Keeping a cat in the city
Being a responsible owner is important and assists in maintaining public health and happiness.
Takeaways
- Experts recommend keeping your cat on your property so that it stays safe and healthy.
- Cats are domesticated animals that can happily live indoors for their whole life. In fact, cats that stay indoors live longer, healthier lives.
Tips for free-roaming cats
If you prefer to let your cat roam free, remember it must be microchipped and registered. We recommend that cats allowed to roam freely should wear a collar and tag in addition to being microchipped. Consider keeping free-roaming cats indoors at night.
Free-roaming cats face risks to their safety and wellbeing, such as unfriendly dogs, speeding cars and cruel people. They often get hurt fighting with other cats and also hunt or harm local wildlife. Roaming cats are more likely to catch infectious diseases and spread parasites such as intestinal worms and fleas. They may also cause neighbourhood disputes. Keep in mind that not all citizens appreciate feline visitors on their property.
If you want your cat to enjoy some safe outdoor time, consider cat-proofing your yard. You can do-it-yourself by following instructions from Victoria's Department of Primary Industries, or visit the websites listed below for other options.
It is especially important to desex free-roaming cats. Undesexed cats are responsible for thousands of unwanted litters every year. Owners of cats not desexed by 4 months of age must pay an annual permit in addition to their one-off lifetime pet registration fee.
