From 1 July 2022 all cats will be required to be registered, with details to be updated annually. Existing owners will be able to register their cat for free while new owners after this date will pay a small one-off fee. The new requirement for cat registration and fees mirror the ACT's annual dog registration scheme.
If your cat (even if it is identified) wanders onto another person's property more than once, it may be seized and impounded. Council can issue an order to stop your cat trespassing and if you don't comply you can be fined. Some Councils require cats to be confined to their owner's property during certain hours.
All cats, including those referred to as 'working cats' are included in the 24-hour cat curfew. If you live on property and treat your cat like a working cat you are required to effectively constrain it before 1 July 2023. Helpful resources are available via Animal Welfare Victoria here.
Cats Protection recommends that you keep your cats in at night. Cats are natural hunters, making them more active at night time, and some studies show that more road traffic injuries happen at night.
The Common Law Duty of Care
It is often thought that cats have a right to roam wherever they wish. This idea is based on the fact that dog and livestock owners are obliged by law to keep their animals under control - but these duties do not apply to cat owners.
In such cases, the local authority can take action against the landowner. If you wish to make an allegation of nuisance regarding a neighbour's cat, then the relevant provisions are contained in the Environmental Protection Act 1990. You should refer such complaints about the cat to the Local Authority.
Water: Cats hate it, so keep a water pistol (Super Soaker) handy and spray any time you see them in your yard.
Male wanderers tend to stay within a territory of about 150 acres, while females stay closer to home, roaming only about 40 acres. This means that your average male cat is likely to stay within 1500 feet of home, while your average female tends not to go much farther than 75 yards from your door.
Position your cat's sleeping spots away from any noisy appliances (such as washing machines) and busy areas of the home (such as the hallway). A quiet corner of a bedroom or living room is ideal, and once your cat is snoozing, make sure you leave them alone to avoid startling them awake.
The recommended standard number is three; anyone who has more than three cats can keep existing cats that are registered with the City but once and if the local law is made, cannot not add any more or substitute them without approval.
Most felines will be perfectly content being left alone for up to 8 hours while you're at work. As long as fresh water is available, some cats can be left alone for up to 24 hours. However, longer or more frequent periods of time away, such as full days or nights away from home can be more disruptive.
There are no laws on the federal, or state level laws in most instances, that ban letting cats outside, according to Wag.
If you hit and injure an animal (apart from a bird), you are required by law to do whatever you reasonably can to ease its pain. If it's not a wild animal then the injury must be reported to the police or the animal's owner.
Domestic cats commonly hunt and injure local wildlife and native animals including birds and reptiles. Protect cats from traffic. Stop your cat from running away, getting lost or being stolen.
When can I let my cat out? Kittens need to be at least five months old before they go outside on their own. This gives them time to have all their vaccinations and they'll be almost fully grown. Adult cats will need at least two weeks to settle in so they have a chance to get used to their new surroundings.
Under the NSW Companion Animals Act, cats can roam from their home. Roaming cats can only be trapped and taken to an Animal Care Facility if it's necessary for the protection of any person or animal from injury or death. Cats can also be captured if found in a designated wildlife protection area.
Most adult cats are fine being left home alone for up to 24 hours, under the right conditions (more on that below). If you need to leave for two or three days, a full week, or longer, you should make sure someone is coming over to care for your cat daily.
Recommended best practice. Cats should be confined at night. Most injuries to cats can be prevented by confinement, particularly at night.
More frequently, cats try to protect their pet parents from people they consider to be dangerous. Although cats are fierce predators, humans can seem big and scary to some cats. It's instinctual for a cat to defend their territory and yours.
The urge to roam may be particularly strong during mating season. Castration reduces roaming in approximately 90% of cases. Although neutering greatly reduces sexual interest, some experienced males may continue to be attracted to, and mate with females.
One of the most common reasons unneutered male cats leave their home is to find a mate. Some cats might only have to wander around the neighbourhood before they pick up the scent of a female cat in heat, while others will travel for miles and miles.
Citrus or lemon scents (orange peels, lemon peels), garlic, ammonia, vinegar, coffee grinds, pipe tobacco, mustard, citronella, or eucalyptus all deter cats as well. The scents diminish over time, so re-applying is necessary.
You can try orange and lemon peels (cats dislike citrus scents), the herb rue which can also be planted live, cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco and various oils, including lavender, lemon grass, citronella, peppermint, eucalyptus and mustard.
Try orange and lemon peels, cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and mustard oil. You can either sprinkle drops directly onto your flower beds or soak a cotton wool around it and place at entry points.