Night-time cat rules for the City of Wodonga.

Yes. Wodonga has a night-time cat curfew, so your cat must be kept on your property between 7pm and 7am, seven days a week. It isn't a full 24-hour containment rule, so your cat can be outside during the day, but a fully enclosed cat run keeps it safely on the property around the clock and makes the curfew a non-issue. Check the council's cats page for the current wording.

Yes. Every cat over three months old has to be registered with the council, and registration is renewed each year with fees due by 10 April. You register once, then just pay the renewal annually. You can sort it out through the council's registration page or at the council offices.

Microchipping is required before a cat can be registered, in line with the Domestic Animals Act 1994. Desexing isn't compulsory in Wodonga, but the council encourages it and desexed cats pay a lower registration fee. Concession and pension card holders also pay a reduced rate. Fees are set each year, so check the current amounts with the council.

Wodonga lets you keep up to two cats over three months old on any property, except land classified as Rural 1. If you want more than that, you need to apply to the council for a permit, and part of the application is getting permission from all your adjoining neighbours. Every cat over three months still needs to be registered and microchipped.

A cat run on its own doesn't need any animal permit. What can come into play is a building or planning permit, and that depends on the size and height of the structure and where it sits on your block. A modest, freestanding enclosure usually sits under the building permit thresholds, but a larger or taller one, or one fixed to the house, is more likely to need a permit. It's best to confirm with the council's building team before you start on anything sizeable, and we're happy to help you work through it.

Yes, the usual building rules about height and setback from boundaries can apply, the same as they would for a shed or pergola. As a general Victorian guide a small, low structure often doesn't need a building permit, but once it gets bigger or taller, or sits close to a fence line, permit and setback rules can kick in. Wodonga Council sets and applies these rules, so confirm the exact limits with them for your address. We design each enclosure to suit your block and to keep it on the right side of those thresholds wherever we can.

Rangers try to get a picked-up cat home the same day, but if you can't be contacted or the cat isn't microchipped and registered, it goes to the Albury Animal Care Centre in Lavington. Impound fees apply, an undesexed cat has to be desexed before you can collect it, and you may face a fine, especially for an unregistered cat or one caught out during the night curfew. Registration and a microchip are what get your cat home quickly. Repeatedly letting a cat wander onto other people's property can also lead to penalties after a warning. Keeping your cat contained in a secure enclosure avoids the whole situation.

Yes, though you'll want the right sign-off first. If you rent, get your landlord's or agent's written permission, and we can build a freestanding or removable enclosure that doesn't permanently alter the place. In an apartment or unit with shared walls or common property you may also need body corporate approval. The council's cat curfew still applies wherever you live, so a catio is a great way for renters and apartment dwellers to give a cat safe outdoor time while staying compliant.

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 Wodonga. 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 Wodonga 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.