Cat Curfew

One of the most significant risks to cat over population is the impact on our environment. Greater Dandenong is home to many sensitive ecological wetlands and conservation areas.

These areas provide habitats to water birds and birds in general, reptiles, mammals, frogs and the many aquatic and terrestrial macro-invertebrates.

Council impounds an average of 700 cats per year. The number of cats being reclaimed by the owner is currently around 7%. This means the remaining 651 cats may have no “legal” owners leaving Council responsible for all costs relating to the animal’s care.

These costs can equate to approximately $216,000 per year. 

Whilst urban cats kill fewer animals on average than a feral cat in the bush, in urban areas the density of cats is much higher (over 60 cats per square kilometre). As a result, cats in urban areas kill many more animals per square kilometre each year than cats in the bush.

The cat curfew is from dusk to dawn. Cats must be confined to your property overnight.

If a cat is trapped during curfew and picked up by officers, then the cat will be taken to a pound. If the cat is collected from a pound owners will have to pay a reclaim fee. Owners may also face other enforcement actions, such as a fine however in the first instance it will only be a warning. 

There are many ways to train your cat.

Here are some tips to assist in transitioning your cat to an indoor lifestyle or outdoor enclosure:

• feeding your cat indoors instead of letting your cat back outside as soon as they're finished eating, keep them inside for increasing periods of time
• if you're retraining your cat during the winter, a warm, dry bed to snuggle in may encourage them to stay inside
• installing a cat run, cat enclosure or cat-proof fencing so your cat can roam safely on your property.

Read some great resources.