The call came from Pet Fix founder and co-ordinator Michelle Blair at yesterday's Dunedin City Council public forum meeting.
Ms Blair said she had decided to address the forum to respond to recent ''dangerous, stupid ... and inhuman'' talk of killing cats, including by economist Gareth Morgan and Dunedin woman Diane Yeldon.
Mr Morgan launched his anti-cat campaign earlier this year in an effort to protect native birds, while Ms Yeldon last month suggested a posse should wander Dunedin's streets at night, shooting cats and other pests.
Ms Blair said it was true the city needed to work together to address its growing cat population, which ''just explodes'' if uncontrolled.
However, she also worried cats were being unfairly ''demonised'' by some.
''They are not this evil force, but they are being made to appear that way,'' she said.
Her views were backed by SPCA Otago executive officer Sophie McSkimming, who told the meeting the wild cat population in North Dunedin was ''huge'' and growing.
Her organisation refused to re-home cats to anyone living in the area, but still received a flood of calls from people wanting help dealing with wild and feral cats, she said.
SPCA Otago did not have the resources to cope, but in some cases was fielding referrals from the council, she said.
''Every organisation around the city seems to be handing it off to the next one,'' she said.
''It's a huge drain on our resources. It would be really nice to see everyone able to work together.''
Ms Blair said her trust already offered subsidised desexing operations for low-income cat owners' pets, costing $20 for males and $40 for females.
That was well below the usual cost, which varied across the city but could be as much as $300, Ms McSkimming said.
Ms Blair also called for more co-operation between the trust, the SPCA Otago branch and the council, and possibly even some council funding for her trust and an education programme for the city's pet owners.
Cr Kate Wilson said she would co-ordinate a meeting between the groups to try to identify problems and solutions.
Forum chairman Cr Richard Thomson suggested Ms Blair could also consider making a proposal to the council's annual plan budget hearings early next year.
