Find out about your responsibilities in caring for and managing cats.
Cat care
Caring for a kitten or cat can be a fun and rewarding experience, however it is important you understand what they need to be healthy and happy. Even though cats can be very independent, they thrive when given lots of love and attention from their owners.
Cat owners also have a responsibility to ensure cats do not cause a nuisance to others in the community. To keep them safe, cats should be confined inside the house or in an enclosed outdoor area (or a combination of both) and not allowed to roam. This will reduce the risk of injury from vehicles, or attack by dogs or other cats.
To protect wildlife and prevent your cat from being a neighbourhood nuisance, please make sure your cat:
- is confined to your property and kept inside at night
- is registered and microchip details are up to date
To learn more about what you can do to look after your cat and protect wildlife, see Birdlife Australia’s information sheet on Cats and Wildlife.
For more information on how to care for your cat, visit RSPCA Knowledgebase.
Cat management
All cats over the age of 6 months kept within the Shire of Augusta Margaret River are required to be sterilised, microchipped and registered. Apart from being a legal requirement, registration also assists Rangers in quickly reuniting lost cats with their owners. In addition, all cats must wear a collar with a valid registration tag.
To register your cat, visit the Shire’s webpage on Cat Registration and Renewals.
Anyone wishing to breed cats must obtain a permit from the Shire and must be an approved cat breeder in accordance with the Cat Act 2011.
Maximum number of cats
The maximum number of cats allowed without a permit is two.
To apply for a permit to keep more than two cats submit an application form.
There is a $56 application fee.
Cat prohibited areas
There are 45 areas in the Shire where cats are prohibited absolutely. The owner of any registered cat found roaming will be subject to a $200 fine.
To view all cat prohibited areas, visit the Shire’s interactive map.
Nuisance cats
To discourage cats wandering on your property:
- use commercially available deterrents (available from pet shops and nurseries)
- feed your own pet indoors or remove uneaten food from outside
- speak to the cat’s owner
If this doesn’t work, call the Shire and a Ranger will visit the owner to confidentially discuss your concerns and their responsibilities or hire a Shire-approved cat trap.
Feral cats
Feral cats are cats that are living and reproducing in the wild. They are not owned or socialised and survive on their own by hunting.
Feral cats pose a significant risk to native wildlife, and property owners have an important role to play in the overall control effort. Rangers can assist with cat trap hire and disposal of captured feral cats.
Cat traps
If you need to trap a wandering or feral cat, please use only Shire-approved traps – they’re humane, safe and free to hire (bond applies). Rangers will only collect official traps; DIY traps aren’t accepted. For more info on feral cats and how to hire a trap, go to Feral Cats.
More information and contact
For more information, please contact the Shire’s Rangers on (08) 9780 5255 or [email protected]