Cats' nocturnal jaunts banned

Cats in several suburbs of Sydney will be ordered to curl up inside from dusk to dawn under a curfew that hopes to curb overnight attacks on native wildlife.

The move in Leichhardt, to the west of Sydney, was inspired after deputy mayor Michele McKenzie's son rescued a brushtail possum and its baby when they were attacked by a cat.

There are also plans to reintroduce a colony of ringtail possums, which are much smaller, to the municipality, and Ms McKenzie wants the animals to have the best possible chance of survival.