Caring for your cat

Microchipping, desexing, registering, breeders/sellers

As a cat owner, you are responsible for making sure your cat/s are:

• Microchipped by 12 weeks of age or within 28 days of acquiring a new cat.
• Desexed by 6 months of age or within 28 days of acquiring a new cat.
• Registered on Dogs and Cats Online (DACO)

If you are a breeder or seller, you must:

• Adhere to the South Australian Standards and Guidelines for Breeding and Trading Companion Animals.
• You must register as a breeder on DACO.
• You must not sell a cat or kitten unless it has been microchipped and desexed in accordance with the Act.
• Any advertisement you place must include your contact details and breeder registration number. 

Indoor cats are happy cats

There are many benefits to keeping your cat at home and indoors. Contained cats are less likely to become lost or injured, contract infectious diseases such as FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) or end up in fights. They are also less likely to cause nuisance to your neighbours or harm wildlife.

Cats and kittens cope  well living as indoor animals as long as they are given sufficient enrichment. Contained cats don't need to be kept entirely indoors. There are many options available to create outdoor enclosures and specialised fences to keep your cat contained to your property while still allowing them to have access to the outdoors. Some cat owners are even able to allow their cat outside with direct supervision with the proper training.

To keep your cat amused, provide them with plenty of vertical climbing space with cat ladders/trees. Provide them with hiding areas such as with cardboard boxes. Keep plenty of toys on hand. Provide several scratching posts to keep their nails in good condition and so that they are able to scent mark. Ensure you are spending quality time with your cat including playing with them, grooming them and giving them pets and cuddles. Utilise puzzle feeders that get your cat's brain working for their dinner or treats. If your cat appears stressed, invest in a pheromone spray or diffuser. 

Deterring stray/nuisance cats

Think twice before feeding stray cats in your area. While it may seem like the kind and humane thing to do, feeding stray cats encourages more cats to frequent that location and results in higher pregnancy rates, only increasing the population of stray cats and exacerbating the problem. By providing food to a stray cat or colony, you are directly increasing the stray problem. Higher populations of stray cats will result in an increase of infectious diseases such as cat flu and ringworm, internal and external parasites and problem behaviours that affect the entire community. If you are concerned about the welfare of a stray cat, reach out to a rescue organisation. The AWL Retrieval Crate program allows you to hire a cat cage and safely and humanely trap the cat and return it to their Animal Care Centre. You can enquire about the program by contacting the AWL on 8348 1300.

To deter nuisance and stray cats:

• don't feed them
• desex your own cat
• use a spray repellent available from pet stores and vet clinics
• remove faeces from your own yard
• plant cactus or lay gravel around the perimeter of your yard
• plant cat deterrent plants such as citrus smelling foliage, mint, lemon thyme, geranium
• install a sensor light in your yard
• install a 'Scarecrow' motion activated sprinkler repellent
• look at laying 'scat mats' in your garden - plastic, blunt spiked mats that are humane but create an unpleasant feeling for cats to step on.

Cat bylaws

Council currently has no bylaws to enforce cat laws however cats are required to be desexed and microchipped and recorded on Dogs and Cats Online (DACO) under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995.

Additionally, it is an offence for a cat to cause a nuisance under the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016. If the cats owner has been identified but they claim only to feed them and not own them, please refer to Section 5 and 6 in the Dog and Cat Management Act which identifies these residents as owners in the absence of proof to the contrary.

If you do not know where the cats are coming from or the cats are un-owned/feral please call Customer Service on 8416 6333 to go on the wait list for a cat cage hire. This requires an $80 bond and the resident MUST take any cats captured which are unidentifiable to the Animal Welfare League (AWL) within 12 hours of its capture. 

Useful links 

Legal responsibilities for cat owners 

Further information

If you have any questions or require further information about cat registration, please contact our staff on 8416 6333, email info@wtcc.sa.gov.au, accessing the live chat button on this site (when the button is green) or texting us (SMS) on 0429 205 943.