Prepare now for 1 July cat curfew

Prepare now for 1 July cat curfew

Published on 13 May 2020

Council is urging cat owners to prepare now for the upcoming shire-wide cat curfew, which comes into effect on 1 July.

From this date, all cats within the shire must be confined to their property from sunset to sunrise, and will also be prohibited from our most sensitive environmental areas. The cat curfew is part of Council’s Dog and Cat Control Order 2019, which also saw dog off-leash areas introduced.

Aside from being a legal requirement, there are many benefits to confining your cat:

Your cat will be healthier and live longer – it is less likely to be involved in an accident or be exposed to potentially fatal diseases Your cat is less likely to get lost (saving a trip to the pound and associated fines) Your cat won’t annoy your neighbours (e.g. spraying, yowling, fighting, or riling up dogs) There will be less hunting and predation of wildlife, helping the Macedon Ranges environment to flourish.

Director Assets and Operations, Shane Walden said cat owners should prepare now for the new requirements.

“Council recognises building cat enclosures and making behavioural adjustments for cats takes time,” Mr Walden said. “We’re asking cat owners to act now, well before the 1 July curfew.

“With many cat owners currently spending more time at home, this is a great opportunity to start thinking about how to confine your cat overnight and minimise stress while it adapts to change.”

Cat owners should consider appropriate overnight housing for their cat or cats, including adapting, designing, building, and/or buying an appropriate cat enclosure. Owners should also seek out information about cat behaviour training and enrichment options.

“Council’s website is a great source of information for hints and tips around confining cats,” Mr Walden said. “Over the coming weeks, we’ll also be adding further information including advice from veterinary behavioural specialists.”

The new cat requirements are a result of extensive public consultation that began with the development of the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2017-2021. Mr Walden said Council had worked to balance the needs of cats, their owners and the broader community while also reducing the impact of cats on the natural environment.