LoggyAnn Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 Hi All I'm new to this site and this is my first post, I've scrolled through some of the previous posts about cats, and gained some information, but I've still got some questions if anyone knows the answers or could advise that would be greatly appreciated. I have a male neutered Persian cat, who is almost 6 years old, he is indoors approximately 70% of the time and outdoors the rest but he doesn't go very far and always checks back every half hour to an hour. He's a giant softie and isn't confrontational towards other cats, or animals (he likes to relax with my rabbits). He is on a special diet (Royal Canin) for urinary problems, which is managed fine with diet. I was wondering if people have taken their cats to the Brisbane area, I'll be looking at the suburban area's not city. and how their cats have adapted, do you let them out? I've heard various things and I'm not sure what to believe, one side of people say "oh no you cannot let them out, because of snakes, spiders, ticks etc", and the others say " yes its fine mine lived to ripe old age etc." Also wondering if anyone else's cat has a special diet? as I've read you cannot bring food due to the laws etc. So was worrying about sourcing suitable food. Which transport companies would you recommend? And do you pick your pets up at Melbourne and then fly with them to Brisbane or just meet them at Brisbane after the quarantine period?  Many Thanks   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 If he's mainly an indoor cat , then he'll probably be fine. You may find he becomes even more of an indoor cat because of the heat in summertime.  The risk of snakes, ticks and spiders is higher in Australia, of course, but it's only a risk not a certainty! You might feel more comfortable putting  a cat run in the garden, preferably in a shady spot, so he can move around and play in the fresh air without worrying about snakes. Personally I'm always more worried about what the cat might do to our vulnerable wildlife, but if you keep him in from before dusk until dawn, (when the wildlife is most active) he won't do much harm. It looks like Royal Canin is available in Australia http://www.royalcanin.com.au/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyAnn Posted November 2, 2018 Author Share Posted November 2, 2018 Thank you for the advice, he's a pretty obedient cat, I never let him out when it's dark here at all, so he's in most of winter, and only gets let out when I'm at home anyway. People must surely let their cats out though? I mean I'm sure it differs from area to area due to rules etc and wildlife? Yeah he's not a hunter, he's far too dopey and has grown up my house with guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, geckos, turtles etc. He just likes to laze in the sun and go to the toilet outside. Thanks for the link will look into that. I won't be emigrating until around 2021, so just trying to build up a picture in my head and plan.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetBlast Posted November 2, 2018 Share Posted November 2, 2018 My relatives have had cats in Brisbane for 35 years and never had a problem. In fact they have had a few cats have unfortunately killed snakes - including a death adder.  Yes the chances of something happening are greater than the UK but people have cats in Australia.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 You won't have any problems with the special diet - Royal Canin products are sold all over in specialty pet stores, online and veterinary clinics. For your own peace of mind it would be preferable to confine him to your garden or a cat run: it will keep him safe from cars, dogs, cat fights - he may not be confrontational but others in the neighbourhood may be - and people who hate cats and trap them. You can check regularly for ticks and at least one of the common anti flea treatments (Frontline Plus) includes a tick deterrent.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 3 hours ago, Skani said: You won't have any problems with the special diet - Royal Canin products are sold all over in specialty pet stores, online and veterinary clinics. For your own peace of mind it would be preferable to confine him to your garden or a cat run: it will keep him safe from cars, dogs, cat fights - he may not be confrontational but others in the neighbourhood may be - and people who hate cats and trap them. You can check regularly for ticks and at least one of the common anti flea treatments (Frontline Plus) includes a tick deterrent.  Reckon this covers it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 Budget Pet is one of the cheaper places to get your RC UT. https://www.budgetpetproducts.com.au/new/category/cat-products/cat-food/royal-canin-veterinary-diet/385/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyAnn Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 Thank you, this is fab. just trying to weigh everything up as its all the little things isn't it. How have people found vet bills out there? more than the UK or less? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted November 4, 2018 Share Posted November 4, 2018 On 03/11/2018 at 10:01, LoggyAnn said: Thank you for the advice, he's a pretty obedient cat, I never let him out when it's dark here at all, so he's in most of winter, and only gets let out when I'm at home anyway. People must surely let their cats out though? I mean I'm sure it differs from area to area due to rules etc and wildlife? Yeah he's not a hunter, he's far too dopey and has grown up my house with guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, geckos, turtles etc. He just likes to laze in the sun and go to the toilet outside. Thanks for the link will look into that. I won't be emigrating until around 2021, so just trying to build up a picture in my head and plan.  Yes, people do let their cats out. Like I said, there are risks which don't exist in the UK, but people just accept that. Also, a great many people are either ignorant of the risk to wildlife or refuse to believe their cat would ever kill anything. Studies following cats at night have shown that they do kill (and the owners of the cats in the studies are usually horrified). Having grown up with smaller animals your cat may be different, but I can never understand why people are surprised their carnivorous cat might be a natural hunter. http://www.safecat.org.au/ The biggest consideration when bringing a cat is probably the cost. The cat's air fare will be more than yours. On a side note, I'm curious how you can plan for migration in 2021 with such confidence. Do you already have a visa but are just delaying your arrival? