Cat rules and catios in the City of Boroondara.

As of now there is no 24-hour cat curfew locked in across Boroondara. The council does ask owners to keep cats on their own property, particularly between dusk and dawn, since most cat accidents happen at night and that is when cats hunt native wildlife. A cat containment curfew has been through community consultation and a council decision is expected by the end of July 2026, so it pays to check the latest. A fully enclosed cat run is the easy way to keep your cat on the property whatever the council decides.

Yes. Every cat over 3 months of age must be registered with the council, and registration is renewed each year (renewals fall due around 10 April). Your cat has to be microchipped before you can register it. Fees are set fresh each financial year, so check the current amount on the council's pet registration page.

Microchipping is required before you can register your cat, with only a vet-certified health exemption. Desexing is strongly recommended rather than compulsory, but a desexed cat pays a much lower registration fee. On the current Boroondara fees a desexed cat is around $44 versus about $183.50 for one that is not desexed, with concession rates lower again, so desexing saves real money as well as helping behaviour.

You can keep up to 2 cats aged over 3 months at a property without any extra approval. If you want more than that you need to apply for an Excess Animal Permit, which comes with an application fee and a visit from an Animal Management Officer to check the animals are properly housed. It is worth confirming the current permit fee with the council.

You do not need any animal permit from the council just to build a cat enclosure. Whether you need a building or planning permit depends on the size, height and where it sits on your block, and this is set by the Victorian building rules rather than a special catio rule. Boroondara has a lot of heritage overlays, which can trigger a planning permit, so it is smart to check your property with the council before you start.

Small, low structures usually sit under the state building-permit thresholds, but height, floor area and how close you build to a boundary can all tip a structure over the line into needing a permit. Boroondara's heritage overlays can add extra planning controls on top of that. Rather than guess a number, have a quick chat with the council's building or planning team about your exact spot, and we can design the enclosure to suit.

A cat that keeps straying onto other properties can be treated as a nuisance under the council's local law and the Domestic Animals Act, and neighbours can borrow a council cat trap. A trapped or wandering cat is collected by the council during business hours, or taken to the RSPCA, and a repeat offender's owner can cop a notice or an infringement. Keeping your cat in a secure enclosure or contained run avoids all of that and keeps your cat safe from cars and other animals.

You can, though a rental or apartment usually needs the owners corporation or your landlord to sign off first, since you are attaching or adding a structure. Freestanding or window-style cat enclosures are a good fit for smaller spaces and can often go up without permanent building work. We can tailor an enclosure to a courtyard, balcony or window so your cat still gets safe outdoor time.

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 Boroondara. 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 Boroondara 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.