Responsible cat ownership
Is your cat registered with Council?
It is a requirement under the Domestic Animals Act 1994 for all dogs and cats to be registered with Council, and wear a Council registration tag at all times in public. Council’s pet registration is separate to microchipping. If you don’t have a Council issued tag, your pet may not be registered.
Cat Curfew
The cat curfew starts at 9 pm and ends at 6 am the next day, every day of the year. There are penalties for cat owners if your cat is caught during the curfew.
The cat curfew does not mean your cat has to be inside. Your cat must stay in your property boundary during curfew hours in your front or back yard (if they cannot leave the property boundary), inside the home or in a suitable cat enclosure.
The Safe Cat website has resources to help your cat get used to an indoor lifestyle or outdoor enclosure. Some simple methods include:
- Feeding your cat indoors.
- Instead of letting your cat back outside as soon as they finish eating, keep them inside for longer.
- If you're retraining your cat during the winter, a warm, dry bed to snuggle in may encourage them to stay inside.
- Installing a cat run, cat enclosure or cat-proof fencing so your cat can roam safely on your property.
Cat Containment and Trespass
Your cat can be outside your property boundary during the day but they cannot trespass on any private property, and can be trapped during the day on private property. It is generally best to keep your cat confined to your property to stop it trespassing.
Keeping your cat contained to your property protects their safety and the safety of local wildlife. The curfew reduces the number of cats impounded, cat-fights, cats being hit by cars and unplanned kitten litters.
Mandatory desexing
It is mandatory for all newly registered cats to be desexed. This does not apply to cats registered that are currently not desexed. Registered breeders are exempt from mandatory desexing. This helps manage the stray cat population in our City.
There is more information on our pet desexing page.
Cat traps and fines
A cat trapped during curfew and picked up by officers will either be returned to the owners or taken to the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne. Owners have to pay a fee for a cat collected from the Council pound. Owners may also face other enforcement actions, such as a fine.
Residents can request a cat trap from us if they have issues with cats trespassing during curfew hours. People can legally trap a cat on their private property in Victoria.
Contact us
Our Animal Management team is here to help. Get in touch if you have questions or would like a print version of any files.
Send us a message on My Port Phillip.
Phone: 03 9209 6777