing, and mandatory vaccinations against rabies. The society also wants mandatory spaying and neutering of all cats over six months of age, but the group says there would be some exceptions. 

The letter goes on to say:

"Cats that roam free, whether owned, stray, or feral, often lead short, traumatic, and painful lives. They also kill birds and other wildlife, and spread disease to other cats, wildlife, and humans. For these reasons, communities are increasingly recognizing the importance of extending responsible pet requirements to cover cats as well."

This isn’t the first time the group has lobbied for stricter cat regulations. Copley says she sent a similar letter to municipal leaders a decade ago but nothing happened. 

According to Copley about half a dozen municipalities have responded but so far none have agreed to making any changes.