The cat curfew in the City of Ballarat.

Yes. The City of Ballarat has a night-time cat curfew, which means your cat must stay on your property between sunset and sunrise every day. The council introduced this back in 2009, and since March 2023 its animal management team can trap cats found wandering off their premises. A fully enclosed cat run is the simplest way to keep your cat on the property and let it enjoy the fresh air without breaking the curfew or bothering the neighbours.

Yes. Cats in Ballarat need to be registered with the council once they are over three months old, and the registration is renewed every year by 10 April. You can register online through the council's eServices portal or in person at the Customer Service Centre. Fees are set each year, and desexed cats cost a good deal less to register than entire ones, so check with the council for the current amounts.

Your cat has to be microchipped before you can register it for the first time. Desexing isn't compulsory to own a cat here, but desexed cats are much cheaper to register, and the council runs low-cost desexing programs for eligible residents. If your cat doesn't have a chip yet, your vet can sort that out.

Under the council's Community Local Law you can keep up to two cats at a home in Ballarat without a permit. Properties on farmland are exempt from that limit. If you want more than two, you'll need an excess animal permit, which involves your next-door neighbours signing off and the council's animal management team doing an inspection before it's approved.

You don't need an animal permit from the council just to build a cat enclosure. A building permit is a separate question and usually comes down to the size and height of the structure. As a rough Victorian guide, a small, low run often sits under the threshold, but overlays and boundary setbacks can change that, so it's worth a quick check with the council's building team before you start.

There can be, depending on how big and tall the enclosure is and where it sits on your block. Building rules in Victoria look at things like height, floor area and how close a structure is to the boundary, and heritage or other planning overlays can add conditions. We build to suit your yard and can keep a cat run within the common exempt limits, but if yours is large or right on a boundary, confirm the specifics with the council first.

If your cat is picked up off your property, especially at night during the curfew, it can be impounded and you may have to pay to get it back. The council can also issue an infringement for a cat found wandering or on someone else's property. A microchip makes it far easier for the pound to reunite you with your cat, and a secure enclosure stops the wandering happening in the first place.

You can, though it pays to talk to your landlord or owners corporation first. Renters usually need the owner's permission for anything fixed to the building, so we often build free-standing or easily removable enclosures that don't damage the property. For apartments or units, a window box or balcony enclosure can give your cat safe outdoor access while keeping it contained the way the curfew requires.

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 Ballarat. 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 Ballarat 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.