Busselton Cat owners will have to comply with the Cat Act or face penalties imposed by the Shire council. Since the 1st of November ALL Cats over 6 months of age must be;

MICROCHIPPED

DESEXED

REGISTERED

Cats are required to wear a collar to enable them to be returned to their owner.


The Cat Act 2011 requires the identification, registration and sterilisation of domestic cats, and gives local governments the power to administer and enforce the legislation.

The legislation took full effect from 1 November 2013 and provides for better management of the unwanted impacts of cats on the community and the environment, as well as encouraging responsible cat ownership.

From 1 November 2012, some provisions of the Act commenced to allow local governments to prepare to administer and enforce the legislation.

From 1 November 2013, the full Cat Act 2011 took effect and requires all cats that have reached 6 months of age to be:

  • Microchipped;
  • Sterilised; and
  • Registered with the relevant local government.

If you would like more information on the Cat Act 2011 please go to the Department of Local Governments website http://dlg.wa.gov.au/Content/Legislation/ProposedCatAct.aspx

Cats are required to wear a collar, registration tag and to be microchipped to ensure that owned cats can be easily identified and returned to their owner.

Cat Registration

Cat registration form can be downloaded from Ranger documents and presented to Customer Service at the shire office.

All cats over the age of six months must be registered with the City of Busselton. All registrations are due on November 1 each year and are current for one year, three years or life. 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.

Regitsration Fees (Please note all cats must be microchipped and sterilised before they can be registered)

1 Year – $20

3 Year – $42.50

Lifetime – $100.00
Pensioners ½ the normal fee

Cat Identification

All cats must be identified with a collar, registration tag and a microchip.

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 & Emergency Services Officers to easily determinate if a cat is a pet, 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.

Breeding Cats

The legislation requires that a person who chooses to breed cats must apply to their local government for a permit.

When a cat is sold, the seller must ensure the cat is microchipped and sterilised prior to transfer. If the cat cannot be sterilised due to its young age, a voucher must be issued to the new owner.

Cat Prohibited Areas

A number of Reserves and undeveloped private land have been identified as “Cat Prohibited Areas” thus allowing the City 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 City of Busselton’s Cat Local 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 is sterilised.
  • My cat is microchipped.
  • My cat is registered with the City of Busselton.
  • My cat has regular flea and worm treatment, health checks and vaccinations.
  • My cat wears the City registration tag and a disc with my name and address on its collar.
  • 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

Take ADVANTAGE of our November special at VASSE VETS. Call and book an appointment for your cat to be sterilised and microchipped today! This month we are offering a special rate of $180  for a female cat to be sterilised and just $100 for a male cat.

Pension and low income concession card holders will also receive a free microchip for every cat sterilised !*

*on presentation of a valid card presented on day of sterilisation.

Hurry! Call our friendly team on 9755 4455 and get your cat up to date and legal!