Cat Ownership Responsibilities
As a cat owner:
- You must microchip your cat, more information found here
- You must register your cat, more information found here
Hawkesbury City Council is dedicated to promoting responsible pet ownership to safeguard our community. While Council engages in educational and awareness initiatives, pet owners play a pivotal role in ensuring the welfare of both their animals and the community.
Cats in public places
Cats are banned from public areas where food is produced or consumed and from wildlife protection areas. There is considerable concern in the community about cats injuring or killing native wildlife.
Although the Companion Animals Act 1998 does not require you to contain your cat on your premises, you should consider doing so for your cat’s own safety and for the protection of native wildlife.
You can contain your cat on your premises by keeping it indoors or by building a cat enclosure on your premises.
Cats at home
While you are not obligated to keep your cat indoors, it is encouraged, particularly during the night, to benefit both your cat and the community.
Yowling and fighting are more common at night, which can disturb neighbours sleep and disrupt community harmony. Additionally, many native wildlife species are more active or vulnerable to hunting during nighttime hours, and evidence suggests that cats hunt more during this time. By keeping your cat indoors at night, you can enhance both your cat's safety and reduce the impact on local wildlife populations.
The Office of Local Government is supporting Councils and cat owners to better manage cats through improved public education and targeted compliance action. A comprehensive package of Good Neighbour resources was released by the Cat Protection Society of NSW, with the support of the NSW Government, councils and other stakeholders.
The Good Neighbour Project is designed to support cat owners to provide the best feline welfare and wellbeing outcomes for their cats at the same time as minimising the impact of cat ownership on the local community and wildlife.
Welfare
- Ensure your cat has access to clean, cool water at all times.
- Provide your cat with a well balanced, high quality diet. Contact your vet for advice specific to your cats needs.
- Ensure your cat always has adequate shelter suitable for all weather conditions.
- Take your cat to the vet for regular health checks.
- You are strongly encouraged to have your cat desexed to prevent unwanted litters and health issues.
