The Keeping Cats Safe at Home program is an RSPCA NSW initiative that encourages and supports cat owners to keep their cats safe, healthy and at home — either indoors or in secure outdoor enclosures. By reducing cat roaming, the program helps protect cats from injury and disease, and supports the conservation of native wildlife.

The project has expanded across NSW council areas including Hawkesbury City Council, with support from the NSW Government and the Environmental Trust. This next stage includes a statewide education campaign and targeted desexing and microchipping initiatives to help more cat owners access these important services and reduce stray, roaming and semi-owned cat populations in targeted areas.

Eligibility for the Stray Care Desexing Program includes the following criteria:

• Owned or cared for cats that live within Hawkesbury City Council LGA
• Multi-cats households and managed cat colonies
• Cats must have an identified owner OR identified caregiver who provides informed consent and accepts responsibility for the cats ongoing health and wellbeing.

PLEASE NOTE: Breeders are not eligible for this program. Pedigree cat breeds only accepted under approved circumstances.

How to Apply

To apply or to request further information about how you can access desexing, microchipping or other support through this program, please email safecats@rspcansw.org.au

https://www.rspcansw.org.au/information-and-advice/caring-for-animals/cats-and-kittens/keeping-cats-safe-at-home/

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.

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.

• 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.