Leading cat management specialist, Mr Paul Chapman says that the introduction of cat control by-laws should not be viewed as penalising Darwin's cat owners, but as a way of saving cats' lives.

General consensus in the cat industry suggests that the average life expectancy of a cat is four years, whereas a cat that lives in a confined environment is believed to be doubled to eight.

Leading veterinarian Dr James Ramsden agrees and says that confined cats are also safe from the major cat mortality factors.

"Firstly, cats that are enclosed cannot get hit by cars or attacked by dogs," said Dr Ramsden.

"And cats that are fully domesticated in enclosed, cat-friendly areas cannot be fatally infected with feline AIDS, which is transmitted through biting.

"Feline AIDS has spread rampantly in Australia with up to 30 percent of male cats now estimated as being infected - this should be a key consideration for managing your cat's whereabouts at night," he said.

According to Mr Chapman, Managing Director of Catmax, cat enclosures are by far the safest environment for cats and should be considered as part of responsible cat ownership, even in areas where council curfews are not yet legislated.

"Cat enclosures allow cats to be outdoors at any time of the day or night while owners can be certain that they're contented, completely safe and out of harm's way.

"Enclosing cats involves a slight cultural shift, but responsible pet owners should realise it's no different than securing a dog into a yard with a fence - it's exactly the same concept," said Mr Chapman.

Catmax is a cat management specialist and Australia's leading designer and constructor of cat enclosures such as the free-standing Caboodles® and fixed Clearnets® which are ultra-strong and cat-friendly.