Nairobi Residents React to Proposed “Cat Tax”
Cat lovers in Kenya’s capital are up in arms over what they perceive as a looming “cat tax” the government plans to introduce. Any mention of new taxes in the East African nation currently elicits strong reactions from the public.
The proposal, originating from the Nairobi City County, aims to require all cat owners to register their pets. This has sparked complaints and concerns among the community, with some seeing it as a “cat-astrophe.”
Under the proposed regulations, Nairobi cat owners would need to purchase an annual license costing 200 Kenyan shillings ($1.50; £1.20) and provide proof of rabies vaccination for their pets. Additionally, cat owners, humorously referred to as “purrents,” would be responsible for their pets’ behavior, an expectation that many find challenging given cats’ independent nature.
The Animal Control and Welfare Bill states that pet owners must ensure their cats do not “shout or cry in a manner that disturbs the peace” of residents. Owners must also confine cats during their heat period.
Public Response to the Proposed Cat Tax Bill
While the legislation aims to improve cat welfare, many city residents remain skeptical and need convincing. Recently, Kenyans successfully pressured the government to withdraw a finance bill that proposed a tax hike, and some view this new plan by Nairobi County as another attempt to increase revenue.
“First taxes on period products, now taxing cat owners. Leave my pussy alone!” Khadijah M. Farah expressed on X (formerly Twitter), referring to the scrapped finance bill.
Questions have also been raised about enforcing the tax, given the high population of stray or feral cats. The number of felines in the city, excluding the lions in Nairobi National Park, is unknown but significant. Stray cats frequently roam the streets, enter shops, and scavenge for food in trash bins and restaurants.
The nighttime cries of various cats, especially during mating season, often disturb the city’s silence.
Concerns from the Community
Naomi Mutua, a self-proclaimed “mother of cats” in Nairobi with more than a dozen cats, told the BBC that county authorities should have consulted cat owners, rescue organizations, and veterinary groups before drafting the law. She runs a Facebook group with about 25,000 cat lovers and supports the introduction of mandatory rabies vaccinations but questions its practicality.
According to the health ministry, about 2,000 Kenyans die annually from rabies, often caused by dog or cat bites. Ms. Mutua believes any new law should first aim to improve the “standards of care that are currently lacking.”
She also questioned whether confining a cat in heat would be “restricting them from their natural behavior.”
The county is organizing a public consultation starting on Friday, 2 July, allowing city residents to provide their views on the bill, which may lead to further amendments.
Expert Opinions
Emma Ngugi, head of the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA), sees the draft legislation as a positive move, acknowledging that animal welfare in the city is a “huge problem.” However, she feels that licenses are not the solution, as people might refuse to claim ownership of cats.
Some might even abandon their cats if forced to pay, defeating the bill’s purpose. “If you introduce what is essentially a tax on cats, it will be even harder for organizations like ours, which work in communities, to get people to take responsibility,” she told the BBC.
Ms. Ngugi also highlighted an existing law on dog ownership, which many people ignore and do not bother to get licenses for, even those who can afford it.
Details of the Proposed Cat Tax
Under the proposed bill, cat owners who fail to comply with the licensing and welfare standards would be guilty of an offense and liable to penalties, including jail terms.
“Nairobi cats are restless. You can’t get Nairobi cats,” a panelist commented on a youth TV show over the weekend.
The KSPCA director emphasized the issue of cat overpopulation, stating that sick cats pose a risk to human health and the environment. She advocates for the government to introduce low-cost veterinary services and mass sterilization campaigns for stray cats and dogs, noting that the cost of sterilizing a cat can be equivalent to a month’s salary for some Kenyans.
“This is a proven methodology from all over the world, and it works,” she said.
In the meantime, the bill has generated significant reactions, with people excitedly discussing the subject. One Nairobi resident even turned it into poetry. In his “ode to cats for Kenya” on X, Innocent Ouko ended his verse with the words: “It seems we are in a cat-ch 22 situation.”
