Local Law for the Keeping and Welfare of Cats

The City of Busselton Council has a Local Law for the Keeping and Welfare of Cats. The law has been prepared to bring the management of domestic cats in line with that of dogs and to enable the control of stray and feral cats within the City of Busselton. The local law aims to:

• promote responsible cat ownership;
• reduce the nuisance to the community caused by cats; and
• limit the damage to and the loss of wildlife caused by cats.

Key components of the draft local law include:

• Registration of cats with the City of Busselton;
• Cats to be identified via a microchip or a collar and tag;
• Cats to be kept on owner's property with infringements for wandering cats - to be enforced via a cage trapping program only;
• The operation of a Shire cat pound and the ability to order destruction of unclaimed cats as per the dog control process;
• The designation of "cat prohibited areas" for sensitive locations (e.g. conservation reserves and some new subdivisions) with higher infringements than for (d);
• Limitations on the number of cats per household to two, with permits required for larger numbers.
• Infringements for abandoning a cat (or kittens).

Cat Registration

Cat registration form can be downloaded from Ranger documents and presented to Customer Service.

All cats over the age of three months must be registered with the City of Busselton. All registrations are due on April 1 each year and are current for either one year or three years. Upon producing a pension card, pensioners may register their cat for half the normal fee. Registration helps you to recover your cat if it is lost and assists the Shire to encourage responsible cat ownership.

Pensioners ½ the normal fee

Cat Identification

All cats must be identified with a collar and tag or a microchip. If using a collar and tag, the tag must include your name, correct residential address and phone number, and the registration tag must also be attached to the collar.

If you do not want to use a collar then your local veterinarian can insert a tiny microchip under your cat’s skin that will provide your relevant contact details when scanned. If you would like this option, you should ensure your cat is microchipped before applying to register your cat, as you will need to include the microchip number on the registration form.

Identification of your cat will ensure that your cat can be easily returned to you should it become lost, or trapped and impounded. Identification also enables the City of Busselton's Ranger & Fire Services Officers to easily determinate if a cat is a pet or stray or feral animal.

Wandering Cats

Cats that are allowed to roam the streets are a hazard to motorists and can be a nuisance to other residents. Unsterilised cats that wander are often responsible for unwanted litters of kittens that are frequently destroyed or dumped. Many abandoned kittens mature into adult feral cats with significant impacts on our native fauna. It is an offence to abandon a cat or kitten in the City of Busselton.

Cats that wander have a short life span and are expensive to their owners. Owners should take care to ensure that their cat is confined to their own property.

Cat Prohibited Areas

A number of Reserves and undeveloped private land have been identified as "Cat Prohibited Areas" thus allowing the Shire to undertake intensive trapping in these sensitive areas. This approach will assist in addressing the feral cat problem while providing further impetus for cat owners living adjacent to Conservation Reserves to ensure that their pets do not stray into these areas. Further information about current Cat Prohibited Areas is available from the Shire on request.

Limits on Cat Numbers

The law restricts the number of cats may be kept at a particular property to two. Where a permit is issued for additional cats, all cats must also be registered. Kittens less than twelve weeks of age do not need to be registered with the City of Busselton.

Checklist for Responsible Cat Owners

• My cat has regular flea and worm treatment, health checks and vaccinations.
• My cat is sterilised.
• My cat is registered with the City of Busselton.
• My cat wears the Shire registration tag and a disc with my name and address on its collar or has a microchip that will provide this information when scanned.
• My cat does not wander from my property as I have a compound on my property, measures to prevent my cat from climbing fences or because it stays inside.
• My cat is discouraged from hunting native fauna in my yard with the use of a small bell or mirror attached to a collar.
• My cat has an owner who is prepared to learn how to care for its health and understand its behaviour.