Curfew rules for cats in the City of Monash.

Yes. Monash runs a night-time cat curfew that started on 10 April 2021. All cats must be securely confined to your property between sunset or 7pm (whichever is later) and sunrise the next morning. Your cat can still head outside during the day under the state rules, but a fully enclosed cat run keeps them safely on your property around the clock, so you never have to watch the curfew clock.

Yes. Every cat over three months old has to be registered with the council, and you need to sort it out within 14 days of moving into the area. Registration renews every year and is due by 10 April. Desexed cats and pension or concession card holders pay a lower fee, and the amounts are set each year, so check the council's page for the current figures.

Your cat must be microchipped before you can register it, and that applies to brand new registrations as well as cats transferring in from another council. Desexed cats attract a lower registration fee and the council strongly encourages desexing. If you are not sure whether desexing is required in your case, check with the council directly.

Under the council's Community Safety and Amenity Local Law 2024 you can keep up to two cats at one property without any extra approval. If you want more than that, you need to apply to the council for an excess animal permit, and an officer may inspect to make sure the property suits the number of animals. The same two-animal limit applies to dogs.

You do not need an animal permit from Monash just to build a cat enclosure. A building permit is a separate question set by the Victorian building rules rather than the council's animal team. As a general guide, a small freestanding cat run under about 10 square metres of floor area and under 3 metres high usually will not need a building permit, but it is worth a quick call to the council's building team to confirm before you start.

There can be. Under the Victorian building rules a freestanding cat enclosure generally needs to stay under about 10 square metres and under 3 metres tall to avoid a building permit, and if it sits within 1 metre of a boundary it needs to be under 2.4 metres high. Overlays such as heritage or vegetation can also come into play on some blocks. We design every cat run to sit within these limits and can help you check with the council if your site is tight.

If your cat is out during the night curfew it can be picked up, and the council can issue a fine for a cat found off your property during curfew hours. A cat that is impounded needs to be collected from the pound, and up to date registration details make it far easier to reunite you quickly. Keeping your cat contained, ideally in a secure enclosure, is the simplest way to avoid the fines and the stress.

You can, though it is worth a chat with your landlord or owners corporation first, since a permanent structure usually needs their sign-off. We build freestanding and lightweight, removable cat enclosures that suit rentals, courtyards and balconies, so you can keep your cat safe without altering the building. It is a great way to meet the Monash curfew even in a smaller space.

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 City of Monash. 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 City of Monash 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.