Economist and philanthropist Gareth Morgan has told residents of the Wellington suburb of Karori to become cat free or confine their animals indoors to save native birds from extinction.
At a public meeting in the suburb on Wednesday he also accused the SPCA of being a major contributor to the death of native birds.
Mr Morgan says the wildlife sanctuary in the suburb, Zealandia, is New Zealand's most expensive cat food factory.
He said SPCA's policy on stray cats of track, neuter and and return sends the animals out to kill the birds.
Mr Morgan wants cats micro-chipped and for the city council to reinstate a pound to control wandering cats and dispose of strays.
The SPCA says its policy is supported by communities who want cats.
Cat owners at the meeting mostly supported better control of their pets but said they did not want the suburb to be cat free.