Keeping of cats
Under the provisions of the Companion Animal Act 1998, cats within New South Wales are considered to have no boundaries and are free to roam. Due to this freedom Muswellbrook Shire Council is unable to actively patrol with a view of seizing stray cats, and it is often difficult to determine someone’s pet from a stray or homeless cat.
Muswellbrook Shire Council encourages responsible cat ownership and recommends owners take the following steps so that their cat has a minimal impact on its surrounding environment.
- Ensure that your cat is micro-chipped and registered. When possible it is advisable to have a collar and tag on your cat.
- Desexing your cat at an early age. By desexing your female cat you will not have the worry of unwanted kittens. It will also reduce the chances of having a non de-sexed male hanging around marking his territory and yowling at inconvenient hours. Desexing male cats at an early age will reduce the tendency of your cat to wander looking for a female and it's involvement in cat fights.
- Keep your cat indoors during the night. Cats tend to cause the most damage to the environment during the night when they can hunt under the cover of darkness. Remember cats are natural hunters so by keeping them in at night it greatly reduces their urge to hunt.
- Ensure your cat has adequate food, water and shelter at all times.
This page last updated 30 August, 2011 2:58 PM
