Keeping cats contained in the Shire of Cardinia.

Yes. Cardinia has had a 24-hour cat curfew since 2000, set by a council order under the Domestic Animals Act, so every cat has to be kept contained to its owner's property at all times, day and night. Your cat can still spend time outdoors, it just can't roam off your land. A fully enclosed cat run is one of the easiest ways to give your cat safe outdoor time while keeping it on the property and within the rules.

Yes. All cats must be registered with Cardinia Shire Council once they turn three months old, and registration is renewed each year by 10 April. The council sends a reminder notice before it falls due. You can be fined if your cat isn't registered or isn't wearing its registration tag.

Yes to both. Your cat has to be microchipped before it can be registered, which is a state requirement under the Domestic Animals Act 1994. Cardinia's council rules also require all cats over 3 months to be desexed, and you need to provide a desexing certificate to register a cat. Pensioner concession holders pay a lower registration fee (council fees change each year), and low-cost desexing is sometimes available for eligible residents, so it's worth checking with the council.

You can keep up to two cats at a property without needing a permit. On land larger than 4000 square metres the limit is four cats. If you want more than your limit, you have to apply to the council for an excess animal permit. Check the current permit fee and conditions with the council before you go over the limit.

The cat run itself doesn't need an animal permit. What can be triggered is a building permit under the Victorian Building Regulations, usually once a structure goes over about 10 square metres of floor area or 3 metres in height, or sits close to a boundary. Overlays like bushfire or environmental controls can change things too, so it's worth a quick check with the council's building team before you start.

As a general guide in Victoria, a freestanding, lightweight structure up to about 10 square metres and no more than 3 metres high is usually exempt from a building permit. Once you get closer than a metre to a side or rear boundary, the height it's allowed to be drops, and setback rules apply. We design our enclosures to sit within these limits where we can, but always confirm the specifics with the council for your block.

If your cat is found off your property it may be picked up and taken to the pound, and you can be given an official warning or a fine. Getting your cat back can mean paying release and holding fees. A registered, microchipped cat is much easier to reunite with its owner, and a secure enclosure or cat-proof fencing is the surest way to avoid the problem in the first place.

You can, though you'll usually need your landlord's or owners corporation's written permission first, and freestanding, removable designs tend to be easiest to get across the line. The council's containment rule applies to every cat whether you own or rent, so a run or a screened balcony is a great way to meet it. We can build to suit a small courtyard, balcony or rental where a permanent structure isn't an option.

A fully enclosed catio keeps your cat safely on your property, which is exactly what containment rules ask for, while still giving them fresh air and the sounds and smells of outside. We build a range of escape-proof enclosures, from a discreet patio catio to a side run or netting over the whole backyard, so there's an option to suit your home. Build a quote to get started.

Yes, we build custom catios right across greater Melbourne, including the Shire of Cardinia. If you're not sure you're in range, get in touch and we'll let you know.

Always confirm the current rules with the council directly via the Shire of Cardinia website (opens in a new tab). The guide above is research we've collated to help you get started, not legal advice, see the note at the foot of this page.