The bill seeks to amend the state's Cat Management Act to enforce mandatory confinement in an effort to protect native wildlife and reduce the feral cat population.

Greens environment spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said experts had recommended confinement was the best method for cat control.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"Feral cats are responsible for over 1.5 billion native animal deaths each year, according to Australian National University research," she said.

"A single feral cat is capable of killing 740 animals in an average year.

"The Greens recognise the impact of cats on wildlife is one of our state's biggest environmental issues, and understand the need for legislative change to protect the unique native species with which we share our island home."

The amendment bill allows for authorised people such as police, council officers, and animal welfare officers to seize or detain "a cat at large".

It allows a council general manager to either return the cat to the owner or sell or destroy and dispose of an unclaimed cat.

Local Government Association of Tasmania chief executive Dion Lester said mandatory confinement of cats needed to be supported by an adequately funded state plan to be effective.

"Already councils can and do act to manage cats where there is a community expectation," he said.

"The existing legislation allows a council to declare a cat management area, where cat management measures, such as curfews and trapping."

What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: