Advocacy

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The New Zealand Cat Foundation is driven by the lifelong passion and tireless advocacy of our founder, Anne Batley Burton. Known for her boundless energy and deep compassion, Anne has dedicated her life to being a voice for the vulnerable, forgotten, and stray cat communities across New Zealand.

Anne's work extends far beyond the hands-on care at our sanctuary; she is a fierce champion for systemic change on a national scale. Through persistent advocacy to local councils and government via the media, submissions, and political avenues, Anne is fighting for a future that mandates, and fully funds, free desexing and microchipping for all cats.

In the wake of the intense 'Predator Free 2050' conservation movement, Anne's advocacy is more urgent than ever. She recognizes a critical, heartbreaking flaw in current policies: when regulations are enforced punitively, it is never the irresponsible human who suffers - it is the innocent cat, unjustly labeled and destroyed as 'feral.'

Anne is fighting to shift the national narrative from eradication to education and accessible care. Her vision is simple yet powerful: a compassionate New Zealand where councils support humane population management, ensuring every cat is protected, valued, and safe.

Anne Batley: New Zealand Cat Foundation on what could eradicate Auckland's growing rat problem - Matt Heath & Tyler Adams Afternoons

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1049-matt-heath-tyler-adams-af-46787368/episode/anne-batley-new-zealand-cat-foundation-336212581/?cmp=web_share&embed=true&fbclid=IwY2xjawSUSw1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80Mzc2MjYzMTY5NzM3ODgAAR6CXX9n8i7w6tI4SYTida5J_hG7Kqui0Yn0sCdtLYzrQOC68-NGeY4vDyN_RQ_aem_GYPRR7bx6WGBsdj26CmvjA

Are cats the answer to our rat problem? | Ryan Bridge TODAY

NZ Cat Foundation founder Anne Batley Burton believes cats should be allowed to "do their best work". Video / Ryan Bridge TODAY

Auckland rat problem: Ponsonby residents report surge in rats, TV star says cats are the answer

A former Real Housewives of Auckland star claims cats are the solution to a rise in rodent sightings after several upmarket suburbs reported a surge in rats. Residents in Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Westmere have reported a sharp increase in rat numbers in recent weeks, sharing their concerns about the roaming rodents on social media. High-profile Aucklander and founder of the New Zealand Cat Foundation, Anne Batley Burton, told the Herald cats should be allowed to do their “be

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Why It Matters

We are committed to speaking up for cats at a national level - pushing for the systemic change that makes lasting difference. These are the issues we believe matter most.

Stop the War on Cats (Predator Free 2050)

New Zealand's Predator Free 2050 programme has now added feral cats to its eradication target list. We support protecting our native wildlife - but eradication is not the answer, and it will not solve the problem.

Feral cats exist because of human failure: irresponsible ownership, abandonment, and a lack of accessible desexing. When policies are enforced punitively, it is never the negligent owner who suffers - it is the cat. This is a people problem, not a cat problem.

Eradication also carries serious practical risks: inhumane culling methods, and the very real danger of misidentifying and destroying companion and community cats alongside truly feral ones. It addresses the symptom, not the cause.

We are calling on government to pursue humane, evidence-based solutions instead - Trap-Neuter-Return programmes, community education, and responsible ownership initiatives that target the root cause of feral cat populations. Prevention, not poison.

How can you help?

The Animal Justice Party is petitioning the Minister of Conservation to pause the cull and fund humane alternatives instead

Add your voice

Desexing and Microchipping:

Make It Mandatory, Make It Affordable

Desexing and microchipping are the most effective tools we have for reducing cat overpopulation — but they only work if people can actually access them.

Rising vet costs mean that for many New Zealand families, desexing simply isn't affordable. Mandatory requirements without funded access won't achieve compliance - they will only punish those least able to pay, while the problem keeps growing.

That's why we support the push for national cat management legislation, including the Cat Management Bill currently before Parliament - but we believe it must go further. Alongside requirements to desex and microchip, central and local government should fund a national programme that removes cost as a barrier and makes responsible cat ownership genuinely achievable for everyone. The investment is modest. The impact would be transformational - fewer stray and feral cats, less pressure on rescue organisations, and better outcomes for native wildlife.

How can you help?
The SPCA has made it easy to ask your local MP to support stronger cat management legislation

Add your voice here