Could you soon have to license your cat in the City of Kitchener?

Some Kitchener residents have launched a petition to implement cat licensing in the city.

Brenda Luft and Mark Kavanagh are behind the push to provide felines with the same sort of licensing process there is for pet dogs.

The pair are big fans of cats and have dedicated much of their time to getting them off the streets safely.

“Thirteen years ago on our street, we had 19 adult feral cats,” said Kavanagh. “During the last 13 years, we’ve now reduced it down to two feral cats.”

They’ve also expanded their efforts across the city through the Feral Cat Project, and have noticed a trend.

“The problem was they weren’t neutered or fixed and there were no tags, no chips. We had no option but to bring them to the SPCA,” Kavanagh explained.

Doing that, he added, puts extra strain on resources at local humane societies.

Mark Kavanagh and Brenda Luft with the Feral Cat Project on May 6, 2024. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV Kitchener)

The duo hopes the petition will get the conversation going with city officials.

“If a cat is caught after being loose, instead of tying up the SPCA’s kennels for the mandatory three-day hold, a mandatory chip with the license can be scanned and we can get a hold of the owner right away,” Kavanagh said.

Although it puts more responsibility on owners, it could also help them in the long run.

“When they go to the humane society, some people don’t have the money to get them out and pay those fines,” said Luft. “It discourages some people from coming forward to get their pets.”

The pair also hope money collected through the licensing program could help provide a lower-cost neuter and spay program, so they can improve the long-term health of pet cats and wild ones, particularly females.  

Nearby cities like Guelph, Stratford and Toronto already require cats to be licensed. That’s not the case in Kitchener, but licensing sterilized dogs has an annual fee of $37.36.

City staff say they’re open to hearing feedback from residents, but admit the licensing process could be tricky to implement.

“I'll be very honest, we struggle to license dogs as it is,” explained Gloria MacNeil, director of enforcement with the City of Kitchener. “So adding another layer of that to it we know is going to be a drain on staff resources. The second piece of it is we have to leave people up to the honour system to do that.”

The reason is because it’s tougher to police cats.

“Cats don't bark when you come to the door. Being able to see whether somebody owns a cat or not is a lot trickier than with a dog,” MacNeil added.

Luft and Kavanagh insist licensing isn’t meant to punish pet owners and they recognize change won’t happen in the city overnight.

They’re just thankful that staff are willing to discuss ways to make every kitty in the city a little safer.