Night-time cat rules for the City of Port Phillip.

Yes. Port Phillip runs a night-time cat curfew from sunset to sunrise every day of the year. During those hours your cat has to stay within your property boundary, whether that is inside the house, in a yard it cannot escape from, or in a suitable cat enclosure. In the daytime cats can be outside but must not trespass on other people's property. A fully enclosed cat run is one of the easiest ways to keep your cat on the property and meet the curfew.

Yes. Every cat three months of age and over must be registered with the council. Registration runs on a yearly cycle, with renewals due on 10 April each year. Desexed cats and concession card holders pay a lower fee, and the current fee schedule is listed on the council's pet registration page.

A cat has to be microchipped before the council will register it, and all newly registered cats must be desexed. Desexing also qualifies your cat for a cheaper registration fee. If you are not sure your cat meets these requirements, the council's desexing and microchipping pages set out what is needed.

You can keep up to two cats at a house, flat or unit without a permit. If you want more than that you will need a multiple, or excess, animal permit from the council, and every cat still has to be registered first. It pays to check the current permit conditions with the council before you go over the limit.

The cat run itself does not need an animal permit. A building permit usually is not required for a small, freestanding, lightweight enclosure, with the general Victorian guide being under about 10 square metres and no more than 3 metres high, though size, height and how close it sits to a boundary can change that. Port Phillip also has many heritage-listed streets, so a planning permit can sometimes come into play. It is worth checking with the council before you build.

Yes, the same building rules that cover any small outbuilding apply to a cat enclosure. Under the Victorian building regulations a freestanding structure taller than 2.4 metres generally cannot sit within a metre of a side or rear boundary, and going over roughly 10 square metres or 3 metres high can trigger a building permit. Heritage or other planning overlays in Port Phillip may add their own controls, so check with the council for your address.

A cat picked up during the curfew can be returned to you or taken to the pound, which for Port Phillip is the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne, and you will usually pay a release fee to get it back. Owners can also face a fine. Keeping your cat registered and microchipped makes it much quicker for the council to reunite you with your pet.

Yes, as long as you have the right sign-off. Much of Port Phillip is flats and apartments, so a freestanding backyard build often is not an option and a window box, balcony or courtyard enclosure tends to suit better. If you rent, get your landlord's written permission first, and in an apartment you will usually need the owners corporation's approval before anything is fixed to the building or balcony. We can design a removable enclosure that keeps everyone happy.

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 Port Phillip. 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 Port Phillip 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.