A representative argued that children, along with adults, would not be able to differentiate between "a feral, stray or frightened domesticated cat", according to AFP news agency.
There were fears that this would mean house cats would be unintentionally killed.
"We should be teaching our tamariki [children] empathy towards animals, not handing them the tools to kill them," a spokesman for the animal welfare charity Safe told local media outlet 1News.