Information about the Cat Act 2011.
The Cat Act 2011 (the Act) requires the identification, registration and sterilisation of domestic cats, and gives local governments the power to administer and enforce the legislation. The legislation enables better management of the unwanted impacts of cats on the community and the environment, as well as encourages responsible cat ownership.
The Act is not only about responsible pet ownership it also aims to reduce the number of unwanted cats in the community, and the number of cats that are euthanised each year. Microchipping and registration will also assist in the return of your cat if it becomes lost.
All cats that have reached six months of age are required to be:
Your cat will be required to wear a collar and registration tag to ensure they can be easily identified and returned to you if they become lost.
Even if you wish to only breed one litter from your cat, you are considered a cat breeder. If you wish to become a breeder, you must apply for a permit from your local government.
If you wish to give away or sell a cat, you must ensure the cat is microchipped and sterilised prior to transfer. If the cat cannot be sterilised due to its young age, you must provide a prepaid sterilisation voucher to the new owner.
You will need to contact your local government to find out if they have introduced a local law to limit the numbers of cats that can be owned.
If your local government introduces a local law limiting cat numbers and you currently own more cats than it allows, you may keep the cats you currently own. However, you will not be able to buy or acquire any new cats until the number you own falls under the maximum permitted in the local law.
While a kitten is not required to be microchipped until it reaches six months of age, it cannot be sold or transferred to a new owner until a microchip is installed.
If your cat cannot receive a microchip for medical reasons, you may obtain an exemption certificate from a registered vet. Exemption certificates can only be issued for cats that are six months or older, meaning that these exemptions cannot be issued to allow the sale of non-microchipped kittens.
The legislation applies to cats of all ages. However, your vet can issue an exemption if sterilising your cat is likely to have a negative impact on your cat’s health and welfare.
Once your cat is registered with your local government, you will be issued a registration certificate, as well as a valid registration tag which your cat is required to wear on its collar. Cat registration tags change in colour each year.
The current colours are:
It is an offence for your cat not to wear a collar with the registration tag and you can be given an on-the-spot fine of $200 for failure to do so.
Pensioners are entitled to receive a 50% discount on registration fees. Pensioners should discuss this with their local government when registering their cat.