Wild Whiskers Tauranga is calling for people to stop categorising cats into two groups of either friendly or feral, after cats nearly came under gunfire last month.

WWT specialises in the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of stray and wild kitten under eight weeks old.

The charity organisation spoke out on Facebook after a North Canterbury hunting competition was announced in April, calling for children under the age of 14 to shoot feral cats.

Receiving nationwide backlash, the competition was canned.

'There are actually four groups; companion, stray (lost/abandoned), stray (managed eg: colony) and feral,” says WWT rescue coordinator Sharna Asplin.

Sharna says you don't usually see feral cats, just signs of them unless they are sick or injured.

'This is because feral cats do not depend on people to survive.

'Whereas, stray cats do depend on people, regardless of whether said stray cat is just lost or living in a colony.”

A stray cat in Wild Whiskers Tauranga's care. Photo: supplied.

Sharna says this is why the four categories are important because it is likely it would've been stray not feral cats, shot in the competition.

'It is almost impossible to tell the difference between an owned, stray, or feral cat – even when they are contained in a humane trap.”

The number of feral cats in the Bay of Plenty is almost impossible to tell, according to WWT.

However Sharna does say: 'Based on our experience and trapping numbers, the issue is so big it's unfathomable”.

She stands by Trapping, Neutering and Returning - TNR - as the best way to manage healthy feral cats.

'TNR, where there is minimal risk to wildlife, is our preferred way to manage this group of cats, due to a scientifically-recognised phenomenon known as The Vacuum Effect.

'However, humane euthanasia after trapping and evaluation is not the worst outcome for some.”

However, Sharna says until councils and the Government step up, 'the work rescues, such as ourselves [at WWT] do will continue to only be drop in the ocean."

'The ‘ambulance at the bottom of the cliff' approach that rescues provide is simply not enough. We desperately need collaboration and involvement from ‘up high'.”