Brewarrina will receive extra help with its feral cat problem as one of 19 new local councils in line for the Keeping Cats Safe at Home (KCSAH) program.

The program involves desexing and microchipping the critters, and educating their owners, to prevent them roaming and causing a nuisance.

RSPCA NSW (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) will now deliver the program in 30 council areas using $6 million from the NSW government's Environmental Trust.

"The Keeping Cats Safe At Home program delivers a win-win solution that benefits both pets and native wildlife," CEO Steven Coleman said.

He also said the program will foster a "statewide cultural shift in how Australians care for their cats."

The program began as a pilot in 2021 in 11 council areas including Walgett, where council documents report a significant drop in cat complaints.

The number of cats impounded in Walgett Shire over recent years. SOURCE: Walgett Shire Council Annual Report 2022/2023

Since then, the number of cats impounded in that shire plummeted from 274 in the 2020-21 financial year to two in 2022-23.

The program is separate to a research and desexing project for stray animals launched last year in Brewarrina with the NSW RSPCA.

"The recent cat management inquiry has shown there is a lot of evidence that desexing cats not only helps protect the environment but is an important way to reduce pressure on council pounds and rehoming organisations," NSW Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said.

"Supporting this program is part of the government’s commitment to promoting responsible pet ownership through education and action."

In August a NSW government inquiry into cat population management handed down a ten recommendations including grants to councils and rescue and rehoming organisations to carry out free and subsidised desexing programs.

Concern over council resourcing

Walgett Shire Council is weighing whether to continue the KCSAH program.

A September meeting report said it is beneficial to the community.

However, the report said it was "highly likely" that council support throughout the pilot exceeded the $5000 contribution made by the NSW RSPCA.

It also said staff believed that the NSW RSPCA had provided "inadequate" information to inform resourcing commitments.

"There's almost an expectation moving forward that we're going to be donating our time and resources to the continuation of the project with no financial compensation once again," said Donna Ausling, the council's Director of Planning, Environment and Economy at the at the 23 September meeting.

"We do have some concerns with RSPCA's communication.

We certainly think that that relationship could be strengthened and improved."

Councillors voted unanimously to request further information from the NSW RSPCA, including a Councillor presentation, before choosing whether to participate in an extension of the project.