Responsible cat care
Cats need food, shelter, bedding and much more to ensure they live a long and happy life.
There are minimum standards of day-to-day care you must provide for your furry friend.
Cats in Knox over 3 months of age must also be microchipped, desexed and registered with Council.
Desexing
We introduced compulsory desexing of cats in April 2011 to help manage unwanted cats in our community.
Registration
Pet registration is a state government requirement under the Domestic Animals Act 1994.
Registering your cat and keeping your registration details up to date will help keep your cat safe. We can use the pet identification tag and microchip information to identify and return your cat if it gets lost.
If your pet is unregistered and gets lost, we will take it to Animal Aid in Coldstream. If they can identify your cat, Animal Aid will try to contact you.
We carry out random door knocks throughout Knox to check for unregistered animals.
Microchipping
All pet owners must microchip their cat.
Animal Aid provides free microchipping for up to 2 cats or kittens to Knox residents.
Find out more on the Animal Aid website.
Containment
You need to keep your cats on your property at all times to:
- keep them safe
- protect wildlife
- reduce nuisance to neighbours.
Cats are at a much higher risk of illness and injury if they are allowed to roam. They can live up to 4 times longer if you keep them on your property.
Can my cat still go outside?
You can leave your property with your cat if it’s in a carrier or on a leash.
You can also consider cat enclosures and cat-proof fencing to stop your cat from leaving your property.
Do I need a building permit?
In most cases, you do not need a building permit to build a cat enclosure on your property.
This includes:
- portable cat enclosures and portable cat runs
- lightweight cat enclosures constructed of steel mesh material
- freestanding cat enclosures located in the backyard less than 10m2 in floor area and less than 2.4m in height.
You may need a building permit if you want to build a cat enclosure that is attached to your home. This includes permanent attached roofed structures, like a patio or verandah.
Before you build any attached permanent structure, we recommend you contact us.
Resources
Need help?
Contact us and we will get back to you.
Or call our Community Laws department on 9298 8000.