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyAnn Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 Hi Marisa Thanks for your reply & advice. I totally agree it's cats natural instincts to hunt which can't be stopped but I always ensure my cat is on at night & he always had a collar with a bell on it. I'm hoping he will be fine because i don't really want to have to confine him to an outdoor cage type thing. He never goes super far, Just like neighbouring gardens etc. It's my future planning, my partner is Australian & he wants to move back there in the future, I'm finishing off my nursing degree then will work here for a little while & then hopefully emigrate. So it'll probably be around 2021 or 22. Heading out for a holiday next year to get a feel for it, rather excited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, LoggyAnn said: Hi Marisa Thanks for your reply & advice. I totally agree it's cats natural instincts to hunt which can't be stopped but I always ensure my cat is on at night & he always had a collar with a bell on it. I'm hoping he will be fine because i don't really want to have to confine him to an outdoor cage type thing. He never goes super far, Just like neighbouring gardens etc. It's my future planning, my partner is Australian & he wants to move back there in the future, I'm finishing off my nursing degree then will work here for a little while & then hopefully emigrate. So it'll probably be around 2021 or 22. Heading out for a holiday next year to get a feel for it, rather excited. If he's not out at night, that certainly reduces the risk. The most vulnerable wildlife is nocturnal. If you don't want to use a cage, there are roll bars you can get to stop him getting over the fence into neighbouring gardens. Some people get very upset about cats visiting their gardens and will catch them and take them to the pound. You should have no trouble moving to Australia as you'll be eligible for a partner visa. No need to meet any skill requirements, you just need to prove a genuine relationship. To that end, it's worth starting to collect evidence now so you're prepared when the time comes (and I'm sure you're not concerned, but FYI, once you get the permanent partner visa, you 're given a visa in your own right - so even if you split up, you are entitled to stay in Australia ).  Edited November 5, 2018 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loopylu Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 (edited) The laws in Queensland are very different to the UK. In the UK, cats (unlike dogs) have the right to roam but the owner is liable if their cat causes damage or injury on someone else's property. Here in Qld it is against the law to let your cat off your property. As mentioned above, there are some nasty people out there who trap cats and take them to the pound. Also there are people who bait cats with substances such as antifreeze so they die a horribel painful death. Aussies are much more dog than cat people. I read somewhere statistically it is feral cats that cause 90% of native animal deaths but Aussies think that the average pampered puss is the main culprit. We do everything we can to make sure that our cats are in at night but on Sunday our male cat decided to disappear. We found him on Tuesday in the local pound as someone had deliberately trapped him and taken him there even though he had a collar. It cost us $250 to get him back. He was severely traumatised by the whole thing and has taken about a week to settle down again. To be honest, if I had known about the law here before we got our rescue cats, I probably would not have adopted them as I think it is cruel to keep cats indoors 24x7 unless they have always been indoor cats (ours weren't) and it is nigh on impossible to keep a cat in your yard without putting them in a cage. We tried putting anti-escape devices on our fences but our Houdini cat can still get out.... I think dogs are far more anti-social pets to keep and I am sick of our neighbours' dogs barking and whining every time I set foot in the yard to enjoy my garden. Or they escape and defecate on our front lawns... However, I would never stoop so low as to catch said dogs and take them to the pound although I have been sorely tempted.... Edited November 5, 2018 by Loopylu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Loopylu said: I read somewhere statistically it is feral cats that cause 90% of native animal deaths but Aussies think that the average pampered puss is the main culprit. This might be the study you're thinking of. Yes, it is mainly feral cats that are the culprit - but pet cats still kill an estimated 61 million birds in Australia per year. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-04/cats-killing-one-million-birds-in-australia-every-day-estimates/9013960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted November 5, 2018 Share Posted November 5, 2018 7 hours ago, LoggyAnn said: i don't really want to have to confine him to an outdoor cage type thing. The roll bar system Marisawright mentioned above ( 3 separate rotating rods which roll when the cat touches them so they cannot get a grip): https://oscillot.com.au/ You can cat proof quite large areas - especially if you use a "floppy top" design attached to the top of a fence which bends inwards and over. It also prevents possums getting into the garden. Some examples shown under "Fenceline" here: https://catnets.com.au/pages/gallery We didn't have any fences at our place so below is what we erected in the back garden. All the bird attracting trees are outside the fence so the cats can have cat TV but can't get at them. No cats have escaped in the 12 years it's been in place.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballaratburd Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Aussies hate cats. I know that is an extreme generalisation but it really shocked me when I moved here the amount of rules regarding cats and most Australians I know think of cats as pests. It has been mentioned above about cats being trapped and taken to the pound but I’ve heard so many horror stories about cats being trapped and killed. Every other day I see flyers tapes to lampposts about missing cats. I came here with the intention of shipping my two cats over at a later stage, however after being here for a while and realising the rules (cat curfews etc) I decided it wasn’t fair to fly them out here just to keep them indoors and my sister agreed to keep them. Of course that isint always an option for everyone. If you did decide to take your boy here I would seriously consider keeping him indoors until you can build him a cat run. It’s getting common here for people to put mesh up so they can be confined completely to the back yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Ballaratburd said: Aussies hate cats. I know that is an extreme generalisation but it really shocked me when I moved here the amount of rules regarding cats and most Australians I know think of cats as pests I like cats but I love other animals and birds just as much. I wouldn't dream of trapping and killing cats, but I can understand why people get angry when cats are allowed to roam. In my book, small marsupials, lizards, frogs and birds have as much right to live as cats.  Pet cats kill around 6 million birds in Australia every year - the owners who allow that to happen are thoughtless, irresponsible and selfish.  I think you're wise not to bring your cats because if they've been accustomed to roaming free, they might find the backyard too confining. However I do think that for cats who are brought up to it, they can be perfectly happy with an indoor life, or one where they are confined to the backyard with rollbars. Edited January 29, 2019 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Another reason to keep cats in or have a caged off area is the danger from snakes. My son has just had a pretty hefty vets bill after his cat was bitten. Cat is now totally an indoor cat, used to be out in the day, the cat flap kept closed as had previously had bought quite a few snakes in through the cat flap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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