Sunrise to sunset cat curfew now in place

Published on 02 July 2020

All cats within the shire must now be confined to their owner’s property from sunset to sunrise, and are prohibited from entering Council’s most sensitive environmental areas.

The cat curfew, which came into effect on 1 July, is part of Council’s Dog and Cat Control Order 2019 which also included the introduction of designated dog on and off leash areas.

Cat owners are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new legal requirements, including prohibited areas for cats.

The introduction of the cat curfew and prohibited areas is consistent with Council plan priorities to promote health and wellbeing, protect the natural environment and deliver a strong and reliable government.

Director Planning and Environment, Angela Hughes said Council recognised building cat enclosures and making behavioural adjustments for cats would take time.

“We are asking cat owners to implement appropriate overnight housing for their cat or cats now,” Ms Hughes said. “With many cat owners currently spending more time at home, this is a great opportunity to work on changing your cat/s behaviour and monitor your cat for possible signs of stress while it adapts to change.”

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,” Ms Hughes said. “It also contains the details of the new cat curfew including a list of prohibited areas for cats”.

Council rangers and Local Laws officers are available to assist the community with understanding the new requirements over the coming months.

The new cat requirements are a result of extensive public consultation that began with the development of the Domestic Animal Management Plan 2017-2021. Ms Hughes 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.